News is dribbling in of use of the new anti-squat law, through various routes. Some police forces have tweeted their use of the law but with no confirmation, some councils have proudly announced being the first to use it, all contradicting each one other…
We’re not hearing a lot from the sort of advice agencies we’d expect to be picking up on things, so we need to get the word out more.
One eviction we have heard of, but are trying to get more detail on was a family sub-letting in Enfield. They were arrested and evicted.
We also know of arrests in a pub in Romford. Two people seem to have admitted the charge, despite clearly not breaking the law, but one other was sensible enough not to, and faces charge.
There have definitely been arrests in Brighton and Bristol, but most other police interventions have ended either with the police being persuaded that no offence has taken place, or in the police persuading the occupiers that they should get out or else be nicked.
In one case this happened despite the fact the occupiers were licensees, or at least licensees holding over, and the fact that some of the people threatened with arrest were not living at the property and so not committing any offence. The police then handed the property over to someone with no apparent right to the place, although he reckoned he did.
We need to know more in order to be effective. Please share the contact details of the Squatters Legal Network with any squatters you know who don’t know about us already, and give us any information you have about any use or abuse of the new law.
SLN