Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
The anti-squatter firm refuses entry to the Fuengirola door.
Credit: fuengirolasequeja
Booking.com is now suing a squatter who rented out her flat in Fuengirola to make money.
The bizarre situation is a result of the problem of illegal occupation, which has affected many homeowners in Spain over the past few years. The problem lies in a problematic law which states that the police can’t evict anyone living in a house if they don’t have anywhere else to go. This is true even if someone has taken the house illegally. In such situations, the eviction process can be lengthy and expensive, costing thousands of dollars. Squatting is a common practice in Spain. Many people do it out of necessity. This situation, however, seems to be more about fraud and profiteering.
In this instance, the occupant of the flat gained access to it by renting the property temporarily through Booking.com. She then refused to leave the apartment, claiming that she was living there alone. She was found to have rented out the flat again on the same platform.
Squatter renting out Fuengirola Property
According to the Instagram account @fuengirolasequeja of the local area, the situation took a surprising turn when a company that specializes in recovering properties for their owners booked the house on the same platform. They occupied the house themselves after legally entering it as “guests” and returned it to the rightful owner.
In the video, the original squatter, posing as the owner, returns to the flat, but the anti-squatter company refuses to open the door, saying, ‘You lost the house. Call the police. I’m a squatter. Sorry. Report me to police ‘You’ve just been given a dose of your own medicine.’
The viral video generated a mixed reaction on social networks. Some people were against the anti-squatters companies, while others found the methods of recovering the property funny.
In 2024 the Ministry of the Interior recorded 16,426 police complaints of illegal occupations (usurpation, home invasion) – 7.4 percent more than 2023 (15 289 complaints). The figures don’t reflect the number of homes occupied, as not all occupations were reported and some were resolved without a court order.
