Key takeaways
- ✓ Squatters target properties that look empty and unwatched — visible security and regular presence are your best deterrents.
- ✓ Lock every entry point including windows and internal doors, fence the property, and display clear private property signage.
- ✓ Timed lighting, curtains and a maintained exterior make a vacant property read as occupied.
- ✓ Neighbours, property managers, guardians and security cameras all extend your eyes on the property between visits.
- ✓ If squatters do move in, contact the police or get legal advice immediately — and have the property professionally cleaned once it's vacated, as squats often involve sharps and biohazardous waste.
Why vacant properties attract squatters
Do you own a home you don't live in? Then squatters should be on your risk list. Squatting is the occupation of a disused or empty property by people with no right to be there — sometimes strangers who spot an easy target, sometimes former tenants who simply refuse to leave when their lease ends. Either way, the pattern is the same: the longer squatters stay, the harder and more expensive they become to remove, and the worse the condition of the property when you finally get it back.
The encouraging flip side is that most squatting is opportunistic. Squatters look for properties that are clearly empty, easy to enter and unlikely to be checked. Take those three things away and you've removed most of the risk.
Lock it down
- ✓ Secure every entry point whenever the property is unoccupied. Fit strong padlocks or deadlocks to entrance doors, and lock internal doors as well so anyone who does get in can't move freely.
- ✓ Close and latch every window. Any point of entry, no matter how small, is an invitation.
- ✓ Fence or barricade the property. A high wall or solid fence is the first line of defence against intruders.
- ✓ Display clear signage. Prominent 'Private Property — No Trespassing' signs, with a note that legal action will be taken against violators, tell an opportunist this owner is paying attention.
Make it look occupied
A property that reads as lived-in is far less likely to be targeted than one that's obviously abandoned:
- ✓ Put basic lighting on timers so lights come on in the evening.
- ✓ Keep curtains and basic furnishings in place rather than leaving bare windows.
- ✓ Keep the exterior maintained — an overgrown lawn and a letterbox full of catalogues announce that nobody's home.
Keep eyes on the property
- ✓ Visit regularly, or engage a property management company to inspect on a schedule. Visible activity is a powerful deterrent.
- ✓ Consider professional property guardians — services that place vetted occupants in empty homes and commercial premises on the owner's behalf.
- ✓ Recruit your neighbours. Good relationships pay off here: ask them to keep an eye out and call you if they see anything suspicious.
- ✓ Use the neighbourhood watch or a security patrol if your area has one.
- ✓ Install cameras or an alarm system that alerts your phone — modern systems are inexpensive and let you check the property from anywhere.
If squatters have already moved in
Don't confront them and don't try to force them out yourself — that can create legal problems for you and safety risks for everyone. Contact the police or seek legal advice immediately, and act fast: time works in the squatters' favour, not yours.
After they're gone: clean up properly
Once the property is vacated, move quickly on the cleanup — the longer it's left, the worse it gets. Squatters typically leave large amounts of waste behind, and in severe cases properties are left genuinely uninhabitable. What's left often goes beyond rubbish: needles and other sharps, bodily fluids and general biohazardous waste are common finds in a former squat.
That's why this isn't a DIY job, even when the property looks superficially okay. Handling sharps and biological contamination safely requires training, protective equipment and proper disposal procedures. Have an accredited professional team clean and decontaminate the property before anyone moves back in.
Need a hand in Sydney or Regional NSW?
One Prime responds 24/7 across Greater Sydney & Regional NSW. Our squatters clean-up technicians are trained to handle sharps, bodily fluids and hazardous waste, and we follow industry best practice to return your property to a clean, safe, habitable condition. Call 1300 774 631 or get in touch — the sooner we start, the sooner your property is yours again.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single best way to keep squatters out of a vacant property?
Make the property look secure, watched and occupied. Lock every entry point including windows, put lighting on timers, keep the exterior maintained, and make sure someone — you, a property manager or a neighbour — is visibly checking on it regularly. Squatters are opportunists and overwhelmingly pick targets that look abandoned and unwatched.
What should I do if I find squatters in my property?
Don't confront them or try to remove them yourself — that can create legal and safety problems. Contact the police or seek legal advice immediately, and act quickly, because squatters generally become harder to remove the longer they've been in place.
Why do I need professional cleaning after squatters leave?
Former squats commonly contain sharps such as needles, bodily fluids and other biohazardous waste alongside general rubbish, and handling those safely requires training, protective equipment and proper disposal. Even a property that looks superficially tidy should be professionally cleaned and decontaminated before anyone moves back in.
Are former tenants who won't leave considered squatters?
In practical terms, yes — some squatters are simply former tenants who refuse to vacate after their lease ends. The situation is handled through legal channels rather than confrontation, so get advice promptly, because delay makes removal harder.