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Hi everyone,
Has anyone heard of any incidents, or have you experienced first-hand, any problems with squatters in/around the Tabernas area? I was reading some news articles about how bad this can be in Spain when you leave a property unoccupied for even short periods of time, so was curious if this is a common problem in the area.
Thanks in advance.
No. To live out here you need transport, thus they would have to leave the house for say shopping (and indeed get here). Squatting is mainly a big-city problem. Only similar problem is family&visitors who love being here and don't want to leave and go back home 🤪
Sveinb wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 7:30am:
No. To live out here you need transport, thus they would have to leave the house for say shopping (and indeed get here). Squatting is mainly a big-city problem. Only similar problem is family&visitors who love being here and don't want to leave and go back home 🤪
Thanks Sveinb, I didn't realise it was more of a city problem, I thought any countryside property that was left unoccupied for any length of time would be vulnerable since once they get in and change the locks you can't get back into the property yourself even if they leave (or only one of them leaves at a time) for shopping/etc.
I can definitely imagine the family & visitors situation you refer to though! :D
Our neighbours experienced this, they went back to the UK for 3 months during the summer, when they returned they found families of squatters living in their property, they had eaten all the food and worn all their clothes ,neighbours thought that the van that was parked there was the owners so didn't raise any alarm. They stayed for nearly the whole of the 3 months, only leaving a week before the owners returned. Which made them think that they knew of the owners movements. This was a property on the campo.
Another situation was, friends rented out their property to a English family with 2 children long term, after 6 months they stopped paying rent, so the owners gave them notice, and then when they didn;t move they took them to court, because they had 2 children the courts refused to evicted them because it would be making the children homeless, which apparently is unacceptable in Spain. Anyway 5 years on and this family is still squatting in the property and the owners can do nothing. This was in a property just outside Pinoso. also campo.
Jenni wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:36pm:
Our neighbours experienced this, they went back to the UK for 3 months during the summer, when they returned they found families of squatters living in their property, they had eaten all the food and worn all their clothes ,neighbours thought that the van that was parked there was the owner...
Read more...
...s so didn't raise any alarm. They stayed for nearly the whole of the 3 months, only leaving a week before the owners returned. Which made them think that they knew of the owners movements. This was a property on the campo.
Another situation was, friends rented out their property to a English family with 2 children long term, after 6 months they stopped paying rent, so the owners gave them notice, and then when they didn;t move they took them to court, because they had 2 children the courts refused to evicted them because it would be making the children homeless, which apparently is unacceptable in Spain. Anyway 5 years on and this family is still squatting in the property and the owners can do nothing. This was in a property just outside Pinoso. also campo.
Oh that sounds horrible. At least they moved out when they returned in the first situation. Was that in the campo outside Tabernas?
The second situation sounds really awful, sorry to hear that. It's stories like that that make me hesitant to buy somewhere in Spain.
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Jenni wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:36pm:
Our neighbours experienced this, they went back to the UK for 3 months during the summer, when they returned they found families of squatters living in their property, they had eaten all the food and worn all their clothes ,neighbours thought that the van that was parked there was the owner...
Read more...
...s so didn't raise any alarm. They stayed for nearly the whole of the 3 months, only leaving a week before the owners returned. Which made them think that they knew of the owners movements. This was a property on the campo.
Another situation was, friends rented out their property to a English family with 2 children long term, after 6 months they stopped paying rent, so the owners gave them notice, and then when they didn;t move they took them to court, because they had 2 children the courts refused to evicted them because it would be making the children homeless, which apparently is unacceptable in Spain. Anyway 5 years on and this family is still squatting in the property and the owners can do nothing. This was in a property just outside Pinoso. also campo.
Apparently, 70% of house occupations are done by renters who refuse to pay, refuse to leave.
If you have to leave your house for extended periods, it is best to have someone look after it, and a security system installed.
Jay wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:49pm:
Oh that sounds horrible. At least they moved out when they returned in the first situation. Was that in the campo outside Tabernas?
The second situation sounds really awful, sorry to hear that. It's stories like that that make me hesitant to buy somewhere in Spain.
No Both of these incidents were near Murcia in the campo. If I knew then what I know now I would never buy in Spain again, I would rent.
Sveinb wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 1:25pm:
Apparently, 70% of house occupations are done by renters who refuse to pay, refuse to leave.
If you have to leave your house for extended periods, it is best to have someone look after it, and a security system installed.
OMG 70% and no back up from the law.
Jay wrote on Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:49pm:
Oh that sounds horrible. At least they moved out when they returned in the first situation. Was that in the campo outside Tabernas?
The second situation sounds really awful, sorry to hear that. It's stories like that that make me hesitant to buy somewhere in Spain.
You still get squatters in UK where they are also protected!
penny wrote on Mon Nov 27, 2023 9:21am:
You still get squatters in UK where they are also protected!
Its a long process in the UK, but eventually they will be evicted thru the courts. In Spain if there are children in the house, they can stay, as long as they want.
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