A British woman’s dream of creating an animal sanctuary in Mallorca has turned into a nightmare after discovering her newly purchased finca was already home to an occupying family.
According to an article in the local paper Diario de Mallorca, Natasha Retzmann, who has lived on the island since 2013, bought a country property near Inca last November with her partner Chris Hicks for just under €200,000. Their plan was simple: move in, and convert the finca into a shelter for more than 100 stray cats.
The couple knew the property was occupied but assumed, given an open legal complaint, that the matter would be resolved swiftly. Nine months later, they are still unable to enter.
A family in a vulnerable situation
Inside the finca lives a family with two young children. Social services classify them as vulnerable, and eviction would almost certainly force them onto the street. Retzmann insists she doesn’t want that outcome, but equally says she can’t ignore the fact that she has bought the property legally and has a pressing animal welfare project waiting.
In the meantime, she and Hicks squeeze into a small flat in Lloseta with four cats and two dogs, while the rest of their animals remain without shelter. “In the last few months, ten cats have died from disease or poisoning – which wouldn’t have happened under my care,” she told the press.
Failed attempts at a solution
Retzmann says she has offered the family money, furniture, and even help liaising with social services, but her offers were rejected. The local council urges patience, while the private eviction firm Desokupa alleges the occupiers have made illegal electrical connections that pose a fire risk.
Selling is not an option, Retzmann notes, because “nobody would buy a property that’s occupied.” With mortgage payments and rent draining her finances, she fears she can’t hold out much longer.
A case study in Spain’s housing tensions
This unusual story combines two of Spain’s most charged housing issues: “vulnerable” families unable to access affordable rentals, and owners left powerless in the face of squatters. In this case, a British buyer with good intentions finds herself caught in the cross fire.
