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Squatting complaints drop by half in Alicante as homeowners get tough on okupas
Homeowners across Spain are increasingly turning to desokupa companies to get rid of unpaying ‘tenants’
Reports of squatting have plummeted all across Alicante province in the last year, as well as in the rest of Spain, dropping to half what they were in 2024. The province recorded just 70 lawsuits in the first six months of 2025, a dramatic 104% decrease compared to the same period last year when 143 complaints were filed.
Across the entire Valencian Community, only 122 cases made it to court, down from nearly 230 during the first half of 2024.
The second quarter alone saw 34 squatting complaints registered in Alicante, accounting for two out of every three recorded in the Community's courts. That's a 46% drop compared to the same quarter last year. So what's behind this sudden decline? Well, it's not because squatting has magically stopped being a problem.
The timing actually coincides perfectly with new legislation coming into force. Organic Law 1/2025 on measures to improve the efficiency of the Public Justice Service now requires landlords to negotiate and attempt to reach an agreement before they can take legal action. The law stipulates that prior negotiation efforts must be undertaken and documented and if these efforts fail after one month, only then can a complaint be filed.
That mandatory waiting period has fundamentally changed how property owners are dealing with squatters. Rather than going through the courts and waiting months for a resolution, many are simply taking matters into their own hands.
Real estate experts point out that there are many cases that are not reported to the police or the courts at all. Owners are opting for alternative ways to recover their property as quickly as possible, such as through negotiation and payment to the squatters.
It might sound counter-intuitive since homeowners are already out of pocket, but many are choosing to pay squatters to leave rather than endure the lengthy legal process. It's faster, often cheaper in the long run and avoids the frustration of watching someone live in your property rent free while the wheels of justice slowly turn.
The rise of desokupa companies, private firms that specialise in removing squatters through various means including negotiation and legal pressure, has also given owners another option outside of the court system.
It's a novel solution to a problem that has frustrated property owners throughout Spain for years, but it does raise questions about whether the new law is actually solving anything or simply pushing the issue outside the formal legal system.
The drop in complaints doesn't necessarily mean there's less squatting happening. It more likely means fewer people are bothering with the official channels because they've found quicker, if more expensive, alternatives.
Image: Archive
