Adverse Possession

Where land or a property is occupied by someone (the squatter) who does not own it and that person treats the land or property as their own (this includes excluding others from it). The use of the land or property must be constant, using it occasionally or even regularly will not be enough. If the owner of the land or property does not enforce their own rights and evict the squatter after 12 years' of adverse possession the squatter will become the owner of the land or property. This is because under the Limitation Act 1980 the original owner is barred from taking any action after 12 years.