Private land, especially if it is unprotected, is vulnerable to illegal occupation from travellers and squatters. Property damage, business disruption, and the number of occupiers can escalate. If action isn’t taken quickly, damage control can become costly. Discovering such an encampment on your land is disturbing, but thankfully, there are swift and structured solutions available.
The process for removing trespassers is bound by specific legal process. Knowing the correct steps — and how to act lawfully — is crucial. In this blog, we’ll cover what every landowner or business needs to know about the eviction process in the UK.
What should you do first when travellers arrive?
The first thing to do is remain calm. It is easy to panic in a situation like this, but any rash action could lead to conflict or legal consequences. You should never attempt to remove travellers yourself.
Instead, report the encampment to the police. They may not intervene directly — especially if no crime has taken place — but an official record should always be made. If any criminal damage, anti-social behaviour, or threats are involved, the police may choose to attend.
Ultimately though, the responsibility lies with the landowner, and the correct course of action is to bring in a professional enforcement company to manage the process. Certificated enforcement agents understand the legal routes available, and their presence can help de-escalate tensions while ensuring everything is handled correctly from the outset.
What legal options are available for removing travellers?
There are two recognised legal routes: common law eviction and court-ordered possession. Each has its own process, timescales, and use cases.
1. Common law eviction
Common law eviction is typically the fastest and most widely used approach. Under common law, landowners have the right to instruct enforcement officers to attend the site and ask the travellers to leave. If they refuse, officers can remove them using no more force than is reasonably necessary. Because no court order is required, common law evictions can often be carried out in a 1-2 day time frame.
This route is often ideal for smaller encampments or first-time incidents where there’s minimal resistance.
2. Possession order and Writ of Possession
Where things are more complex — such as large groups, repeated incursions, or previous threats of violence — a possession order becomes appropriate. This involves applying to the county court for a formal legal notice. Once granted, it can be transferred to the High Court and enforced under a Writ of Possession.
While this process takes longer and incurs more cost, it gives the eviction the authority of the court, and breaching the order becomes a criminal offence. In these cases, police can intervene directly. This is also the next course of action for travellers who are remaining on site despite enforcement presence.
If the matter still is not resolved, it should be escalated to high court enforcement officers.
How involved are the police in traveller evictions?
Police involvement in traveller evictions is often misunderstood. In most cases involving private land, police will classify the situation as a civil matter, and won’t step in beyond initial incident recording. However, enforcement agents may request police presence on-site during the eviction to help prevent breaches of the peace and step in if the situation escalates.
In certain situations, the police have the power to act under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, but these powers are rarely invoked, and usually only when there is significant disruption or criminal behaviour.
Can you remove travellers yourself?
In short, yes — but you shouldn’t. DIY evictions can quickly cross into unlawful action, especially if force, threats, or unlicensed agents are involved. Such things can lead to civil claims for unlawful eviction or personal injury, with landowners facing higher costs in damages than a professional eviction would have been.
Certified enforcement officers are the only legal option for evicting travellers from private land. Acting through the proper legal channels both protects rights as a landowner, and ensures the eviction is carried out with minimum disruption and risk.
What about the post-eviction process?
Following eviction, there are many factors to consider; from health and safety and landowner liability, to site protection, and what to do if the travellers return.
There is too much to cover here, so to that end, we are developing a one-stop e-book guide that covers the entire eviction process, including post-eviction, in more granular detail. To be notified when this releases, join our monthly newsletter at the footer of this page.
Need help with a traveller eviction?
Able Investigations has supported landowners across the UK with lawful, fast, and professional removals. Whether you need urgent action under common law or help obtaining a court order, our team is on hand 24/7, and can often provide same-day eviction.
Learn more about our services here, or contact us today to speak to one of our experienced enforcement officers.
