The squatting of houses in Baleares have grown alarmingly in the last decade, doubling their incidence since 2013. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Interior, the number of known cases rose from 193 in 2013 to 407 in 2023, an increase that places the region among the most affected by this phenomenon. The boom in squatting reached its peak in 2021, when 509 incidents of trespassing or usurpation of real estate were recorded. Since then, a slight decrease has been observed, with 417 cases in 2022 and 407 in 2023, which generates a faint optimism, although experts warn that it is still early to speak of a change in trend. The Ministry distinguishes between breaking and entering, which violates the inviolability of the home, and usurpation, which affects the ownership of uninhabited property. This legal difference is crucial to understand the scope of the problem and the measures being implemented to deal with it.
Identifications and resolutions
Of the 407 cases reported in 2023, authorities were able to identify the alleged perpetrator on 232 occasions, representing just over 50%. This figure reflects significant progress compared to previous years, although the proportion of solved cases has decreased compared to 2013, when the perpetrator was identified in 60% of cases. Those arrested and investigated have also decreased over the years. While in 2013 there were 124 people investigated for squatting, in 2023 the figure dropped to 107, a figure that contrasts with the increase in the overall incidence of the problem.
A legal solution is on the way
In response to this situation, the Government has promoted regulatory changes aimed at streamlining legal processes related to squatting. In 2024, an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act will come into force, which will allow the crimes of usurpation and trespassing to be processed in abbreviated proceedings. This will reduce the resolution time to seven to eight days, an advance that could transform the way these cases are handled in the future.
A national problem with local impact
Squatting is not exclusive to the Balearic Islands. Nationwide, known cases have doubled in a decade, from 7,739 in 2013 to 15,289 in 2023. However, the incidence on the islands reflects a particular challenge, affecting both residents and second homeowners.
