Squatting is back on the rise in Spain after two years of decline, with Catalonia once again leading the charge in both the number of cases and legal actions.
According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior’s Statistical Portal of Criminality, there were 16,426 reported cases of squatting in 2024, an increase of 7.4% from the 15,289 incidents in 2023. These figures include crimes of unlawful entry and usurpation reported to the police but do not account for cases resolved privately, such as through payments or eviction services.
This is the third-highest annual figure since records began in 2010, surpassed only by the peaks of 2021 (17,274 cases) and 2022 (16,765). On average, 45 illegal home occupations are reported every day in Spain.
Catalonia: 42.6% of all cases in one region
Catalonia continues to be the epicentre of Spain’s squatting problem, with 7,009 cases recorded in 2024—42.6% of the national total. That’s nearly the same as the combined total for the next six most affected regions: Andalusia (2,207), the Valencian Community (1,767), Madrid (1,451), the Canary Islands (663), Castilla-La Mancha (538), and the Balearic Islands (514).
While the nationwide increase was 7.4%, Catalonia’s 2024 figures rose more steeply, up 12% year-on-year, making it the second-highest total ever recorded in the region, just behind the 2021 peak of 7,345 cases.
Barcelona leads by province
The province of Barcelona stands out dramatically, accounting for 30.9% of all cases nationwide in 2024. A total of 5,077 squatting incidents were reported there—a 10% increase on the previous year and well above the national average.
Other provinces with high numbers included Madrid (1,451), Girona (940), Valencia (876), Tarragona (785), and Alicante (687). At the other end of the scale, 24 provinces had fewer than 100 cases, with fewer than 20 reported in Soria, Teruel, Melilla, Zamora, Palencia, Ceuta, and Álava.
Record number of arrests and investigations
Despite not reaching the all-time high in total cases, 2024 saw a record number of people investigated or arrested for squatting-related offences. The Ministry of the Interior reported 11,133 individuals investigated or detained—up 17.7% from the previous year and the first time the figure has exceeded 11,000.
Catalonia once again led the way with 8,039 people investigated or arrested—an extraordinary 72.2% of the national total. Within Catalonia, Barcelona alone accounted for 5,686 of these cases. The next closest provinces, by comparison, were Girona (1,131), Tarragona (936), and Madrid (847).
Lawsuits on the rise, led by Catalonia
Legal action is also on the rise. According to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), there were 1,782 possessory oral trials (the type of legal proceeding commonly used in eviction cases) initiated between January and September 2024.
The number of new cases in the third quarter of the year was 580, representing a 55% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Catalonia filed 123 new lawsuits in this period—21.2% of the national total. Over the first nine months of the year, Catalonia accounted for 57.5% of all such proceedings nationwide.
Other regions seeing a surge in litigation included Cantabria (up 500%), Castile and León (130%), and the Basque Country (112%). The only regions where case numbers dropped were Galicia, Asturias, La Rioja, and Extremadura.
Justice delayed, owners frustrated
Although reported cases and arrests are increasing, many homeowners are growing disillusioned with the legal system. Eviction proceedings now take almost two years on average in Spain, once appeals are factored in. As a result, more property owners are seeking alternative solutions, such as negotiating directly with squatters or hiring private eviction firms.
Legal experts point out that the official data likely underestimates the true scale of the problem, as it excludes squatters who enter via legal rental contracts and then stop paying rent—a group often described as “pseudo-tenants”—and cases resolved out of court.
Conclusion
The latest statistics confirm that squatting remains a serious and growing issue in Spain, particularly in Catalonia and especially in Barcelona. Despite increased police action and more legal proceedings, the delays in the justice system are pushing many property owners to seek faster, informal alternatives. With the problem once again on the rise, it remains to be seen whether authorities can stem the tide or whether property rights will continue to be tested by Spain’s squatter surge.
