Squatters target expensive London homes Squatters are increasingly targeting expensive houses in exclusive London neighbourhoods, with more than a doubling in the number of court orders taken out to evict squatters from high-valued homes last year. The rise comes ahead of new legislation, expected to be introduced in September, that will criminalise all squatting in residential properties, with squatters facing up to a year in jail or a £5,000 fine. The economic downturn, high unemployment and an increase in trophy homes bought by overseas buyers and left empty for long periods have been blamed for the spike in squatters in desirable postcodes. The number of applications for interim possession orders used to evict squatters jumped from 25 in 2010 to 51 in the year to October last year in the capital's wealthiest boroughs. Central London County Court, which handles eviction cases in Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair, saw an 81 per cent rise from 16 to 29 of interim possession orders, according to Sweet & Maxwell, a legal information company. Property owners in Regents Park, North Kensington and Notting Hill saw the biggest rise in squatters, with the number of cases lodged with Willesden Country Court more than trebling to 17. High-end London property agents say there has been a noticeable increase in squatting, with big empty homes in Mayfair and Belgravia typically targeted. Robert Bailey, a property buying agent, said a memo from an estate agent was recently sent to other London agents warning them of the tactics used by some organised squatting groups. Squatters are becoming more organised and using social networking tools to co-ordinate activity, according to Daniel Dovar, co-author of Residential Possession Proceedings. Noel de Keyzer of Savills, the estate agent, said he was once "hoodwinked" by squatters after one purported to be a developer in order to be shown around an expensive property. When his back was turned, the squatter undid a lock on a ground floor window and later used this as an entrance into the property. Roarie Scarisbrick of Property Vision said many high-profile squatting cases have been politically motivated - more in the "spirit of revolt" against inequality than desperate need for a bed. Groups have criticised the estimated 700,000 empty homes in England, with 279,000 of these estimated to have been empty for more than six months, according to the charity Empty Homes. In an atttempt to deter squatters, an increasing number of wealthy homeowners are turning to security firms that employ people to live in the property at a low cost. Both Camelot, the world's largest manager of vacant properties, and Ambika Security, another firm that specialises in protecting vacant properties in London and the south-east, say they have seen a rise in demand for their services because of concern over squatters. "We have increased our guardian numbers by about double in the last two years," noted Stephen Davies, business development manager at Camelot. In the last few days we've been to four or five properties that have been squatted in London. While squatting has been on the rise in west London, figures from the Ministry of Justice show an overall drop in the number of interim possession orders made in county courts across the country, from 216 in 2010 to 185 last year. But legal experts say this could be the "tip of the iceberg" as owners can also seek eviction through a standard possession order. In 2010, a further 531 standard possession orders were granted against trespassers. Yet, John Wotton, president of the Law Society, said the tougher anti-squatting laws to be introduced this autumn were unnecessary. Squatting is not a major problem. Where it does occur, there are a range of laws both civil and criminal that are adequate to deal with it. "It is already a criminal offence to squat in a residential property if the house is occupied or intended to be occupied by its owner," said Nick Martyn, property litigation lawyer at law firm Mundays. He said the problem was lack of enforcement.