Californians Take Squatting Crisis Into Their Own Hands

A group of Californians has taken the squatting crisis in the state into their own hands and created a business in which you can hire someone to get rid of illegal tenants on your property.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several states updated their rules to allow renters more leniency if they were unable to make their monthly payments. However, in states like California and Washington, this has given rise to unforeseen problems in which squatters stay on property they don't own permanently, and the homeowners lose thousands of dollars in the process.

Lando Thomas, one of the business owners behind Southern California-based Squatter Squad, has been removing squatters since 2018. In 2023, though, he decided to team up with a few others and start a branded company all about removing unruly and illegal tenants from homeowners' properties.

"Because squatting seems to be on the rise, the courts are backed up from months to years, police can't or won't help, property owners feel helpless and are told taking the squatters to court is the only path to getting their property back," Thomas told Newsweek. "Even the neighbors can be victims because where there's squatters, there's usually bad activities going on such as drug dealing and other crimes."

Many homeowners are intimidated by the squatters staying on their property, and trying to legally evict someone can end with a squatter coming right back to the property, whether it's a house or RV, Thomas said.

Squatter Squad has several tactics to get rid of the illegal tenants while still following California's tenant laws, which are more protective than other parts states.

In California, tenants have a right to a "habitable dwelling," and must go through due process for evictions. California has also passed limits for rent increases and security deposits, and tenants are able to sue landlords for retaliation or withhold rent if the property owner doesn't provide "essential services."

In one case, Thomas said gang members were illegally occupying a house next door to a client, and he and his wife faced subtle threats on a daily basis.

"They are in their 80s and the gentleman was in tears towards the end of the call," Thomas said. "I'm in touch with the corporation that owns the house and hoping we can help."

To get around the legal protections even for the worst tenant nuisances, Thomas said the team is trained in finding legal loopholes and interacting with squatters and local law enforcement to get results, he said.

"There are 'tricks of the trade,' so to speak, and we have a lot of those," Thomas said.

Squatter Squad's fees vary based on the situation, but Thomas said most cases range from $5,000 to $10,000.

While pricey, that can be a lifetime of savings for some homeowners who lose up to $100,000 when an illegal tenant won't leave the property.

In Bellevue, Washington, for instance, landlord Jaskaran Singh said he has lost $80,000 in unpaid rent from a squatter who has filed a Temporary Protection Order against Singh, effectively barring him from going within 1,000 feet of the property he legally owns.

When it comes to what homeowners should do with their own squatters, Thomas was clear.

"Stand your ground with them," Thomas said. "Keep after them on a regular basis as to not letting them feel any comfort or freedom inside your home or on your property. Remember, it's your private property and they have trespassed illegally trying to ride our weak and gray area tenant laws that should have nothing to do with trespassers."

Homeowners typically have the right to enter with a 24-hour notice, Thomas said, so use that right to conduct repairs and maintenance and make the illegal squatters feel uncomfortable in the process.

"Do not ever let them feel like they have made it to a point where they are victorious over this situation," Thomas said.

In California, Thomas said, trespassing laws need to become clearer and stricter. And if squatters can't prove they have a legal contract to reside on the property, law enforcement should be there ready to get the squatters off homeowners' hands.

But in the state's current legal regulations, Thomas said homeowners will likely need to be preventive.

"Do not ever leave your home or property vacant without cameras and no-trespassing signs," Thomas said. "Leave a car in the driveway when on vacation. Do anything to make it appear as though someone is inside the home at all times."

Cody Horvat, a real estate broker for The Scott Group, said squatters' rights typically fall under state and local jurisdiction, and many states do not afford squatters any rights unless they inhabit a property for a specific period of time.

"For landlords who want to protect their properties, the first step is always to run a detailed background check on any potential tenants," Horvat previously told Newsweek. "This includes calling previous landlords to make sure they were good tenants who took care of the property they were staying in."

Landlords who have vacant properties should set up security systems that allow them to know whenever a door or window is opened.

"Stories like this have been popping up all over the country in the recent years," Alan Chang, the founder and president of Vested Title & Escrow, previously told Newsweek.

"The pandemic and social media seemed to have triggered a broader awareness of eviction prevention in many metros and there will always be bad actors to take advantage of the system."

Chang said blue states often enforce tenant protection over "basic fairness of unjust enrichment," which can be seen in California and Washington, where Singh was prevented from entering his own property.

"The generalization is that landlords are a faceless corporation that is out for profit, but there are thousands of mom-and-pop real estate investors that are getting hit hard and losing their principal income streams due to these more known tactics now," Chang said.