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Empty Dwelling Management Orders: Squatting

Volume 507: debated on Thursday 11 March 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been produced by his Department on whether an Empty Dwelling Management Order may be issued in respect of a property which is occupied by squatters. (319296)

The Department issued a Guidance Note on Empty Dwelling Management Orders in July 2006 which can be downloaded from the Communities website:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/guidancenote

An interim Empty Dwelling Management Order can be issued only by the Residential Property Tribunal Service if the dwelling has been wholly unoccupied (i.e. no part is occupied whether lawfully or unlawfully) for at least six months.

The issue of squatters is managed through separate provisions—other powers exist to evict squatters. The landlord must obtain an eviction order from a county court. The EDMO provisions can then be followed if required.