Zoë Dahse
A BRITISH couple’s dream of turning a sun-soaked slice of Spanish paradise into a feline haven has been put on hold after squatters refused to leave the property they bought with the blessing of the local government.
Chris Hicks, 47, a removal company surveyor from the UK, snapped up a three-bedroom house with 6,000 square metres of land in Inca, Mallorca, for a bargain €110,000 last November – but there was a catch: it came with a squatter family already inside.
The home was built illegally and needs another €13,000 spending on it to make it legal – and then it will be worth an estimated €700,000.
The couple had ambitious plans to convert the property into a full-time cat sanctuary, rescuing and caring for the island’s most vulnerable moggies.
Hicks and his partner Natasha, both long-time animal lovers, already look after 70 cats a day and have saved over 450 animals since moving to Mallorca 15 years ago. They’ve spent a staggering €70,000 of their own money on neutering, food and care.
But the mission is now on pause, as a squatter family – two parents and their two children – continue to live in the house, claiming vulnerability status for a decade and a place on the social housing list for five years.
What’s left Hicks unhappy is the alleged radio silence from Inca’s mayor, Virgilio Moreno – despite the local council originally backing the cat sanctuary vision.
Hicks says he’s contacted Moreno over 20 times, but hasn’t received a reply.
“The mayor has ignored us completely,” Hicks said. “And social services aren’t doing enough for the family either. Everyone’s been let down – the animals, us, and the squatters.”
The squatters, meanwhile, have told Hicks they moved into a drug-infested den with broken windows and no doors. But Hicks insists this is fiction – and he has the TikToks to prove it.
“They said the place was wrecked – full of needles and druggies – but I’ve seen videos showing the house in decent shape,” he said. “They claim poverty, but it’s not what it seems. The mother even used to work for the town hall!”
Hicks has now brought in Desokupas, a controversial private eviction company known for dealing with squatting cases. But even they’re overwhelmed. “They told me Mallorca is rife with squatters right now,” Hicks revealed.
According to official stats, the Balearic Islands saw 514 squatting reports in 2024 alone – and the problem is only getting worse.
Despite the tension, Hicks still holds out hope: “We’re not heartless – this family needs help, and they deserve the housing they’ve been promised. But we need our sanctuary too. It’s time the authorities step up.”
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