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Andalusian political leaders on the hard-left claim the problem of squatters is a media invention by big business, and politicians on the far right.
From what I can tell from media reports, which lefties might denounce as biased, the hard-left in Andalusia is fractured and divided by personal animosity and squabbling over public funds, but in one respect they appear to be united – in their support for squatters.
The latest figures from the Spanish Home office show that Andalusia is second only to Catalonia in terms of the number of cases of ‘adverse possession’ a.k.a. squatting, reported to the police in the first half of the year (1,183 cases), yet the Communist Party of Andalusia tweeted on Tuesday that “In recent months we have been bombarded about a problem that does not exist: the occupation of homes [squatting].”
⚠️ En los últimos meses nos están bombardeando sobre un problema que no existe: el de la ocupación de viviendas.
💰 ¿Qué hay detrás de esta campaña mediática? Un gran negocio y el caldo de cultivo para la extrema derecha.
✍️ Artículo de @Toni_Valero https://t.co/3AE4jwNrYI
— Partido Comunista de Andalucía (@pcandalucia) September 1, 2020
The tweet goes on to say “What is behind this campaign? Big business and a breeding ground for the extreme right,” and links to an article arguing that empty properties are owned by banks and vulture funds, which the poor have a right to occupy. “Property rights of the first versus the right to housing of the second.” The article goes on to suggest that security companies are hyping up the threat of squatters to help sell their alarm systems.
For their part, the Andalusian Anti-Capitalists are sharing a slogan in social media saying “when housing is a luxury, squatting is a right.”
The Junta, or regional government of Andalusia, run by a coalition of right-wing parties, takes the view that squatting is a problem in Andalusia. It has called on the central government in Madrid to develop an “antiokupación” (anti-squatting) plan because the problem of adverse possession is increasing and the Administration “can’t look the other way.”
Aparicio says:
Not a problem??? Well it’s a problem to those of us who are impacted. I’m in Cataluña and have had an ongoing okupa problem for greater than 1 1/2 years. Every legal move we make they make another to drag it out, while they are renting my apartment to others during the summer. Disgraceful.
Rosalind Beck says:
Very sorry to hear that. It must be a nightmare. I had travellers squatting on some land I own in Andalucia years ago and luckily my lawyer managed to get the Guardia Civil to move them on. It cost me 500 euros which was a bargain. No idea how it was done. But these stories now of people occupying property and then sub-letting it for profit are shocking. Something similar is happening in the UK with rogue tenants. There was a case the other day of someone renting his house out, receiving no rent, so the tenants owe him so far £60,000 and at the same time the tenants are renting it out on Booking.com with an estimated profit of £75,000 so far. Because of the eviction ban, these figures will multiply.
robertaitken says:
Should the UK owner mentioned not simply book their property on Booking.com and then take repossession of their property or am I missing something?
Russ says:
Good thinking, Robert. This was my immediate thought reaction when I read that piece. Just book a night, and move back in. Take some new locks along!