A squatter is a person who “settles on a piece of land without title, right, or payment of rent.” In other words, they live somewhere without the property owner’s permission.

There are 2 kinds of squatters a landlord might encounter.

1. An unapproved occupant – Your lease should limit the number of days a tenant may host a guest before requesting your approval. Generally, a guest staying more than 2 weeks is considered a tenant. You have the right to screen, approve, and enter into a legal agreement with the tenants of your property. Your current tenant’s lease does not cover long-term occupants. You are exposing yourself to risk if you allow guests to “squat” on your property without your consent.

2. An unapproved vacation rental business –With the increase in popularity of vacation rental sites like Airbnb.com and Vrbo.com, an enterprising tenant may be tempted to rent your property to vacationers for short periods of time. Your lease should spell out your position on this subject. Using your property as a short-term rental impacts your insurance and legal liabilities.

The bottom line is: YOU should be in control of who lives in your property, AND you should reap the benefits of any funds collected for its use. Don’t allow squatters.