You can be arrested and evicted if you are squatting in Cardiff.
Unlawful entry into a property in Cardiff and staying there without consent from the owner is called squatting.
Squatting is generally used as the final option by a homeless individual in Chatham, Merthyr Tydfil, or Cardiff/Caerdydd.
If you're poor, it's not a long-term solution as you're almost certainly going to be evicted from the Cardiff property and charged.
You're not squatting if you stayed on in a property in South Glamorgan after your tenancy or licence ended.
It is a criminal offense to squat in a rental property in Cardiff.
You risk being arrested and in case you are found guilty, you may:
Sent for up to six months in prison in Cardiff
Pay a fine of up to £5,000
You may not be arrested in South Glamorgan if you:
You remained in the land in Cardiff after the end of tenancy or license
Gained access to the South Glamorgan property lawfully believing you were a tenant - for instance, if a rogue letting agent rented you a property they had no right to
You are a traveller or nomad living on unauthorised land in Cardiff
As a Cardiff squatter, you may be removed from a property if:
The police in South Glamorgan are unwilling to arrest you
The owner in Chatham, Cardiff/Caerdydd, or Merthyr Tydfil is not involving police
Squatters are residing in the premises of commercial property in Cardiff
If the squatters have gone out, the owner of the property in Cardiff can change locks.
The owner can obtain a court order in South Glamorgan if you or any other squatter if you fail to move out of the property in Cardiff.
Harassment and threats of violence are against the law.
The landlord needs to give a possession claim form copy to the squatters (either by post or attaching to the door) at least five days before the court hearing in South Glamorgan is due - or two days if this is occurring in a commercial building.
The details in the forms must include the time and place of the court hearing, as well as the defence form.
You may challenge the landlord's case if you are not squatting in the property in Cardiff.
You can do this by forwarding to court the defence form and be in attendance of court hearings in Cardiff.
The court in South Glamorgan will order you to vacate the premises in Cardiff right away if you have been squatting.
If you choose to remain on the property, the landowner is required to enlist the help of South Glamorgan court bailiffs to remove you from the property
You can receive some assistance meant for the homeless from the council because as a squatter in Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff/Caerdydd, or Chatham, you are classified as homeless.
Therefore being homeless, you will need to seek help as a squatter from your local authority in Cardiff.
If you are homeless and unmarried, the South Glamorgan council would advise you on how to find a place to live in Cardiff.
Emergency help may be given to you by the specialist services as an alternative in some areas in South Glamorgan.
If you're in dire priority need such as have kids or pregnant, the council in Cardiff may help you with emergency housing.
However, local council will not be able to assist you in emergency or long-term housing in case you are restricted with residency or immigration status such as asylum seekers in Cardiff/Caerdydd, Merthyr Tydfil, or Chatham.
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