Squatters - Page 3

8102Mko wrote on Thu Jul 1, 2021 10:27am:

Very sorry to hear your problem is still ongoing Karen and the stress it’s causing you. As it is only one squatter who has to eat, he must be leaving the house regularly & that may present you with the opportunity to turn the tables. If you have one or 2 gentlemen to accompany you to maybe ...

Read more...

...break back in when he is out, gather up his belongings which shouldn’t be too much & similarly change the locks while filming the proceedings. I don’t know if he would want to push the issue legally but if he did what proof would he have he was even still living there ? You are the owner & truthfully could say you found your own house empty on arrival. Maybe the law that’s helping him now might act against him then. I only mention this to you as I heard of a case somewhat similar last year where the owner, his son & son-in-law drove out from the UK in a van & cleared out their house of everything belonging to a seemingly family group of 4 squatters who were out on market day at the time. They changed all the locks again. The 3 men were sitting in their garden drinking a beer when the squatters returned in their minibus. The owner took pictures & filmed the whole thing. There were a few words exchanged but nothing too hot really except the squatters wanting their stuff. They told them where it was dumped nearby. They never returned but probably have moved into another house now. The difference between you & that owner is he hadn’t ever contacted the police or initiated legal proceeding. He also had a gentleman resident nearby who observed the squatters movements. I wish you well & try & keep the chin up. 

8102Mko wrote on Thu Jul 1, 2021 10:27am:

Very sorry to hear your problem is still ongoing Karen and the stress it’s causing you. As it is only one squatter who has to eat, he must be leaving the house regularly & that may present you with the opportunity to turn the tables. If you have one or 2 gentlemen to accompany you to maybe ...

Read more...

...break back in when he is out, gather up his belongings which shouldn’t be too much & similarly change the locks while filming the proceedings. I don’t know if he would want to push the issue legally but if he did what proof would he have he was even still living there ? You are the owner & truthfully could say you found your own house empty on arrival. Maybe the law that’s helping him now might act against him then. I only mention this to you as I heard of a case somewhat similar last year where the owner, his son & son-in-law drove out from the UK in a van & cleared out their house of everything belonging to a seemingly family group of 4 squatters who were out on market day at the time. They changed all the locks again. The 3 men were sitting in their garden drinking a beer when the squatters returned in their minibus. The owner took pictures & filmed the whole thing. There were a few words exchanged but nothing too hot really except the squatters wanting their stuff. They told them where it was dumped nearby. They never returned but probably have moved into another house now. The difference between you & that owner is he hadn’t ever contacted the police or initiated legal proceeding. He also had a gentleman resident nearby who observed the squatters movements. I wish you well & try & keep the chin up. 

Karen204 wrote on Thu Jul 1, 2021 1:19pm:

Thank you for your encouraging words.   Yes,  I had the same thought process.  My next door neighbour has kindly offered me the use of her villa, so from there I could monitor the squatter's movements and then take action once he has gone off to do shopping, etc.   B...

Read more...

...ut, that will be when/if I can travel to Spain without the quarantine requirement.   I am sure he will contact the police.  I just hope they see reason - hence the need for an independent eviction company to liaise with the police, etc. on my behalf.   I have already experienced kind hearted friends being carted off by the police and spending 24 hours in jail, for trying to help me.  :(

MiniZukini wrote on Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:41pm:

Hi Karen,

I heard desokupa company work really well. I´m really sorry that this has happened to you. In any lawful country this is absolutely unthinkable. I wonder what sort of government says 'Yes' to such activities and I hope the current government changes the law or loses the next election and the nex...

Read more...

...t government imposes a criminal liability for occupying someone else's house. I'm also surprised that Spaniards haven't been trying to change it for years...come on! How can someone break into your property and live on your cost for months...? Unthinkable as I said...

Best of luck though.

BTW was your property a house? or an Apartment? What sort of locks did you have? Did you have any alarm? I heard securitas direct is a pretty good one.

Mike

Karen204 wrote on Mon Aug 2, 2021 4:08pm:

MiniZukini.  I am hoping the desokupa company will help, but I fear ultimately they just 'negotiate' a sum of money for the squatter to leave.  It's a win win situation for them.   Either they live rent free, with all bills paid by me, until the Courts and police agree to evic...

Read more...

...t them, which can take in excess of 12 months.  Or, I pay them to leave.    It's so unfair.  I cannot believe the Spanish allow this to go on.   There are criminal gangs occupying entire buildings, as they know they will receive payment to move out, or onto the next squat.  

My squatter broke through the garden gate/lock, the patio gate/lock, the metal security door and two security locks on the house door.   5 locks in total.  And, the police do nothing.  I presented a denuncia within the stipulated 48 hours, and the police did nothing. 

Lawyers will charge 1500 euros, plus IVA. The cheapest desokupa company I have found will charge 3500 euros plus IVA.  And, then I will probably have to pay the squatter to move out.   I work 6 days a week.  Weekends I work for the NHS, which has been particularly distressing during the pandemic.  And, now this  - sometimes it just feels like it's too much to bear.   But I thank you all for your encouraging comments and advice. 

Karen204 wrote on Mon Aug 2, 2021 4:08pm:

MiniZukini.  I am hoping the desokupa company will help, but I fear ultimately they just 'negotiate' a sum of money for the squatter to leave.  It's a win win situation for them.   Either they live rent free, with all bills paid by me, until the Courts and police agree to evic...

Read more...

...t them, which can take in excess of 12 months.  Or, I pay them to leave.    It's so unfair.  I cannot believe the Spanish allow this to go on.   There are criminal gangs occupying entire buildings, as they know they will receive payment to move out, or onto the next squat.  

My squatter broke through the garden gate/lock, the patio gate/lock, the metal security door and two security locks on the house door.   5 locks in total.  And, the police do nothing.  I presented a denuncia within the stipulated 48 hours, and the police did nothing. 

Lawyers will charge 1500 euros, plus IVA. The cheapest desokupa company I have found will charge 3500 euros plus IVA.  And, then I will probably have to pay the squatter to move out.   I work 6 days a week.  Weekends I work for the NHS, which has been particularly distressing during the pandemic.  And, now this  - sometimes it just feels like it's too much to bear.   But I thank you all for your encouraging comments and advice. 

Karen204 wrote on Mon Aug 2, 2021 4:08pm:

MiniZukini.  I am hoping the desokupa company will help, but I fear ultimately they just 'negotiate' a sum of money for the squatter to leave.  It's a win win situation for them.   Either they live rent free, with all bills paid by me, until the Courts and police agree to evic...

Read more...

...t them, which can take in excess of 12 months.  Or, I pay them to leave.    It's so unfair.  I cannot believe the Spanish allow this to go on.   There are criminal gangs occupying entire buildings, as they know they will receive payment to move out, or onto the next squat.  

My squatter broke through the garden gate/lock, the patio gate/lock, the metal security door and two security locks on the house door.   5 locks in total.  And, the police do nothing.  I presented a denuncia within the stipulated 48 hours, and the police did nothing. 

Lawyers will charge 1500 euros, plus IVA. The cheapest desokupa company I have found will charge 3500 euros plus IVA.  And, then I will probably have to pay the squatter to move out.   I work 6 days a week.  Weekends I work for the NHS, which has been particularly distressing during the pandemic.  And, now this  - sometimes it just feels like it's too much to bear.   But I thank you all for your encouraging comments and advice. 

Keith001 wrote on Fri Aug 20, 2021 3:37pm:

Hi Karen

I'm the person who raised the 'Tenant Eviction Nightmare Part 1  and Part 2 ' .  Obviously my issue was different to yours because it was our tenant who stopped paying rent in 2009 rather than a fully-fledged squatter , but the civil laws for eviction is the same. We haven't been able t...

Read more...

...o enter our own property for 11 years.

Unfortunately , even after evicting our tenant in Jan'21  (it took  4 years but that included a lockdown where all courts ceased to function for about 6-8 months)  we are still apprehensive that he will break in and try and sublet again (we will know very soon if that has happened). The fact that he is linked to the leadership of some Spanish political party and was trying to become an MP for Calpe /Lliber  tells you the way things are going in Spain.

I am shocked that the Police did nothing even though you reported this squatter to them within 48 hours, plus the fact he broke in through 5 locks. Have you complained to your local MP and to the 'Director General Of the Police'  (link below)?

Director General of the Police (Spain) - Wikipedia

I would write to them asking for a formal statement from the Police why they did not act to remove the squatter (maybe they will have to pay compensation to you).

But it just shows that the Police do not follow procedures and processes if they 'don't feel like it' .  

I don't think you can 'out-squat'  a 'squatter' by waiting until they leave and then breaking back in and changing the locks etc.  You have already raised a 'denuncia' to the Police about a squatter inside your premises and they will know you have broken the law by entering your own property (I know that sounds utterly insane).

Are you paying the utility bills?  I see no reason to pay the bills if you cannot afford it but best to check with your solicitor first.

I see no other option than you having to wait and go through the courts rather than pay the squatter via this negotiating company to leave. There is every possibility that word gets around that the owner pays people to leave her property and it could end up as a 'free for all' .

We are 'ALL' helpless when this happens until the Spanish government has the guts to change the laws and show a bit of integrity rather than allowing themselves to be blackmailed by far left minority parties just to stay in power. 

PS. I forgot to add that even if the squatter leaves , you will still be unable to enter your property until the court has decided on an eviction date and the SCNE (the court office/officials who are empowered to do the eviction) have completed the eviction process.