What can landlords do to get rid of squatters [Video]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Property owners in Florida will gain more control over who is on their property soon.

A new law will crack down on squatting, drastically speeding up the process to have squatters removed, which is a relief for a Jacksonville landlord who dealt with the issue first hand.

“36 days,” said Patti Peeples. “Let me tell you, that was 36 days too long.”

For five weeks, Peeples dealt with squatters on one of her rental properties in Springfield who just simply wouldn’t leave.

“They had issued themselves a false lease,” she said. “That false lease immediately enabled them to stay in the house until I could take that case through the civil court system.”

While Peeples waited anxiously for a judge to rule in her favor, she says the squatters did $40,000 of damage to …