Understanding and Preventing Phrogging

If you’re running or managing a rental business, you’re likely familiar with squatters. They’re people who live on your property illegally and create a legal hassle when you attempt to get them removed. What you may not have heard of, though, is a similar practice that lurks in the shadows of your occupied units: Phrogging.

Phrogging is a threat to the safety of your tenants and your property, so it’s important to know what phrogging is and how to prevent it in your units. Dealing with a bad tenant is one thing, but phrogging is an entirely different game. That’s why we’re here to share all the details you’ll need to detect and stop phrogging from occurring in your rentals.

What is Phrogging?

Let’s start with the basics: What is phrogging?

Phrogging is a practice where a person secretly moves into an occupied property—usually in unused rooms like a basement, attic, or crawl space—and lives alongside the homeowner for a short time without their knowledge or consent. Many phrogging cases go undetected due to the undercover and nomadic nature of the lifestyle, but while it’s relatively uncommon, phrogging is still a very real threat that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Phrogging Versus Squatting

So, you know the phrogging meaning, but it may still seem confusingly similar to squatting, a much more well-known and common practice in real estate. How are the two different from each other?

In some aspects, the phrogging definition and squatting definition are similar. After all, they both relate to someone illegally living on someone else’s property. The biggest difference between the two is that squatters usually target vacant homes, like places under renovation or that are not being lived in, and also tend to search for long-term living situations rather than short-term ones.

Phroggers, on the other hand, aim for homes that already have someone living in them. Sometimes, they move in while the tenants are out of town, but others are bold enough to break in while a tenant is at work or even asleep, then eat their food, watch their TV, cuddle their pets, then move into someone else’s home after several days or weeks.

Serial squatters are similar to phroggers in that they also bounce from house to house, but serial squatters usually use eviction laws and legal loopholes to stay in the dwelling for much longer than a phrogger would intend to. This makes phrogging a much more unique (and much scarier) practice to deal with.

Signs of a Phrogger

You likely won’t be in each of your tenants’ units enough to notice the signs of a phrogger. This means that there are several things your tenants should be keeping an eye out for to detect any possible phrogging dangers. Here are a few signs of phrogging to tell your tenants about:

• Voices or footsteps. If your tenants hear unfamiliar voices or footsteps in the house, especially when home alone, it could be a sign that someone is hiding.
• Missing or moving items. If clothing, food, or other household items go missing or are found somewhere they hadn’t been left, a phrogger could be the cause.
• Foreign items in the home. Conversely, if unfamiliar items, such as clothing, food, or other household items are found in the home, it could be a sign that a phrogger has moved into the home.
• Agitated pets. If your cat, dog, or other pet is acting strangely and seems upset or on edge more often, it could mean they’ve detected someone in the home.
• Higher utility bills. Having someone else in your home can significantly raise your utilities, so if a tenant’s bill has jumped up for seemingly no reason, it could be due to a phrogger.

How to Prevent Phroggers

As a landlord, you should be taking precautions to keep phroggers (as well as other threats like burglars) off your property and away from your tenants. There are several recommended measures landlords can take to lower the chances of phroggers entering your unit:

1. Install a security system. Implementing a system with motion sensors, bright exterior lighting, security cameras, and alarms for unauthorized movement or entering on the property can help to increase the safety of your tenants and document any security issues that may be occurring.
2. Carry out regular inspections. By inspecting your units on a set schedule and being sure to check spaces like attics, basements, crawl spaces, and storage areas, you can ensure that strangers aren’t invading your tenants’ homes.
3. Communicate with tenants about safety. Be sure to keep in contact with tenants about anything strange happening in the home—after all, they’re the most likely people to notice the signs of someone secretly living in their home!

What Should You Do if Someone is Phrogging in Your Rental Units?

Taking preventative measures against phrogging is important, but it’s possible that phroggers may still find a way into your rental units. In the case that you do discover a phrogger living in your rental unit, don’t take matters into your own hands. Here’s how you should proceed:

• Confirm the phrogger’s presence. If you or your tenant find signs of a phrogger like the ones above, it’s important to document everything with as much detail as possible. Take photos or videos and write down important dates where evidence was found. This can be helpful in legal proceedings later.
• Consult legal counsel. The laws surrounding squatting and phrogging can be different depending on what area you live in, so it’s important to check in with a lawyer who is familiar with your area’s laws and who can help you take the correct legal steps to remove the unauthorized person.
• Involve the authorities. If your attorney advises you to, take your evidence to the police so they can take action against the phrogger. Keep in mind that law enforcement may proceed differently based on local laws, and a court order may be required if the issue is deemed a civil matter.

Conclusion

Phrogging may be an uncommon issue, but it’s one that should never be ignored. Phroggers are a security and privacy issue for your tenants and pose a threat to their safety. By being proactive and diligent in prevention measures, you’ll be well equipped to protect both your tenants and your properties.