The Communicator October 2012 - Swan Housing Association

Your homeSquatting...Since 1st September, homeowners have been able to contact the police, who can takeaction and arrest the squatters. The law also protects owners of vacant residentialproperties such as private and social landlords and second-home owners.On 1st September, squatting in aresidential building in England andWales became a criminal offenceunder new legislation meaningsquatters can face fines or even ajail sentence.A squatter is someone who entersand lives in a residential buildingwithout permission and knows - orshould know - that they shouldn’t bethere. Now it has become a criminaloffence, squatting should bereported to the police.Previously, squatting has beentreated as a civil matter meaning thatlandlords had to go to court to provethat squatters have trespassed ontotheir property to get an eviction.The maximum penalty for squattingwill be six months in jail, a £5,000fine, or both.Swan recently had a squatting issueon the Chatsworth estate inNewham and worked with theLocal Authority and police. Thematter was resolved within theweek with just the threat ofcriminal action. Previously casesof squatting could take at least eightweeks to progress and cost severalthousand pounds.It is important that you let us know ifyou think anyone is squatting in yourcommunity. The squatting offencedoes not apply to tenants who fallbehind with rent payments orrefuse to leave at the end of theirtenancy. Tenants who enter abuilding with the permission of thelandlord are not squatters. In thesecircumstances, landlords will useexisting eviction processes to regainpossession of their properties.We pride ourselves in turning aroundempty properties (voids) in less than16 days. Squatting would seriouslyimpact on our ability to meet thesetimescales.Please inform your NeighbourhoodOfficer if you have information onsquatting in any of Swan’s properties.Don’t suffer in silenceOne in four women andone in six men will bevictims of domesticabuse at some time intheir life.Domestic abuse isn't justphysical violence. Itincludes: verbal abuse emotional abuse financial abuse sexual abuse forced marriage female genital mutilation honour based violenceYou can survive domesticabuse.For help and support contactPolice 999Non emergencies 101National Domestic Abuse helpline0808 2000 247Broken Rainbow (for LGBTcommunity) 0300 999 5428Respect (advice for perpetrators)0808 802 4040Men Advice Line (for male victims)0808 801 0327Child Line 0800 1111Forced Marriage Unit0207 008 0151Victim Support 0845 465 5995National Stalking helpline0808 802 030016