{{Short description|Dutch vacant property management firm}} {{Infobox company | name = Camelot Property Management Ltd. | logo = | type = Private Limited Company | foundation = 1993 | key_people = Joost van Gestel, CEO | industry = Property, Security | num_employees = 200 | num_locations = 12 (Belgium, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and United Kingdom) | homepage = }}
'''Camelot Property Management Ltd.''' ({{langx|nl|Camelot Beheer BV}}) is a vacant property management firm started in the Netherlands in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|title=Van Antikraak Tot Tijdelijke Verhuur|url=http://nl.cameloteurope.com/|publisher=Camelot Beheer BV|accessdate=9 September 2010|archive-date=26 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726044553/http://nl.cameloteurope.com/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SunTimes">{{cite news|last=Sinclair|first=Julie|title=London: On guard and in pocket|url=http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1051184.ece|access-date=9 September 2010|newspaper=The Sunday Times|date=28 March 2004|archive-date=25 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825054138/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1051184.ece|url-status=dead}}</ref> Camelot manages commercial and residential properties on behalf of landlords and property developers by assigning people to occupy vacant buildings to deter squatters.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|last=Norwood|first=Graham|title=Property guardian schemes offer quirky homes at low rents. But not for long|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/jan/10/property-guardian-schemes|accessdate=9 September 2010|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 January 2010|archive-date=7 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507180150/http://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/jan/10/property-guardian-schemes|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="PW">{{cite news|last=Creasey|first=Simon|title=Licensed live-in minders protect against squatters|url=http://www.propertyweek.com/licensed-live-in-minders-protect-against-squatters/3022764.article|accessdate=27 October 2010|newspaper=Property Week|date=October 2002|archive-date=29 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329043900/http://www.propertyweek.com/licensed-live-in-minders-protect-against-squatters/3022764.article|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Overview == They are notable for having taken most of their UK subsidiary companies into voluntary liquidation several times,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/nTs1wBXCWTv5y91kJ1-OYOTTSVs/appointments|title=UK Director or various Camelot Guardian companies, Joost VAN GESTEL - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|last=|first=|date=|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021709/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/nTs1wBXCWTv5y91kJ1-OYOTTSVs/appointments|archive-date=2023-11-10|access-date=2019-11-26|url-status=live}}</ref> the most recent being November 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10525303/filing-history|title=CAMELOT REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-11-26|archive-date=2023-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021710/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10525303/filing-history|url-status=live}}</ref> after Camelot Guardian Management Ltd were successfully prosecuted for failure to licence a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and 14 breaches of HMO management regulations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/property-guardian-company-prosecuted-over-former-care-home-where-more-than-30-guardians-lived-with-one-kitchen-504568|title=Property guardian company prosecuted over former care home where more than 30 guardians lived with one kitchen|website=inews.co.uk|date=29 March 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-11-26|archive-date=2023-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021752/https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/property-guardian-company-prosecuted-over-former-care-home-where-more-than-30-guardians-lived-with-one-kitchen-274724|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Occupiers pay a deposit and a weekly management fee, often a half of the private rental sector equivalent for similar properties in the same area, and in return they help keep the property secure through being occupied.<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web|url=https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/about|title=About property guardianship|last=|first=|date=2019-11-26|website=Property Guardian Providers Association|publisher=PGPA|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807154839/https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/about |archive-date=2020-08-07 |accessdate=}}</ref>
The occupiers do not have the same tenancy rights for six months notice and have fewer rights than squatters.<ref name="Guardian2">{{cite news|last=Finchett-Maddock|first=Lucy|title=Who's guarding property guardians?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jul/09/housing-property-guardians-squatters-rights|accessdate=27 October 2010|newspaper=The Guardian|date=9 July 2010|archive-date=26 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226001656/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jul/09/housing-property-guardians-squatters-rights|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Squatters Handbook 13th edition|year=2009|publisher=ASS|isbn=978-0-9507769-6-5|page=13}}</ref>
Other companies offering similar property guardian services include Live-In Guardians, Dex Property Management, VPS Guardians and Ad-Hoc Property Management.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/services|title=PGPA list of members|last=|first=|date=2019-11-26|website=Property Guardian Providers Association|publisher=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918164043/https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/services |archive-date=2020-09-18 |accessdate=2015-09-08}}</ref> These companies have been taken to court over several different breaches such as health and safety of their guardians, some for illegally renting out properties without the owners consent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2018/09/property-guardians-and-non-domestic-rates/|title=Property guardians and 'non-domestic rates'|last=Peaker|first=Giles|date=2018-09-20|website=Nearly Legal: Housing Law News and Comment|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-12-10|archive-date=2019-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210155045/https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2018/09/property-guardians-and-non-domestic-rates/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Camelot also provide squat eviction services and security guards. The company successfully lobbied the French government to introduce anti-squatting legislation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dutch 'Anti-squat' concept entered into new French legislation|url=http://uk.cameloteurope.com/302/4/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation.html|publisher=Camelot Property Management|accessdate=27 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708112835/http://uk.cameloteurope.com/302/4/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation.html|archive-date=2011-07-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2016, the former headquarters of Camelot in Shoreditch, east London, were occupied by squatters.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Diane |title=London protesters occupy former HQ of property management firm |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/27/london-protesters-occupy-former-hq-of-property-management-firm |accessdate=14 April 2019 |date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=14 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414205810/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/27/london-protesters-occupy-former-hq-of-property-management-firm |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== <references/>
==External links== * [http://vimeo.com/9649993 Carefree Vacant Property], an independent documentary film about Camelot
Category:Real estate companies of the Netherlands Category:Housing in the Netherlands Category:Squatting Category:Property management companies {{Netherlands-company-stub}}