Despite the government’s assurances that repossession will be an absolute last resort it is anticipated that the number could hit 75,000 over the next year.

With increasing numbers not being able to pay the mortgage or rent, Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction service are seeing an increase in instructions from Corporate bodies to remove squatters from properties.

The number of landlords who have approached Landlord Assist regarding squatters has increased by more than 30 compared to 12 months ago.

Stephen Parry of Landlord Assist said: “There has been a marked increase in the number of people being repossessed and then re-entering their former properties as squatters. It is clearly a sign of the current financial plight of many homeowners in the UK. People simply have nowhere to go.

“We continually sympathise with the plight of so many who through no fault of their own find themselves in this situation and accordingly carry out our work in a very sensitive manner.”

Increasingly squatters are aware of their legal rights and therefore residential landlords should ensure that they do not fall foul of the law in dealing with them.

The presence of squatters can cause immense distress and worry for landlords. For that reason says Landlord Assist, property owners should engage a professional company who can make an appropriate application to court and to have the necessary documentation served on the squatter.

The Britain's Council of Mortgage Lenders said home repossessions soared from 8,200 in 2004 to about 45,000 last year and could reach 75,000 this year, creating new homeless people and new empty houses.

But with fewer contractors likely to make a profit by buying and restoring vacant properties, they are likely to stay empty for longer and become the potential target for squatters.

This is a serious problem for both property owners and banks with repossessed properties because once the squatters have access to the properties it can be very difficult and very costly to evict them.

Landlord Assist is able to deal with squatters in a structured manner and have an established track record in this particular arena. The company claims to be unique in that it offers a fixed fee service for both private individuals and corporate bodies returning their property quickly and with the minimum of fuss. Landlord Assist offers initial, free, no obligation advice on 08707 66 22 88 or info@landlordassist.co.uk.