# UK squatting law change



## landpirate (Aug 31, 2012)

so as of midnight tonight it will be a criminal offence to squat a residential property in England or Wales. 

this article tells you some more. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19429936

as a UK resident I am pretty gutted about this news, however I'll be interested to see how or if the law is actually enforced.


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## ByronMc (Aug 31, 2012)

Not good,though there seems it has to be the homeowner,that needs to complain. With that,all there is needed to do,is find building ,that the owner is nowhere to be found ! Gotta think past the ole nose !


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## Sam and Laura (Aug 31, 2012)

Yeah, we're pretty gutted like. There seems to be no concern regarding the humanity of it all, or that is this new law has the potential to leave 20,000 odd people homeless.
I predict a riot.
Still we're doing all right......and there's a wicked pub to be squatted near here (still legal) with a lot of goodies inside waiting to be cashed in on.


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## iSTEVEi (Aug 31, 2012)

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/legislation/bills-acts/circulars/squatting-circular.pdf

Heres the actual legislation.

It appears to be only for residential buildings;

_Subsection (3) defines the meaning of residential building. This includes any structure or part of a structure which has been designed or adapted for use as a place to live. This includes temporary or moveable structures to ensure the offence covers homes such as park homes, caravans or residential pre-fabs. The building must have been designed or adapted before the time of entry, for use as a place to live. This will ensure that where, for example, a barn has been converted into a country house or offices into flats, such buildings will be protected by the offence. *But a trespasser who modifies a non-residential building by placing his bedding and personal effects in it would not be committing this offence because the building had not been adapted before the point he or she entered it.*_


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## RockerBilly (Aug 31, 2012)

yes its only for residential buildings, yes its all complete bullshit, yes people are going to be kicked out onto the streets, and yes they are going to start enforcing from day one.

The police have already said to some friends' squats that they will evict them this morning. Protest at 1pm outside the National Gallery in trafalgar square if anyone is in London today.


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## Smell The Magic (Sep 1, 2012)

Another chapter of our human rights eradicated by the Tory/Lib Dem coalition.
Thousands will end up on the street or be thrown into prison for wanting a roof over their heads while Cameron and Clegg sleep well in their warm cosy houses paid for by us the tax payers! ARGH.
The rich get richer and the poor just get fucked.


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## ByronMc (Sep 2, 2012)

So,by the new law,there is the loop hole of barns,sheds & petrol stations,etc !


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## ByronMc (Sep 2, 2012)

I try to look for what can be done,when the shit hits the fan,so things can move forward,instead of backward ! Sometimes it's best not to fight,but to sidestep !


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## Komjaunimas (Sep 2, 2012)

Sam and Laura said:


> Yeah, we're pretty gutted like. There seems to be no concern regarding the humanity of it all, or that is this new law has the potential to leave 20,000 odd people homeless.
> I predict a riot.
> Still we're doing all right......and there's a wicked pub to be squatted near here (still legal) with a lot of goodies inside waiting to be cashed in on.


 
Because of assholes like you who loots the places they squat, copper pipe and cable strippers soon enough we will see squatting completely criminalised...


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## Komjaunimas (Sep 2, 2012)

RockerBilly said:


> Protest at 1pm outside the National Gallery in trafalgar square if anyone is in London today.



How did it go? i've got the text couple days ago about it but completely forgot...


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## landpirate (Sep 4, 2012)

well the idiot police in my home town have already arrested 3 squatters even though they were in a commercial property. if you'd like to watch a video of them being massively incompetent at smashing a door in then follow this link. 

https://network23.org/snob/


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## landpirate (Sep 4, 2012)

sorry I probably should have posted the you tube link instead


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## ByronMc (Sep 5, 2012)

bending the rules a bit


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## Sam and Laura (Sep 6, 2012)

.


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## RockerBilly (Sep 10, 2012)

landpirate said:


> well the idiot police in my home town have already arrested 3 squatters even though they were in a commercial property. if you'd like to watch a video of them being massively incompetent at smashing a door in then follow this link.
> 
> https://network23.org/snob/


 
I read in the paper that the people down in the commercial part of the building were allowed to stay? Thats cool ur hometown is Brighton, im probably going to move there next week with a mate. Either that or Bristol. I'm just so burned out from London


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## RockerBilly (Sep 10, 2012)

Smell The Magic said:


> Another chapter of our human rights eradicated by the Tory/Lib Dem coalition.
> Thousands will end up on the street or be thrown into prison for wanting a roof over their heads while Cameron and Clegg sleep well in their warm cosy houses paid for by us the tax payers! ARGH.
> The rich get richer and the poor just get fucked.


 
not paying taxes would be a good step forward


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## landpirate (Sep 11, 2012)

yeah sorry I should have probably updated this thread. I believe you're right about the people in the commercial part being allowed to stay. I haven't been down into town in the last few days to see if they're still there.

yeah Brighton's cool. i'm getting a bit tired of it, but I've spent the best part of my 30 years here. Bristol is awesome too, that's where I'd go if I wasn't in Brighton. if you do end up in Brighton and need to know anything about the place then give he a shout on here.


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## RockerBilly (Sep 11, 2012)

landpirate said:


> yeah sorry I should have probably updated this thread. I believe you're right about the people in the commercial part being allowed to stay. I haven't been down into town in the last few days to see if they're still there.
> 
> yeah Brighton's cool. i'm getting a bit tired of it, but I've spent the best part of my 30 years here. Bristol is awesome too, that's where I'd go if I wasn't in Brighton. if you do end up in Brighton and need to know anything about the place then give he a shout on here.


 
Yes actually your collaboration would be much appreciated! The couple of friends I have in Brighton are kinda trustafarians. They work in computers or go to uni and pay rent in houseshares and actually _buy_ their food from shops. Are there any cool housing co-ops/social centers or something I could move into or social events where I could meet people who are more like-minded radical types? much of a punk scene in brighton?


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## landpirate (Sep 18, 2012)

Sorry, been off about and not on here for a few days. Hope I'm not too late to tell you some useful stuff. you should definitely get yourself acquainted with the Cowley Club, http://www.cowleyclub.org.uk/ i am pretty sure the website tells you all you need to know. You'll find all manner of useful people there. With regards Housing co-ops to live in I honestly don't know of anything useful. i have been housed up for a whole fucking year now, due to health and legal bullshit so i am not fully out there with the knowledge. If I hear of anything I will be sure to let you know. But i truly believe the Cowley Club can help you in your search. Another useful place in Brighton is this place http://www.bucfp.org/. don't be put off that it all seems for families and kids and that. it's really not. You can do washing there, get really cheap vegan meals, free clothes, cheap if not free internet, its warm and safe and all the people there are good, nice people. They also do loads of group/education things like art groups and learning languages and you can get impartial welfare advice re: benefits or legal shit. Its a useful place to go if its cold and wet outside. There is also this place,http://theclocktowersanctuary.org.uk/ I don't know how old you are, so you might be out of their age range, and I am not saying you need half the help they offer, but I know you can get food and free internet and shit from these people, so might be worth looking up if you are young enough!! I haven't personally had dealings with them as been too old for too long! 

Also, i was wandering the internet the other day and saw this 
http://uk.cameloteurope.com/508/0/available-properties/available-properties.html 
I know some people are dead against this whole property guardian thing as its essentially fucking over squatters, i am in two minds about it. i did notice that they had a property going in Brighton. Its still £500 a month which is a lot, but i am not sure what you get for your money, but might be something to keep an eye on.

Oh yeah, you asked about the punk scene. Do you know what, i am embarrassed to say, but I don't really know, its not something I am particularly into myself. I know they have a punx picnic in brighton and I know the Cowley Club put on a lot of Punk nights, but that is about the level of my local punk knowledge. sorry.

I feel like I have just provided info for a worse case scenario if you came to Brighton. I will have a better think about where all the cool/like minded people are.

laters...


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## RockerBilly (Sep 19, 2012)

landpirate said:


> Sorry, been off about and not on here for a few days....


 
That was amazing, thank you so much for the intelligence. You've helped me so much. Since my last message things have changed and it looks like i might not be moving to brighton for a few more months  but i will still be going down to visit nearly every weekend as some of my best mates live there.
If anyone's in London though let me know and I'll tell you wats happening round here, there's quite a lot of cool stuff going on right now


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