Squatters Rights Supersede Owners Rights in Philadelphia

Squatters are tormenting homeowners and landlords in Philadelphia, but one property management company says city officials and police just don’t seem to care.

“We might actually have a court order to remove a squatter, but the sheriff gets there and if the squatter refuses to leave, they will not want to escalate the conflict,” said Walter Lapidus, owner of Anchor Realty NE. “They’ll just leave and force us to refile the” writ of possession.

Homeowners across the United States are fighting drawn-out and costly legal battles to remove squatters. In Philadelphia, it can cost upwards of $3,500 to even begin the court process to remove squatters from a residence plus $1,600 to actually move the suspects out and store their belongings for a month, Megan Spangler of Anchor Realty NE told Fox News.

“We’re dealing with almost a year to get these people out,” Spangler said. “It is a very lengthy process. It’s a very expensive one, too.” (Excerpt from Fox News.)