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The issue of homelessness, in most people’s eyes, is a pretty extreme version and to get that state would need you to make some pretty damaging life choices. But what if we told you that wasn’t the case. Not at all. For people that are living in rented accommodation, they are in fact living in a much more precarious state than they care to realise, while those homeowners and home buyers could see their comfortable situation turned on its head.

Now, the odds of losing your home – or your land – through no fault of your own are not high enough to seek counsel now, but they are high enough to warrant us writing this article, which is why we have pulled together a list of ways in which you could be affected through no fault of your own.

1. Squatter’s Rights Is A Thing

For those that don’t know, squatting is when someone deliberately enters a property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there. Now, this may seem illegal but it is, in fact, more of an emotive subject than that. That said, there are legal rights and, to get to the nitty-gritty, a long-term squatter can become the registered owner of a property or land if they have occupied the space without the owner’s permission for ten years or more and have acted as the owners in that time. It’s extreme, but it is possible.

2. Compulsory Takeovers Happen

A compulsory takeover is a legal function that gives certain bodies the ability to obtain land or property without the owner’s permission, although the owner is usually entitled to compulsory purchase compensation as a result. In order for this sort of takeover to be legal, the proposed development needs to be for public betterment; for example, building a motorway where the owner does not want to sell or if a council wants to develop a town centre or if a railway would benefit. Like we said, though, compensation is available to ensure the owner is not left in a worse financial position, something that will take into account the value of the property, costs of acquiring a new place, moving costs and any additional fees too.

3.Your Landlord Sells

This is becoming a more common issue and is one that is more worrying than others. This is where renters find their landlord putting the house they live in on the market. Now, you may find yourself thinking that the answer is obvious; you find another home to rent but a) we all know how hard this can be, b) how expensive rents are getting and c) there can often be impossible hurdles to overcome. For example, those that are working on dreaded zero-hours contract is rarely taken into consideration by an estate agent. So, while you were both working to pay the rent, this is no longer an option, meaning the houses available in their eyes will be more limited. Speak to the council and you will get put on a waiting list and, with that number growing, the race for help before eviction day could lead to the worst outcome.