The Palma court has convicted a woman of two offences: illegally occupying a home and installing a 6,000-litre pool on the flat’s terrace, which caused structural damage to the building and endangered other residents. The judge ordered the squatter to pay €8,000, although the owner estimates the damage “to be in the tens of thousands of euros,” according to the newspaper Ultima Hora.
The woman had been living in the flat illegally since August, after the landlord opposed renewing the lease, and she refused to leave. She has been fined €270 for trespassing, while the negligence related to the pool carries a fine of €7,744. However, the landlord has stated that the squatter is likely to declare bankruptcy and not pay the amount.
According to reports, it was the neighbours who alerted the firefighters after hearing loud creaking noises in the building. Firefighters arrived immediately and ordered the squatter to drain the pool to prevent a potential collapse. However, they were unable to resolve the underlying problem.
The owner, who continues to pay the flat's bills, including water charges, told the newspaper that he has received numerous “threatening calls” at all hours. He described the situation as “very stressful” and added, “No one is compensating me for what I’ve had to endure from angry neighbours.”
Despite the court order, the squatter has reportedly asked the owner if she can remain in the flat past the deadline of 28 October.
Over 23,000 illegally occupied homes for sale in Spain by September 2025
The sale of homes without vacant possession is becoming increasingly common in the Spanish property market, now accounting for 3% of all properties for sale in the country, according to a study by idealista based on listings in its database for Q3 2025. The report reveals that during this period, 23,010 properties were listed on idealista as being subject to occupation. However, the available data still do not allow for an analysis of trends or other relevant metrics in this regard.