SPAIN’S squatter problem shows no signs of abating, and only reaches further into the lives of ordinary people.
Here’s a round-up of some of the worst stories from recent weeks, apologies if it drives you mad…
Porsche drivers illegally take over a two story villa
A luxury Riba-roja villa has been taken over by squatters who park their two Porsche outside the property.
The home they are occupying is worth almost a million euros – it has two stories, a garden and a swimming pool.
Its occupiers have been there for 10 months without paying a cent with the landlord continuing to pay the house’s mortgage and all the bills.
Reportedly the squatter works for a dealership and purchased a new 750 dishwasher for the home after he initially refused to pay rent because of damages to the property.
The landlord has attempted to speak to the squatters but was met with an outrageous response which included threats.
This home owner is at his wits’ end.
A luxury chalet occupied by a family
Another luxury property has been taken over by squatters, this time in Villaviciosa de Odon.
This luxury chalet, which is valued at a million euros, has been occupied by a family with children for a year.
The home owners, Manuela and her parents, have had no luck in evicting the occupiers and told Buenos Dias Madrid that they are desperate to find a solution.
‘I have lived in the house since I was ten years old, and again later with my own children,’ Manuela said.
Manuela added that the house was not even uninhabited at the time of occupation – they went every week to clean the property and spend their weekends there.
The squatters are a Peruvian family with children making it difficult to evict them as an eviction would leave these minors without a home.
The chalet’s legitimate owners are also claiming that the family of squatters are renting out rooms in the three story property.
They are making money at the landlords’ expense as these property owners continue to pay all the bills.
‘They live like kings: they travel in Ubers and go to restaurants. They are also repeat offenders because they come from another squatted house in Majadahonds,’ says Manuela.
Grandson illegally stays in his deceased grandmother’s home
In Northern Spain an order for the removal of a grandchild, who is illegally occupying the home of their deceased grandmother against the wishes of other relatives, has been issued.
This squatter received four eviction notices from a judge in 2022 but none amounted to his departure – court officials stated that they could not find him and, therefore, left eviction notices on his front door step and in the mailbox.
The court also requested that the Policia Judicial of Vigol police station investigate where the grandson could be.
Subsequently the plaintiff requested a trial, which eventually occurred in February 2024.
This time, the summons was sent by post and picked up by the squatter twelve days before the court hearing.
Failing to appear on the day, he went on to request an annulment of the proceedings and the revocation of his declaration of default when the eviction order arrived.
It was only in October this year that the sixth section of the Audiencia de Pontevedra in Vigo confirmed his eviction in a sentence.
Squatters turn on one another in Vitorio
Squatters have turned on one another in Vitorio with one threatening another because of the belief that they had cut off electricity which he was illegally tapping into, reports El Correo.
Seven Ertzaintza (Basque police) patrols and three Policia Local officers were deployed to deal with the outbreak of a fight between these squatters
One of the squatters involved had reportedly set up a business in the building that he illegally occupied with the others.
His fellow squatters disliked the strip club that he had allegedly launched in the property and were fearful when he began to threaten them with a firearm.
The situation then escalated when the owner of the strip club cut off the electricity to another squatter.
It was this escalation that resulted in police presence – the Ertzaina has told the media that ‘in recent weeks, several people who are not typical of Errekaleor, which is more linked to the radical left, have moved in’.
100 squatters take over a hotel
Approximately 100 squatters occupied an NH hotel in Madrid as the building underwent renovation, according to Hispanidad.
These squatters took over the property for a number of hours before they were evicted by the Policia Nacional.
This eviction came with arrests for ten of the individuals who were detained for assaulting a police officer and illegally residing in Spain.
The occupation was planned by a man, who has also been arrested, through a WhatsApp group.
Gathering to break in during the early hours of last Monday morning, the organiser carried all the necessary tools to force open the building’s doors.
The intrusion however triggered hotel alarms which alerted the Policia Nacional.
By the time officers arrived many squatters were already inside and began making arrests.
Due to low winter temperatures they allowed vulnerable individuals to spend the night in the building until patrols from the Unidad de Intervencion Policial (UIP) arrived.
With the additional assistance of the Policia Local de Parla, they began the complete evacuation of the building.
The mayor of Parla, Ramon Jurado (PSOE), confirmed the incident on social media stating that it ‘prevented the squatting of the former NH hotel on the eve of its reopening’.
He thanked those involved in the operation.
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