Squatters in Menorca..The new epidemic.. - General property discussion in Cala en Porter - Cala en Porter forum - Menorca forum in the Balearic Islands province of Spain

Join the Cala en Porter forum

Join the Cala en Porter forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about Cala en Porter in Spain. Register now for free to talk about General property discussion in Cala en Porter and much more!

Squatters in Menorca..The new epidemic..

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:32pm
12 replies861 views7 members subscribed
Paulalexcharlie

Posts: 5

5 helpful points

Location: Cala en Porter

Joined: 22 Feb 2023

My first message is rather important especially for holiday home owners generally.. I have personally experienced tis and that is the epidemic of sqautters here on the island...It seems the law in Spain is heavily weighted on the sqautters side..Basically if your home is unoccupied ( doesn't need to be empty)and sqautters move in you CANNOT get them out even by calling the police who are powerless due to the law...There are at least 5 properties here in Cala en Porter occupied by sqautters and in my case a complete complex of townhouse in Son Parc are occupied.. You may have read that only recently the luxury apartments at the end of the Port of Mahon have also been occupied..It appears nowhere in Menorca is safe...These are gangs who can access your home without actually breaking in...So everyone needs to take extra care...Paul

Tamara

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 6:39am

Posts: 59

8 helpful points

Location: Son Bou

Joined: 27 Apr 2020

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 6:39am

Hi. It is a concern but they won't get free electric in the property unless they are breaking into villas that are on a direct debit basis so the squatters get all this paid for.   I feel I don't have to pay any ayuntamiento anymore on my place which I fell behind on and believed I must do the right thing . So have I shot myself in the foot being a goody two shoes ??  And has  the Spanish law been defeated by squatters ?  I'd say they are very week as far as morals are concerned.

Paulalexcharlie

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:55am

Paulalexcharlie

Original Poster

Posts: 5

5 helpful points

Location: Cala en Porter

Joined: 22 Feb 2023

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:55am

Tamara wrote on Tue Mar 7, 2023 6:39am:

Hi. It is a concern but they won't get free electric in the property unless they are breaking into villas that are on a direct debit basis so the squatters get all this paid for.   I feel I don't have to pay any ayuntamiento anymore on my place which I fell behind on and believed I must...

... do the right thing . So have I shot myself in the foot being a goody two shoes ??  And has  the Spanish law been defeated by squatters ?  I'd say they are very week as far as morals are concerned.

Yes all electricity bills are either paid on direct debit or directly through the bank so in reality all unoccupied properties have an electric connection and under Spanish law you cannot stop paying or cut the supply ( the same applies to water) . So if usage goes to some astronomic level you are still obliged to pay..Brutal no?

Tamara

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 10:52am

Posts: 59

8 helpful points

Location: Son Bou

Joined: 27 Apr 2020

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 10:52am

Paulalexcharlie wrote on Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:55am:

Yes all electricity bills are either paid on direct debit or directly through the bank so in reality all unoccupied properties have an electric connection and under Spanish law you cannot stop paying or cut the supply ( the same applies to water) . So if usage goes to some astronomic level you ar...

...e still obliged to pay..Brutal no?

I would suggest everyone have these facilities cut off until the owners come back.  Someone can do this. I think it's a bit silly that the law is on their side. Surely the owners neighbors could keep an eye on the house.  Or pay someone to disconnect the things so squatters have nothing.  Can't let them win.  There was this Spanish guy that was doing some work on my house. My daughter let him because he said I agreed, I didn't.  I was stuck in England due to the COVID. Within a week he had every key to my house so I had to change them all. He took out someone's pump from a pool I knew and demanded money from me so he could live in my garage for nothing.  

Paulalexcharlie

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:11pm

Paulalexcharlie

Original Poster

Posts: 5

5 helpful points

Location: Cala en Porter

Joined: 22 Feb 2023

Posted: Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:11pm

Tamara wrote on Tue Mar 7, 2023 10:52am:

I would suggest everyone have these facilities cut off until the owners come back.  Someone can do this. I think it's a bit silly that the law is on their side. Surely the owners neighbors could keep an eye on the house.  Or pay someone to disconnect the things so squatters have nothing...

....  Can't let them win.  There was this Spanish guy that was doing some work on my house. My daughter let him because he said I agreed, I didn't.  I was stuck in England due to the COVID. Within a week he had every key to my house so I had to change them all. He took out someone's pump from a pool I knew and demanded money from me so he could live in my garage for nothing.  

I've just heard from the judge of the Cuidadela court and basically I've been told we can do nothing because the okupas (squatters) have set a precedent by occupying unoccupied properties on the Island that's it I have no legal right to get them out..

All the work, cleaning , painting and installation of a new water heater are lost. If I try to go to the house I will be in breach of the law and could be arrested. The electricity and water are not to be turned off by order of the court because it will contravene their human rights...It is unbelievable and it's happening here every day..The reporter from the Diario de Menorca who wrote my story says that once the workers start to arrive from the mainland for the Summer season the problem will go through the roof. Neighbours cannot approach anyone if they think someone is breaking in because they will be in breach of the law.They must call the police and once they do that all is lost because it becomes a legal matter and the law here will do absolutely nothing...A lot of holiday home owners are going to arrive in the Summer to a really nasty surprise...

Advertisement - posts continue below

Dave78

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 12:17pm

Posts: 3

Location: Es Castell

Joined: 8 Mar 2023

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 12:17pm

Paulalexcharlie wrote on Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:11pm:

I've just heard from the judge of the Cuidadela court and basically I've been told we can do nothing because the okupas (squatters) have set a precedent by occupying unoccupied properties on the Island that's it I have no legal right to get them out..

All the work, cleaning , painting and installation of a new water heater are lost. If I try to go to the house I will be in breach of the law and could be arrested. The electricity and water are not to be turned off by order of the court because it will contravene their human rights...It is unbel...

...ievable and it's happening here every day..The reporter from the Diario de Menorca who wrote my story says that once the workers start to arrive from the mainland for the Summer season the problem will go through the roof. Neighbours cannot approach anyone if they think someone is breaking in because they will be in breach of the law.They must call the police and once they do that all is lost because it becomes a legal matter and the law here will do absolutely nothing...A lot of holiday home owners are going to arrive in the Summer to a really nasty surprise...

how are permenant residents who go away on holiday affected by this? are they going to be unable to holiday abroad?

Tamara

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 1:21pm

Posts: 59

8 helpful points

Location: Son Bou

Joined: 27 Apr 2020

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 1:21pm

The squatters will end up being killed. Some of the people that own villas especially in calen porter are really aggressive , enormous and dangerous, they won't stand back and wave at them. . This is a very dangerous.  It's not what you know , it's who you know. They will be beaten up and ripped apart. I dread to think the violence this will now create due to the police and government as well as the squatters all laughing on the other side of their silly faces.

Paulalexcharlie

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 7:41pm

Paulalexcharlie

Original Poster

Posts: 5

5 helpful points

Location: Cala en Porter

Joined: 22 Feb 2023

Posted: Wed Mar 8, 2023 7:41pm

The problem is, Tamara, is that the aggressive ones will certainly be arrested. The Cuidadela judge took up almost half his summation pointing this out..Even approaching the squatters is illegal.. Is the law here an arse yes but if we want to live in Spain we have to abide by these insane laws.

The thing is these squatters are novagrants but people who can afford to pay rents. The ones who took my place is a chef!! The problem now in Menorca is there are no sensible rental properties..Menorca has been overun for example with the French buying up everything they can contributing to this problem

.

Staceycasa

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:11am

Posts: 2

Joined: 28 Dec 2022

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:11am

Paulalexcharlie wrote on Tue Mar 7, 2023 8:11pm:

I've just heard from the judge of the Cuidadela court and basically I've been told we can do nothing because the okupas (squatters) have set a precedent by occupying unoccupied properties on the Island that's it I have no legal right to get them out..

All the work, cleaning , painting and installation of a new water heater are lost. If I try to go to the house I will be in breach of the law and could be arrested. The electricity and water are not to be turned off by order of the court because it will contravene their human rights...It is unbel...

...ievable and it's happening here every day..The reporter from the Diario de Menorca who wrote my story says that once the workers start to arrive from the mainland for the Summer season the problem will go through the roof. Neighbours cannot approach anyone if they think someone is breaking in because they will be in breach of the law.They must call the police and once they do that all is lost because it becomes a legal matter and the law here will do absolutely nothing...A lot of holiday home owners are going to arrive in the Summer to a really nasty surprise...

I would handle this how we’d handle it in Scotland. You simply go round there, have a very stern word, refuse to leave. How revolting. I’m so sorry. I had to deal with something similar in London and I ended up climbing through the window at night and scaring them. Anyway, we need more Scot’s on menorca. I’ll bring the tartan army with me in April. I’m moving to cuitudella. 

Steve T

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2023 2:06pm

Posts: 1

Location: Cala en Porter

Joined: 18 Mar 2023

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2023 2:06pm

My wife and I in time were thinking of retiring to Menorca. Reading the posts on this group (which I have literally just joined) in relation to squatters and the Spanish laws surrounding the issue, it has immediately put us off from living there already!

Menorca is a beautiful stunning place to be and yes we have a few years to go before our retirement but if the laws don’t change, and hopefully they will by the time we decide to move out there, then sadly we’ll have to reconsider our move to somewhere else in the sun.

That would be a great shame because we love Menorca and it’s way of life but we would want to feel safe and secure in our OWN home and not have the fear that it’s going to be taken over by squatters when we’re not there with no help or support from the law and the powers that be.

Is this what seems be a growing huge problem being looked into legally and is there any progress so far if any?

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more General property discussion topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer