Legal sources last checked: 29 August 2026
Scope: England and Wales
General information only – not legal advice

If you need to know how to evict Travellers from private land, the first point to understand is that private ownership does not automatically give a landowner the right to carry out immediate physical removal.

An unauthorised encampment can create an immediate operational issue for landowners, facilities managers and commercial site operators. Access may be obstructed, deliveries disrupted and concerns may arise around damage, waste, staff safety or continued unauthorised access.

Trespass is generally a civil matter, although specific police powers may apply where statutory conditions are met. The appropriate response therefore depends on what has happened, who controls the land and which lawful recovery route is available.

Key Point: Evicting Travellers from private land should be handled through evidence, lawful recovery and controlled site management rather than confrontation. Landowners should confirm who has authority over the land, document what is happening, report relevant criminality or immediate risks and establish the appropriate legal recovery route.

Why unauthorised occupation does not automatically mean police eviction

The phrase “Travellers on private land” is commonly used when people arrive with caravans or other vehicles and occupy land without the permission of the person or organisation entitled to control it.

Official terminology generally describes this as an unauthorised encampment.

The distinction matters. The legal and operational issue is whether occupation of the land has been authorised, not the identity or background of the people involved.

The process is different where an encampment is on land owned or controlled by a local authority. We explain the council’s powers, including Sections 77 and 78, separately in our guide on how to evict Travellers from council land.

The latest GOV.UK Traveller Caravan Count for England, carried out in January 2026, recorded 29,402 Traveller caravans. Of these, 24,452 were on authorised sites and 615 were on unauthorised encampments on land not owned by Travellers.

These figures provide national context only. They do not indicate anything about the circumstances of an individual encampment, which must be assessed on its own facts.

1. Confirm who controls the land and whether permission exists

The first step should be factual.

Establish:

• who owns or legally controls the land;
• whether anybody authorised the occupation;
• when the encampment first appeared;
• approximately how many people and vehicles are present;
• which part of the property is affected; and
• how access appears to have been gained.

Commercial sites can involve several parties with different responsibilities, including landlords, tenants, managing agents, principal contractors and facilities-management companies.

Current Home Office guidance on unauthorised encampments recognises that the relevant “occupier” can include someone entitled to possession through an estate or interest in the land, rather than only the freehold owner.

Confirming who has authority to act can therefore prevent delays later if legal or police action becomes necessary.

2. Record the operational impact and preserve evidence

For a commercial property, simply recording that an encampment is present may not provide enough information about what is actually happening.

Document the effect on the site and normal operations.

This may include:

• blocked entrances;
• obstructed delivery routes;
• restricted emergency access;
• blocked service roads;
• interference with employee or customer access;
• damage to gates or fencing;
• interference with fuel, power or other utilities;
• waste or fly-tipping;
• threats or abusive behaviour;
• criminal damage;
• theft; or
• disruption to contractors or normal business activity.

Retain relevant CCTV footage where available and lawful. Photographs may also be useful where they can be taken safely and without creating unnecessary confrontation.

A factual incident log should record dates, times, observations, access problems, visible damage, communications and any reports made to police or other authorities.

This is particularly important because the Home Office identifies matters such as forced entry, damage to property, environmental damage, interference with utilities and interference with workers or customers accessing businesses as examples relevant to assessing damage, disruption or distress.

For a commercial site manager, good incident records can therefore support both operational decisions and any subsequent legal or police process.

3. Avoid turning a land issue into a confrontation

Private ownership does not give a landowner unrestricted authority to physically remove people, caravans or other property.

At the same time, it would be too simplistic to say that common-law recovery can never be available on private land.

Official Somerset Council guidance for private landowners identifies both a potential common-law route and court possession proceedings. It also strongly recommends obtaining independent legal advice before taking action.

Where common-law rights are considered, questions around notice, reasonable force, buildings, vehicles, vulnerable occupants and potential liability can make the position considerably more complicated.

For a commercial landowner, the practical rule should therefore be:

Common-law recovery should not be treated as a DIY eviction procedure.

Specific legal advice should be obtained, and appropriately instructed professionals should be used where physical recovery or enforcement is contemplated.

The immediate operational priority should normally be to maintain control of unaffected parts of the property, protect staff, preserve evidence and avoid unnecessary escalation while the appropriate legal route is established.

4. Understand when police powers may apply

Police involvement is possible, but police powers are not triggered simply because somebody is trespassing.

The Crown Prosecution Service guidance on trespass and nuisance on land distinguishes ordinary trespass from specific criminal offences and statutory powers.

Criminal damage, theft, violence, threats, public-order offences or other suspected criminal conduct should be reported based on what has actually occurred.

Separate police powers also exist in relation to people residing on land without consent in or with vehicles.

What is Section 60C?

Section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 creates an offence relating to residing, or intending to reside, on land without consent in or with a vehicle where specified statutory conditions are satisfied.

Broadly, the conditions include matters such as:

• the person being aged 18 or over;
• residing or intending to reside on land without the occupier’s consent;
• having, or intending to have, at least one vehicle with them;
• significant damage or disruption being caused or likely to be caused, or significant distress arising from relevant offensive conduct; and
• a request being made to leave the land and/or remove property.

Further statutory requirements apply concerning compliance with that request and returning to the land.

The important point for landowners is that simply being present on private land with a vehicle does not automatically establish a Section 60C offence.

What is Section 61?

Section 61 provides a separate police power to direct trespassers to leave land in specified circumstances.

Current Home Office guidance explains that the power can apply where a senior police officer reasonably believes that:

• two or more people are trespassing with the common purpose of residing on the land;
• the occupier has taken reasonable steps to ask them to leave; and
• damage, disruption or distress has occurred, or the trespassers have six or more vehicles between them on the land.

An important distinction is that damage, disruption or distress under this Section 61 route does not need to meet the higher “significant” threshold associated with Section 60C.

The six-vehicle provision can therefore be relevant even where damage, disruption or distress has not been established, provided the other statutory requirements are satisfied.

The decision to exercise the power remains with the police.

What is Section 62A?

Section 62A provides another police power in a different set of circumstances.

It can allow police to direct trespassers to leave land and remove vehicles and property where a suitable pitch is available on a caravan site elsewhere within the relevant local-authority area, provided the statutory requirements are satisfied.

Home Office guidance states that this route requires, among other things, at least one trespasser intending to reside on the land, at least one vehicle and a request from the occupier or somebody acting on their behalf for police to remove the trespassers.

Its availability therefore depends partly on whether suitable alternative pitch provision exists.

What changed in 2026?

Landowners researching Traveller eviction may still encounter older articles referring to a 12-month prohibited return period following certain police directions or requests.

That information is now outdated.

Section 168 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 reduced the relevant prohibited period from 12 months to three months. The amendment applies across provisions including Sections 60C, 61, 62, 62B and 62C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The change took effect on 29 June 2026 and is reflected in current Home Office guidance.

It is a useful reminder that guidance about unauthorised encampments should be checked against current official sources rather than relying on older articles about Traveller eviction.

5. How to Evict Travellers from Private Land Lawfully

Where police powers do not apply, recovery of private land may still require action by the landowner.

There is no single Traveller eviction process that applies to every unauthorised encampment on private land.

The appropriate route depends on the circumstances.

The correct option will depend on the facts, which is why legal advice should be obtained before committing to a particular course of action.

How do Part 55 possession claims work?

Part 55 of the Civil Procedure Rules provides the procedure for possession claims, including claims against trespassers.

A possession claim against trespassers concerns recovery of land occupied by people who entered or remained without the consent of a person entitled to possession.

Where the claimant does not know the name of someone occupying the property, the claim must be brought against “persons unknown” in addition to any defendants who can be identified.

Specific service rules apply.

For possession claims against trespassers, the claim form, particulars of claim and relevant witness statements generally need to be served:

• at least five days before the hearing for residential property; or
• at least two days before the hearing for other land.

Part 55 also specifies how proceedings against “persons unknown” can be served, including methods involving documents being visibly attached to the land.

The procedure is therefore more technical than simply placing an eviction notice at the entrance.

Incorrect documents or service can affect proceedings, so professional legal advice is appropriate where this route is being considered.

6. Keep control of the wider commercial site

Legal recovery and operational security are separate issues.

While police involvement, legal advice or possession proceedings are being considered, the rest of a commercial property may still need to function.

Managers may need to:

• redirect deliveries;
• restrict access to unaffected areas;
• change temporary staff-access arrangements;
• inspect alternative vehicle entrances;
• preserve emergency routes;
• secure plant, fuel, vehicles or materials;
• increase checks of vulnerable boundaries;
• communicate changes to contractors or tenants; and
• maintain an accurate incident log.

This can be particularly relevant for construction sites, demolition sites, warehouses, industrial sites, storage yards and compounds and vacant commercial property.

A blocked entrance may stop scheduled deliveries even though the remainder of the site is unaffected. A compromised gate may expose materials or equipment elsewhere on the property. Contractors may need an alternative access route, while employees or tenants may require temporary instructions.

The response should therefore consider the whole site, not only the area physically occupied.

Security personnel should not be positioned as informal eviction agents.

Where additional protection is required while the lawful recovery process is handled separately, our Security Dog Handler Services can provide visible site presence, perimeter patrols, access monitoring, physical site checks, incident reporting and escalation through agreed procedures.

Security dog handlers do not replace police, solicitors, court bailiffs or other properly authorised enforcement professionals. Their role is to help maintain control of the commercial site, protect unaffected areas and identify security issues while the appropriate legal process continues.

7. Prevent the same access route being used again

Once an encampment has left or been lawfully removed, the site should not simply be returned to exactly the condition it was in before the incident.

The first question should be:

How was vehicle access achieved?

Review:

• gates;
• padlocks;
• fencing;
• removable barriers;
• bollards;
• perimeter gaps;
• unused entrances;
• adjoining land;
• damaged boundary sections; and
• areas where vehicles can bypass existing controls.

Somerset Council’s private-landowner guidance specifically recommends reviewing vulnerability and using appropriate physical measures to reduce the opportunity for repeat access, while also making clear that no security measure can guarantee prevention.

Passive security

Passive controls can include:

• fencing;
• gates;
• barriers;
• bollards;
• locks;
• lighting;
• CCTV; and
• signage.

These measures can restrict access, delay entry, provide evidence or generate an alert.

However, they still depend on their condition, monitoring and what happens when a vulnerability is identified.

Active security

Active site control adds measures such as:

• visible presence;
• patrols;
• physical perimeter checks;
• early identification of damaged boundaries;
• access monitoring;
• incident reporting; and
• escalation.

For empty or temporarily unused premises, Vacant Property Security may be relevant where repeat access is a concern.

Where plant, vehicles, fuel, materials or equipment are stored on exposed commercial land, similar principles apply to Storage Yard Security.

No security measure can guarantee that unauthorised access will be prevented. The objective is to reduce opportunity, strengthen vulnerable access points and identify problems earlier.

Need temporary site security while lawful action is being arranged?

Where an unauthorised encampment leaves part of a commercial property exposed, Colosseum K9 can provide Security Dog Handler Services for unaffected areas, access points, boundaries and out-of-hours site security.

Our handlers are deployed to protect and monitor the site. They are not used as informal eviction agents.

Call 0800 009 6420 or request a free, no-obligation quote to discuss the site and the level of cover required.

Use factual and neutral terminology

Unauthorised encampments should be addressed as a land, access, safety and legal-process issue rather than as a judgement about a community.

Current Home Office guidance makes clear that the relevant police powers apply based on statutory conditions rather than race or ethnicity, and that equality and human-rights obligations form part of the wider decision-making framework.

For incident reports, correspondence and internal records, factual terminology is more useful.

Examples include:

• unauthorised encampment;
• unauthorised occupation;
• trespass;
• blocked access;
• criminal damage;
• disruption;
• waste;
• threats or abusive behaviour;
• safety concerns;
• possession proceedings; and
• lawful enforcement.

This provides police, solicitors, insurers and other commercial stakeholders with information they can actually use.

FAQs

How do you evict Travellers from private land?

The appropriate route depends on the circumstances. A private landowner may need to consider legal advice, civil possession proceedings under Part 55, an appropriate common-law recovery route or police involvement where specific statutory powers apply. Physical removal should not be treated as a DIY process.

Can Travellers park on private land?

Yes, where permission has been given by the landowner or lawful occupier. Where people occupy private land without permission, the situation may amount to trespass or unauthorised occupation.

Is trespass on private land a criminal offence?

Trespass is generally a civil matter rather than automatically a criminal offence. Separate criminal offences and statutory police powers may apply depending on the conduct involved and whether the relevant legal conditions are satisfied.

Can police remove Travellers from private land?

Police have powers that may be used where statutory conditions are met, including powers associated with Sections 60C, 61 and 62A. Their use is not automatic and depends on police assessment of the circumstances and evidence.

What is the six-vehicle rule?

Under Section 61, six or more vehicles between the trespassers can satisfy one of the alternative conditions for police direction powers, provided the other statutory requirements are also met.

Who is responsible for removing an unauthorised encampment from private land?

The private landowner or lawful occupier will generally need to determine the appropriate lawful recovery route. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve legal advice, civil possession proceedings, common-law recovery through appropriately instructed professionals or police involvement where statutory powers apply.

How long does it take to remove Travellers from private land?

There is no guaranteed timescale. It depends on the facts of the incident, whether police powers apply, the legal route used, court procedures, compliance by the occupants and whether subsequent enforcement is required.

Is removing Travellers from council land the same process?

No. Council land involves different local-authority powers, including Sections 77 and 78 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Our separate guide explains how to evict Travellers from council land and how council and police powers interact.

Can security dog handlers remove an unauthorised encampment?

Security dog handlers should not be used as informal eviction agents. Their role can include securing unaffected areas, visible presence, patrols, perimeter checks, access monitoring, incident reporting and escalation while lawful recovery or enforcement is handled separately.

What should a landowner do after an encampment leaves?

Inspect the property, record any damage or waste, identify how access was achieved, repair compromised gates or boundaries and review whether additional passive or active security measures are appropriate.

Sources and Useful Links

• GOV.UK – Count of Traveller Caravans, January 2026: England
• Home Office – Unauthorised Encampments: A Summary of Available Powers
• Legislation.gov.uk – Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
• Legislation.gov.uk – Crime and Policing Act 2026
• Crown Prosecution Service – Trespass and Nuisance on Land
• Civil Procedure Rules – Part 55: Possession Claims
• Civil Procedure Rules – Practice Direction 55A
• Somerset Council – Guidance for Private Landowners on Unauthorised Encampments