Different associations and agencies investigate to throw data, statistics, surveys… but in reality the only one that can show a more concrete scenario on this issue is the Ministry of Interior. “Fernando Grande-Marlaska’s team has provided the latest consolidated squatting data (although they clarify that they do not discriminate between usurpation and trespassing) in which it can be seen how Madrid and Andalusia have reduced this activity by 15.4% and 6.26%”, according to Idealista. The Valencian Community and Extremadura have increased this activity by 23.66% and 5.43%, respectively.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, between January and July 2021 and 2022, there were a total of 10,220 squats in Spain, 5.43% less than those existing in the first 6 months of 2021. At the national level, and in the absence of knowing the data for the second half of 2022, this illegal activity has lost weight. But the figures give us some individualized readings by autonomous community and province.
Madrid or Andalusia, manage to significantly reduce squatting in two of the points where there are more complaints. “The capital of Spain registered in the first six months of 2021 a total of 1,078 squats, while between January and July 2022 that figure was reduced to 912. In total, a reduction of 15.4%”, according to the latest data provided by Idealista.
Andalusia achieves a major objective, to reduce squatting in all but one of its provinces, such as Huelva, Almeria and Cordoba. The province that increased its number of squats is Seville, by 3.74%, from 455 to 472.
The number of squatted dwellings has increased, mainly in Valencia, Extremadura and Murcia since 2021.
The areas that have been reduced the most have been Ceuta and Melilla, taking into account that each has a different land area and demographics.
“When we look at the most recent data of 2022, data published by the Ministry itself that analyzes what has happened in the first seven months of the year, we see that in Valencia squatting has increased by 23% and in the Community of Madrid it has decreased by 15%. There are two different models: the one that is permissive with squatting and the one that defends private property and, of course, the one that defends the victims of squatting, who the vast majority of the time are families, small savers who have that property and who see how their rights are violated. Therefore, the problem of squatting sends a terrible message to the market with a clear victim, who are once again Spanish families,” says Paloma Martín, Housing Counselor of the Community of Madrid.
We also talk about the well-known “pizza technique”, used by squatters to have a ticket before entering the house and thus justify later that they are living in it, avoiding the eviction of the State Security Forces and Corps. In relation to this, from Utande Real Estate Consultants, we always advise to have the latest technology in security to reinforce the houses. In addition, we currently have landlord insurances that ensure the payment of rents, as well as any incident that may arise during the lease.