This may be a good time to take Mark Twain’s advice to “Buy land, they’re not making it anymore”.
When you find a property you like the looks of, just check upfront whether there is anyone currently in occupation. If there is, be sure to take legal advice on the occupiers’ legal position, because whilst it’s certainly possible to evict unlawful occupiers, you might be in for a long and difficult fight.
We discuss the strong constitutional and statutory rights enjoyed by unlawful occupants in the context of a recent High Court matter where a family, having refused to vacate a newly-sold apartment, proceeded to live in it rent-free for over two years.
