We want to address an important topic regarding the safety and security of your property during your absence: preventing unauthorized occupants, such as squatters or intruders, from gaining access to your home. While instances are rare, it's crucial to be aware of local regulations and preventive measures that can help keep your property secure.
Understanding Squatters and Trespassing Laws in Florida
In Florida, squatters are individuals who may try to claim occupancy of a vacant home, often through illegal entry. Trespassers may attempt to access properties while assuming they’re unoccupied. Under Florida law, it is illegal to enter or occupy someone else’s property without permission, and authorities can take action to remove unauthorized occupants. However, once a squatter is established, legal procedures to evict them can be lengthy and costly.
Steps for Prevention
Regular Property Checks: We conduct scheduled and unscheduled visits to your property to monitor for any signs of tampering, forced entry, or unauthorized occupancy. Our vehicle is unmarked, and we try to show up on different days and at different times of the day. We remove cards and flyers from your front door, pick up packages, and place them inside the home along with any mail we pick up from the mailbox when doing the home watch.
Visible Signage: Â If you have a security sign in front of your home, we make sure it is visible to all who walk or ride by, letting them know you have a system in place.
Monitoring Security Systems: We check that your security systems and cameras (if installed) are functioning correctly and address any notifications of unexpected activity.
Lighting and Visibility: Ensuring that exterior lights are operational and checking for clear visibility of all entry points can reduce the risk of trespassing. We would also like to suggest timers for the inside lamps in your home coming on at different times to throw the intruders off. Noise such as TV or radio coming off and on would also deter squatters and intruders. There is a dog called the HouseSetter a simple affordable home monitoring service. You can check this out at www.HouseSetter.com. We have also seen lighting systems that effectively simulate the light of an active widescreen television. You can find an example of one HERE.
Additional Recommendations for Homeowners
Update Your Security Systems: Consider installing or upgrading systems with remote monitoring, motion detection, and video surveillance that you can view from anywhere.
Alert Neighbors: Let trusted neighbors know of your absence and encourage them to report any unusual activity.
Keep Your Home Appearance Active: Maintain landscaping, mail collection, and any scheduled maintenance to give the impression of an occupied home.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. We’re committed to ensuring your peace of mind and the security of your home in SW Florida.
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