'Professional' squatters move house to house, retain state-by-state knowledge on the law

Every squatting situation is different from the next, but often, commonalities present in many cases include costly court battles, expensive home damage and mental health consequences for homeowners dealing with the emotional situation. 

The general definition of squatting is when a person unlawfully possesses a property. There are two primary ways in which this happens, Daniel Phillips, a real estate litigation partner at Belkin, Burden and Goldman law firm who specializes in landlord and tenant disputes, previously told Fox News Digital. The first is in the case of a foreclosure, where a property becomes abandoned. The second is by means of fraud, where a person will use a fake identity to rent out a home and will quickly stop paying. 

“Professional” squatters are “people who move from one property to the next, taking advantage of innocent landlords with vacant property,” according to Stessa. 

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These individuals are familiar with the laws of the state they are in, and use that to their advantage. For example, they are aware that in many states, in an abundance of situations, they’ll have to be taken to court in order to be removed. A lot of these times, while a trial ensues, they are granted access to the home until a resolution is reached, Phillips previously said. 

Many squatters have claimed themselves to be “professionals.” 

Back in 2022, a Chicago woman named Darthula Young’s property was taken over by an individual who told her he was a “professional squatter.”

“He told me he’s a professional squatter, and he knows his rights, and he is not leaving,” Young told Jesse Watters in March 2023. 

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When Young arrived at her property, she was met with changed locks and a bullet hole in her window. 

It wasn’t until July 2023 when the squatter was eventually removed from the property, Young previously told Fox News Digital. 

In April of this year, it was reported that “professional squatters” had taken over a London pub owned by celebrity chef Gordan Ramsay.

The group of people put a lengthy notice on the property, which in part read, “That if you want to get us out you will have to issue a claim for possession in the County Court or in the High Court,” The Sun reported. 

There are many ways homeowners can keep their properties secure, one of which is making sure the house is well-maintained and doesn’t appear to be abandoned. 

Additionally, if you are in the process of selling a home and have since moved to a different property, make sure someone is keeping an eye on the home in your absence. 

“For homeowners, I would say my best tip would be if you are going to go ahead and move out of state and your home is going to be sold after you’ve left, or if you are a distant relative and you have a family member’s home that is tied up in probate, have someone keep a regular close watch on the property,” Courtney Hartsfield, a Realtor from Tyler Hughes Realty Group with Horizon Realty based in Madison, Alabama, previously told Fox News Digital, sharing that those homes are “easy targets.”

There are also several security measures you can put in place, such as cameras. Additionally, Phillips previously told Fox News Digital to be sure that there are no ways to enter the property, with all windows, doors and any other entryways securely closed and locked at all times.