How To Handle Squatters

If you’re an investor in real estate, you’ve likely heard of the term “squatters.” Squatting is when someone takes possession of a property without the owner’s permission and without paying rent. As an investment property owner, it’s important to know what steps to take if your property is ever subject to squatters.

Squatter Rights vs. Landlord Rights

In some states, squatters can gain legal rights if they live on the property for long enough. This means that they may be entitled to certain protections against eviction. It is important to research the laws of your state before attempting any sort of eviction or taking action against a squatter.

If you do have legal grounds for evicting a squatter, then you must begin by serving them with an eviction notice. This must be done in accordance with local laws and should spell out why they are being evicted and how much time they have to leave the premises. Depending on the situation, this could be anywhere from 3 days up to 30 days or more.

Once the notice has been served, it is important that you document everything so that if things get complicated down the road, you will have evidence of what happened and when it happened. It is also important that any interactions with squatters be documented as well—even if those interactions were verbal rather than written—so that there is a record of what was said between both parties.

If all else fails and the squatter refuses to vacate your property despite being served an eviction notice, then you may need to hire an attorney and take legal action in order to remove them from your investment property. This can be costly and time-consuming but often necessary in order to reclaim full control over your property once again.

At times like these, it’s important not only for investors to understand their rights but also their responsibilities as well—which includes knowing how best to handle these types of situations depending on their particular circumstances and location. You should always seek professional advice from a qualified attorney before taking any type of legal action against a squatter in order ensure that your rights are fully protected under local law. Taking swift action now can help save both time and money down the road!