The UK made squatting in residential buildings a criminal offense more than a decade ago. Yet according to Osborne & Francis, squatters continue to occupy commercial spaces with relative legal impunity, exploiting a key loophole in Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which excludes non-residential properties.
Recent high-profile incidents include the illegal occupation of Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany pub and the former 20th Century Fox HQ in London. In both cases, police were unable to act swiftly due to the lack of criminal classification for squatting in commercial sites.
Why Texas Is Being Watched: A Model for Fast-Track Enforcement
In June 2025, Texas passed two major bills: Senate Bill 38 and Senate Bill 1333, that fundamentally changed how the state handles squatting. The new legislation allows police to immediately remove unlawful occupants from any private property, including both homes and commercial spaces. Property owners no longer have to endure months of costly legal battles or delays in civil court.
This bold move was prompted by a squatting crisis that affected an estimated 10,000 properties statewide. In many cases, individuals had illegally rented out properties using forged deeds or fake tenancy documents, leaving legitimate owners helpless for weeks or months.
Legal experts in both the US and UK are watching closely. Texas’s hybrid approach, blending expedited civil action with direct police enforcement, could offer a template for other jurisdictions struggling to balance property rights with due process. While the legal systems differ, the urgency behind reform is shared: landlords need faster, clearer paths to reclaiming their property.
Landlords Want Action: Is It Time to Criminalise Commercial Squatting Too?
Landlord associations and commercial real estate owners are increasingly calling for reform. Many point to the new Texas anti-squatter laws, which empower police to remove squatters from all types of private property without a lengthy civil process, as a potential model for the UK.
Legal experts in the UK agree that enforcement gaps are causing financial damage. The British Property Federation estimates commercial squatting costs UK landlords over £200 million annually in legal fees, security measures, and lost income.
Policy Outlook: Could Reform Be on the Horizon?
While the UK government has not yet announced formal plans to update squatting laws, there have been rumblings in Parliament. A 2023 report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee acknowledged the “ongoing issue of commercial squatting” and recommended a review of the law.
Industry groups such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the British Property Federation are also lobbying for change, citing increased illegal occupancy in post-pandemic vacant units.
“The law as it stands in the UK sends mixed signals. We’ve criminalised residential squatting but allow it to continue in commercial settings, often where the financial loss is even greater. Property owners deserve clarity, and we urgently need a unified legal approach that empowers law enforcement to intervene regardless of the building’s use.
While Texas has taken a bold step, the UK’s legislative process tends to be slower. But the pressure is mounting, especially in urban centres like London and Manchester,” says Legal Expert, Joseph Osborne at Osborne & Francis.
As US states like Texas redefine the balance between property rights and enforcement power, the UK may soon face a similar reckoning. For commercial landlords, reform can’t come soon enough.