How to Protect Your Home from Squatters
We’ve all heard the horror stories. A family goes on vacation or is renovating their home only to find unknown and uninvited people living in their home. But thanks to overly liberal “tenant” protection laws, the homeowner’s nightmare is just beginning. These squatters often claim to have rented the property from someone claiming to be the owner, but usually can’t produce a lease or proof of payments. If that’s the case, it’s likely you are talking to the scammer directly, not some innocent party who might also be a victim. Either way, the police probably will not remove the squatters for fear of their own civil liability. They are likely to tell you to “take them to eviction court,” as if doing so is a cheap or fast process. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
So how can you protect your home if you’ll be away from it for any extended period of time? Aside from maybe full-time security, there are no foolproof methods, but the following list should help stop squatters in their tracks:
- Install security cameras inside and outside the home that alert you when motion is detected. If someone tries to break in or change the locks, you can alert police while the crime is in progress and provide the video evidence.
- Get a home alarm that will call the police in the event of intruders. Even if someone impersonates you and signs a lease with some scammer, no one will be able to disarm the alarm but you, which will be further evidence that the impersonator is not the rightful owner or tenant.
- Always change the locks on any home you purchase; make sure all locks work well and reinforce all entry points.
- Get to know your neighbors! Tell them when you’ll be out of town and that you are NOT renting or selling your house. Tell them they’ll be the first to know if you decide to rent or sell, and that anyone else they see trying to enter your home is an intruder.
- Lobby your state legislator to enact anti-squatter legislation. Vote out those who won’t.