Spain’s squatter problem is growing – and these are the most at-risk areas for homeowners

SQUATTING is most prominent in Spain’s big city-based provinces according to figures published by the Ministry of the Interior.

Statistics from 2023 show there were 15,289 reported cases of home invasion and occupation across the country.

The numbers however show the dominance of Barcelona province which had 4,610 squatting cases last year.

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It in effect registered almost a third of all squatting reports in Spain.

There’s a big gap to the second-placed Madrid area on 1,516 and then Valencia province with 828 cases.

In some provinces the issue appears to be virtually non-existent with Soria and Palencia registering only eight cases each and just nine in Zaragoza.

Again this suggests that big city areas seem to have the greatest problems and with the higher case loads, there is also the largest number of problems that are solved.

Last year, Barcelona province resolved 3,772 cases followed by Madrid on 1,212 which indicates that though clearance rates are high, the squatters simply find another property to go to.