The Truth About Squatters: What Landlords Actually Need to Worry About
There’s nothing that gets landlords fired up like the word “squatters.” One mention and suddenly everyone’s got a horror story, an opinion, or a cousin’s friend’s nightmare scenario. Add in the news cycle, viral TikToks, and online landlord groups, and it sounds like squatters are kicking down doors everywhere.
Let me pause here and say: I’ve been managing rental properties for over 20 years in North Central Pennsylvania, and squatters do happen—but not like you think.
Type 1: The Opportunist Squatter
These folks aren’t criminal masterminds. They’re desperate, cold, or just down on their luck. They sneak into basements, laundry rooms, or vacant units—especially during winter months. Sometimes they’re tipped off to good spaces to use by well-meaning tenants.
When you confront them, they leave. They know they’re not supposed to be there. There’s no fake lease, no wild legal battle. You just secure the unit and move on.
This is the most common type of squatter around here. It’s annoying, but not that deep.
Type 2: The Scammed Squatter
This one’s trickier—and sadder. These people think they do have a right to be there because they got scammed. Someone pretending to be the landlord took their money, gave them fake keys or a bogus lease, and disappeared.
Now they’re standing in your unit with what looks like legitimate paperwork. The police won’t remove them—it’s a civil issue now, which means court filings, hearings, and delay.
I’ve seen a few of these in our area, but thankfully, in ALL cases we’ve caught it early—before the “tenant” was fully moved in. Vigilance is everything here.
Type 3: The Professional Squatter
This is the horror story type—the kind that makes the news. They know the laws. They know how to stall. They know how to create just enough confusion to buy themselves time.
They’re not scared of landlords. They’ve done this before. They’ll fight, file appeals, call the press, and camp out for months.
Good news? I’ve never seen this type of squatter in North Central PA. Not once. The scammers around here are more interested in stealing money than stealing housing. This one’s mostly fear-fueled internet myth—in our market. In other markets where the cost of housing is higher, yes this type of scammer is at work.
So What Should You Do?
The same stuff you should already be doing as a smart landlord:
Visit your vacant properties regularly
Don’t store keys at the property—use lockboxes or better
Keep entry points secured—no keys under rocks or in mailboxes
Install lighting to deter trouble
Talk to the neighbors—let them know what’s going on and who’s moving in
Consider cameras or smart locks if the risk warrants the expense
Most squatter issues are preventable with good property management. You don’t need to be scared. You just need to be on top of your game. Stay smart. Stay proactive. Keep your properties profitable and protected—just the way we like it.
I’m PM Jen, the—landlord educator, real estate investor, and your favorite straight-talker in the buy-and-hold game. Hold It With PM Jen exists to help real estate investors protect their assets, grow their cash flow, and stop spinning their wheels.
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