The occupation of unoccupied or abandoned land or a building by a person with no legal right to be there, without the owner's permission. Legal treatment varies significantly between jurisdictions and over time: many countries have historically treated squatting primarily as a civil trespass matter resolved through eviction proceedings, while others, including the United Kingdom in the case of residential buildings since 2012, have created a specific criminal offense of squatting to allow police to remove occupants and pursue prosecution directly rather than requiring a property owner to bring a civil eviction claim.
Facts
Classification CodeLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, section 144 (England and Wales, residential buildings only) 1 Typical PenaltyUp to a 5,000 pound fine, six months imprisonment, or both, under section 144 in England and Wales 1 Jurisdiction VariationSection 144 applies only to residential buildings in England and Wales, non-residential squatting stays a civil trespass matter 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
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Source Squatting in England and Wales (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
In England and Wales, squatting – the occupation of a vacant property without the owner's consent – has been progressively criminalised since the 1970s.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Squatting in England and Wales (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
In England and Wales, squatting – the occupation of a vacant property without the owner's consent – has been progressively criminalised since the 1970s.
Sources
1. Squatting in England and Wales (Wikipedia)
Criminalization section, section 144 offense description
the new offence will be committed where a person is in a residential building as a
Criminalization section, section 144 penalty clause
subject to a fine of 5,000 pounds, 6 months in prison, or both
Introduction section
Within this constrictive legal framework, squatting in the 21st century, tends to involve protest actions or pop-up venues in non-residential property where trespass remains a largely civil matter.
In Group: Burglary, Trespass and Squatting, Lead sentence
In England and Wales, squatting, the occupation of a vacant property without the owner's consent, has been progressively criminalised since the 1970s.
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