Squatters in commercial properties (in England & Wales)

[dmncf]

I don't understand the law (in England & Wales) in situations like the squatting in commercial properties described in this news article about Gordon Ramsay's former pub:

Squatters take over Gordon Ramsay's £13m London pub

At least six people are occupying the York & Albany pub near Regents Park in central London.

www.bbc.co.uk

I understand that the freeholder isn't allowed to use force or the threat of force to remove squatters from a commercial property. But could the freeholder employ agents to enter the property, which they could do by damaging the property if needed, e.g. removing a window, since the freeholder could give permission for this. The agents could then be inside the property simultaneously with the squatters and make life difficult for the squatters. I'm envisioning ex Special Forces agents, who might start small by leaving the toilet seat up and failing to do the washing up, and take it further as required e.g. doing building work that makes the property less habitable.

But do the squatters once inside have an exclusive right to occupy the commercial property? I'm not sure why that right would make sense.

 

[JamesT]

I don't understand the law (in England & Wales) in situations like the squatting in commercial properties described in this news article about Gordon Ramsay's former pub:

Squatters take over Gordon Ramsay's £13m London pub

At least six people are occupying the York & Albany pub near Regents Park in central London.

www.bbc.co.uk

I understand that the freeholder isn't allowed to use force or the threat of force to remove squatters from a commercial property. But could the freeholder employ agents to enter the property, which they could do by damaging the property if needed, e.g. removing a window, since the freeholder could give permission for this. The agents could then be inside the property simultaneously with the squatters and make life difficult for the squatters. I'm envisioning ex Special Forces agents, who might start small by leaving the toilet seat up and failing to do the washing up, and take it further as required e.g. doing building work that makes the property less habitable.

But do the squatters once inside have an exclusive right to occupy the commercial property? I'm not sure why that right would make sense.

I’m not sure that it would be worth the hassle trying to make the squatters uncomfortable actively like that. But they could have the utilities turned off.
The legal owners of the property will have to go through the courts to get the squatters removed, as the court officials can use force to remove them. They would also be able to sue the squatters for the damage they do.
I don’t believe the squatters have any exclusive rights over the property, but they are going to try to keep other people out as they can only gain adverse possession if they can show they’ve been in there for 10 years.

 

[renegademaster]

their's currently a set of anarchist squatters , who are circulating around abbadoned shops in Croydon, they get kicked out somewhere and set up shop somewhere else a few days later, I think they are on third property atm

 

[Busaholic]

I’m not sure that it would be worth the hassle trying to make the squatters uncomfortable actively like that. But they could have the utilities turned off.
The legal owners of the property will have to go through the courts to get the squatters removed, as the court officials can use force to remove them. They would also be able to sue the squatters for the damage they do.
I don’t believe the squatters have any exclusive rights over the property, but they are going to try to keep other people out as they can only gain adverse possession if they can show they’ve been in there for 10 years.

I can state unequivocally that water companies are not allowed to disconnect water supplies to any property, including commercial ones, where there is evidence that people are residing. I own a property that is rated as commercial and have had correspondence with both senior water company bods and OFWAT on this and other matters.

 

[AlterEgo]

There's a guy in California who rents himself out to be a nightmare squatter, to force other squatters to leave.