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Buy to let landlords are being warned to take out protection in the event of their empty property illegally falling into the hands of squatters.

Many landlords find that at some point their property is empty – according to CHL Mortgages 28% of landlords have had to deal with a rental void in the last six months, and 17% in the last year. With good rental protection that shouldn't be a problem in itself, but an empty property could be targeted by squatters – so property owners with vacant premises in should ensure they have the correct level of legal expenses of getting round the squatters' rights, says Aviva.

Mike Colmans, underwriting manager for Aviva, says: "It is estimated that there could be as many as 20,000 squatters in the UK and landlords and commercial property owners with empty buildings are at risk. It is imperative that adequate measures are put in place to prevent squatters from entering and taking ownership, as it can be notoriously difficult to remove squatters."

The insurer warns that landlords obtaining interim possession orders from the courts to remove squatters can take time as well as being significantly costly. In addition, by the time an IPO has been issued, squatters might have already moved on.

Colmans adds: "Regular checks on a property are mandatory, as in the event of a claim, insurers may not payout if it is felt that appropriate measures have not been implemented to secure and protect an empty property."

SOURCE: CHL, 13/01/10, Aviva, 14/01/10

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