How to avoid squatters in your property? 5 solutions

In our country, it is common for many citizens to own second homes, which they rent out to obtain a monthly economic return, or leave vacant to go to them during vacation periods. Unfortunately, the crisis of a few years ago and the serious economic situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have caused many people to be unable to pay rent, and some of them choose to squatting illegally in these second homes.

Tips to avoid squatters in your property

In case your second home is occupied and you have not contacted the authorities within the first 48 hours, you will have considerable problems to evict the squatters through legal means, as you will need a court order to do so.As a first piece of advice, if you have a second unoccupied property, it is advisable to rent it out, as, in addition to avoiding squatting, you will save a lot of time and maintenance costs for the property itself. If renting is not an option, we will see other tips on how to avoid squatters on your property.

Reinforce entry security

Investing in a high-security door is a great option when facing illegal squatting, as they incorporate resistant systems that make it very difficult to open without the corresponding key. Reinforcing windows is also essential, as it is another way squatters can try to access the housing. In this section, it is worth noting the effectiveness of alarm systems, where owners can carry out access control at all times thanks to a camera, in addition to alerting the police if an intruder manages to enter the property.

Continuous communication with neighbors

In the event that the dwelling belongs to a building or residential area, it is advisable to have regular contact with the neighbors, as they can warn you if they hear noises or notice strange movements around your home. In addition, the figure of the concierge or caretaker (if your neighborhood has one) is of great help to prevent the entry of unknown persons to the building or residential area.

Be careful with posts on social media

Many squatters use social media to analyze the routines and movements of property owners. For this reason, it's not advisable to constantly upload all your movements to social media, as they can become very useful information for someone looking to occupy a property.

What to do if you detect that your property has been occupied?

As we mentioned earlier, the first 48 hours are vital in case your property has been occupied. You must notify the police as soon as possible, since during this period of time they can prevent the occupation, either by detaining or evicting the intruders (the crime is different if the habitual residence is occupied than if a second residence is occupied).In case it is a second residence and that deadline has passed, the police will not be able to enter and evict them, as there is no anti-squatting law. The first option is to try to negotiate with the squatters and have them leave amicably, but if this is not achieved, you will have to identify the intruders and report them. If you don't succeed either, you are left with going to civil court, something that involves a long and costly process, to which the subsequent refurbishment of the dwelling is added in many cases.The occupation makes it a bad experience for all those owners who see how their second residences have been invaded by other people, without their consent. Although it is a situation that generates a lot of impotence, you should never resort to force, since you may become the one who has the status of offender. To avoid all these problems, we recommend that you use an access control system that guarantees your security and notifies you in case someone breaks into your property illegally.

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