Beware - Squatters in Caleta Villas

[woe10]

Steve Cooper ex of Hemingways Bar, now living in Thailand has sent this. His Villa is only used by his Daughter. The Police not helping much.

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[emmi]

Very bad news, and even worse the squatters cannot be evicted without a lot of pain and cost. A friend of mine had Illegal Moroccan squatters in a flat in centre of Caleta, took him about a year before he was able to get them out.  The damage and squalor they left behind was appalling. If the owner or anyone else enters the property, the squatters can denounce them, and they can be jailed for illegal trespassing!! Now that's rich!!!

[Tamkid]

Frightening and sickening, why buy a villa when you can squat? really feel for the guy.

[spitfire58]

If the law isn't going to do anything about it then it needs a quiet late night visit from some "persuaders". Damn sure I haven't worked all my days & saved to have my dream home in the sun to have some scum claim it !!!

[gattaca66]

This really is disgraceful, and could be part of a bigger problem - in an article today 'Noticias Fuerteventura' seem to be suggesting it's part of an organised 'movement', with prepared warning notices put up by the squatters after gaining access. Given that tourism is the life-blood of the island, and that rental properties are a key part of the mix, one might imagine that the authorities and the GC would come down heavily on illegal occupation!

I understand the legal processes can take months, which is why many Spanish owners traditionally turn to 'matones' to persuade the occupants to leave, both quicker and cheaper!

How on earth can it be possible for someone to occupy, for even  a minute, a property to which they have no right, to use the services (which the owner is forbidden to cut off) at the owners expense, to bar the owner from access, and have the law on their side? Crazy!

[MalT]

Bought for a year and recently  attended first community meeting, what is clear is that law and administration of it is a slow
, complicated and totally confusing process here. I have shutters on front and back of property and wonder what is that is enough! You'd think local council would be bending over backwards to stop this sort of illegal action

[spitfire58]

I have shutters on front and back of property and wonder what is that is enough!

the bars people have are not something i'd want when we finally buy ours and the shutters look so much better, I think I would have them on all ground floor doors and windows. I have already started buying security items even though we have not found a place yet, Bowley locks make unpickable door locks (dont go on youtube and see how easy a lock is picked) double door blockers, solar security lights etc etc

one thing I did notice is that number 10 is the only property thats open from the street (gates are open) and the wall/fence seems to be the lowest, nobody wants to go on holiday to a prison but I think being a bit savvy is required. most of the others have a wall and no gates just a locked door or a bigger locked gate.

I considered both bars & shutters for ours but eventually went with bars. Seems to offer more robust security but that's only my opinion

[woe10]

How on earth can it be possible for someone to occupy, for even  a minute, a property to which they have no right, to use the services (which the owner is forbidden to cut off) at the owners expense, to bar the owner from access, and have the law on their side? Crazy!

With all these "Immigrants" coming from the East, there's going to be an explosion of Squatters.

Author Robert Neuwirth suggested in 2004 that there were one billion squatters globally. He forecasts there will be two billion by 2030 and three billion by 2050.

Squatting can be related to political movements, such as anarchist, autonomist, or socialism.

[spitfire58]

I considered both bars & shutters for ours but eventually went with bars. Seems to offer more robust security but that's only my opinion

bars and LOOOOONG bolts/screws securing the frames in, i guess letting it out with a company managing that for you when you are not there would also be a good deterent, i know this is a extra hassle for you to keep on top of but if its occupied there is much less chance the squatters will try and get in.

the location of this one is exactly where everyone would want to be, I hope the owner gets it sorted, cant imagine how gutted they must feel.

Very true and a spot weld on the bolt heads would be a good idea as well

[Archer]

I'm told there is an organisation that will remove them (squatters) for you. They guard the property and recover it for you.

[spitfire58]

I'm told there is an organisation that will remove them (squatters) for you. They guard the property and recover it for you.

Good to hear. For posters general info do you know who they are Archer ?

[Archer]

I'll ask the agent who told me about this. He seemed to imply they were very sucessful.

[woe10]

Translation fro a local Spanish Newspaper today.

Group of occupiers has been acting during the last weeks in the locality of Caleta De Fuste, lodging in houses in which they do not reside their owners. The singular characteristic is that this time it is about squats that have legal advice, experienced and accustomed to 'intimidate' the neighborhood with posters and even comments.

Its 'modus operandi' consists of having located houses that during certain times of the year remain without residents. In many cases because they are tourists who alternate their stay on the island with seasons in their countries of origin.

Identified the house in question - almost always chalets near the beach - proceed to force a door or window to access the interior and almost immediately place next to the access door the image (photographed this weekend in a house In the back of the Spa of El Castillo).

If a neighbor is interested in their presence, they are referred to the letter, and they are warned that even if the local police come, they will not abandon it, that this requires denouncing the owner of the house, which usually takes up to weeks to do so because Found in another country.

The squatters also warn the neighborhood that they will not get rid of them: they already have 'taken an eye' at other dwellings in the same conditions, likely to be assaulted by them to use as private residences, once expelled from the current.

Bullying is effective in some cases, as neighbors choose not to 'get into trouble'. But on most occasions the neighborhood ends up telling the local police. However, it can not do much until there is obvious damage, crime or an official complaint of the real owner.

[Archer]

Incredible! Surely forced entry is 'damage' and a criminal offence.
The neighbours should make these squatters unwelcome. Is there a dark alleyway??

[spitfire58]

Incredible! Surely forced entry is 'damage' and a criminal offence.
The neighbours should make these squatters unwelcome. Is there a dark alleyway??

It is incredible but I assume the police will only take notice of a report (denuncia) from the owner, damage or not & will not act until this. I would say a dark alley would be a much quicker option, lol !!

[Tamkid]

This link covers just about all of the scenarios associated with a Squatting  Situation. Apparently it is a massive problem on mainland Spain and is now spreading to the Canaries. I was reading yesterday that a new organisation has raised its head in Barcelona to get rid of tourists, they are going around slashing the tyres of rental cars, daubing hotel walls with graffiti etc? the mind boggles.



https://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/legal/squatters-in-spain/

[suendrob]

I'm told there is an organisation that will remove them (squatters) for you. They guard the property and recover it for you.

Good to hear. For posters general info do you know who they are Archer ?

They will be real, for sure. However, if you do make contact, and they do the job for you, you'll never find out who they are! Cash only.   

[spitfire58]

I'm told there is an organisation that will remove them (squatters) for you. They guard the property and recover it for you.

Good to hear. For posters general info do you know who they are Archer ?

They will be real, for sure. However, if you do make contact, and they do the job for you, you'll never find out who they are! Cash only.   

Ha ha, don't really want to know "who" they are, just to know how to get in contact with them & be assured the "job" will get done efficiently. That would be all I would need, if I needed them !!

[KWC]

Sad state of affairs reading this Thread.  I know it happens elsewhere but for it to take hold in Fuerteventura along with the rise or more reporting of Crime there, I will rethink my desire to buy a place there for when we retire in a few years.
Instead renting a villa when we need it.

Shame that these louse pricks can just take what they want at the expense of others and the police can only act if they get paperwork .  Disgusting.

With regard to using  3rd party to rid these cretins from your own home sounds great, but please stop to think what if the police could tie in links with you paying these muscle squads!  What would happen to you in these circumstances?

Could you be classed as an accessory to a crime of violence for example.   How good and confidential would these turf out squads be if picked up by the police!

As for taking these squatters on yourself or with a mate etc, don't you think they would be quite a match as some ive seen on the TV here look er quite menacing.  Mind you I haven't seen what some of you on here look like lol

[spitfire58]

Sad state of affairs reading this Thread.  I know it happens elsewhere but for it to take hold in Fuerteventura along with the rise or more reporting of Crime there, I will rethink my desire to buy a place there for when we retire in a few years.
Instead renting a villa when we need it.

Shame that these louse pricks can just take what they want at the expense of others and the police can only act if they get paperwork .  Disgusting.

With regard to using  3rd party to rid these cretins from your own home sounds great, but please stop to think what if the police could tie in links with you paying these muscle squads!  What would happen to you in these circumstances?

Could you be classed as an accessory to a crime of violence for example.   How good and confidential would these turf out squads be if picked up by the police!

As for taking these squatters on yourself or with a mate etc, don't you think they would be quite a match as some ive seen on the TV here look er quite menacing.  Mind you I haven't seen what some of you on here look like lol

This is true. I would actually prefer to root them out myself, maybe with a selected company. There is always the possibility they would do something I didn't approve of, having said that, with scum like these squatters I can't for the life of me think what that might be !!!

[woe10]

one of my staff is 7 foot tall and 185 kilos, was a pro basketball player who then quit and hit the gym every day on the weights, im sure if you paid for him and his missus to go out there and put him and his missus up for a week in a hotel he would get rid of them.
and if they seen him you wouldnt have to worry about them coming back if he said it was his place!

Don't even think about it. Some Moroccans are 7 ft tall too, and they DON'T mess about. Plus the LAW is on THEIR side. You'll only end up in nick or in a wheelchair.

[Tamkid]

If you are friends with anyone in the Guardia it might help the situation, it would never happen in one of their holiday villas/casas that is for absolute certain.

[Ivemovedon]

Easy solution here. If it's Moroccans causing the problem just hang a bit of bacon over the front door when the house is empty...

[spitfire58]

Easy solution here. If it's Moroccans causing the problem just hang a bit of bacon over the front door when the house is empty...

😂😂😂😂

[erik_tonny]

Easy solution here. If it's Moroccans causing the problem just hang a bit of bacon over the front door when the house is empty...

SICK !

[Ivemovedon]

and don't forget no streaky. Finest back bacon only. Unsmoked of course.

[KWC]

Naw, make it medallions - pure bacon meat, must work better.

Psst Anyone want to buy a Tangene

[jill tie]

Something similar happened to us a few years back.  The people (3 moroccans)  renting our place just stopped paying.   I nearly didn't rent to them originally but someone vouched for them (not their fault).  I had a lady at the time who was looking after the place for us.She went round to see them.  She didn't threaten them but said the owner (me) would be coming over and describe me as a man mountain.  I did come over and they had left.  We also discussed other ways including the fact one of them worked at the Barcelo.  We told him we would tell his employers what he was doing.  Also stop paying the water and electric it will be disconnected and put back on quite quickly.  They have rights to both but you are not obliged to pay for it.  I did know of a landlord who had this problem at the same time.  He cut the water off at was in front of a judge within a week and ordered to turn it back on. Good luck with it

[jill tie]

Regarding the locks.  It sounds like thats how they got in (if they then changed it)  The doors on most properties and definitely on ours is quite substantial in fuerte but the barrel lock are poor  and they are the weakest link.  You can fairly easily break.  You snap off the front of the lock and turn it as well as if you had a key.     There are locks you can get called ABS which I have at home that are very good and prevent this.  You need to know the size of the barrel before you order (not straight forward).

https://www.abs-secure.co.uk

[Tamkid]

Under Spanish law you can play them at their own game and wait until the place is empty for any period of time, then do exactly as they have done i.e.. break in, change the locks etc. its then up to them to  make a denunciation, which in the article I read, is not very likely.

If it was me, and I was desperate enough, and taking into account their origin, I might consider anonymously tipping off the Guardia Civil of a specific type of scenario you have heard they are planning, you will need to think about it, a desperate situation demands desperate measures.