The Government’s decision follows months of lobbying by Mike Freer and two of his Conservative colleagues. The issue has been raised with Justice Ministers during private meetings, in the House of Commons and during a special Westminster Hall debate.
Speaking following the announcement, Mike Freer MP said, “This is great news. I have had scores of emails from people who work hard to pay their mortgages or rent and simply cannot understand why the law seems to be on the side of those that occupy properties.
This change will rightly shift the law so it is back on the side of homeowners and I will be pushing the Government to bring forward the reform as soon as possible.”
In his statement to the House of Commons today, the Justice Secretary also announced that squatters would no longer be eligible for legal aid, helping end the current situation where homeowners have to go through a long, and often expensive, court process whilst the occupiers of their home have their legal fees covered by the state.