Increase in squatting in Spain: Catalonia leads the way.

SQUATTING in Spain has seen an increase in 2024, with a total of 16,426 cases of squatting and breaking and entering recorded by the Ministry of the Interior. This figure represents a 7.4% increase compared to 2023 and is the third highest figure in the historical series since 2010. Catalonia is the autonomous community with the highest number of cases, representing more than 40% of the national total, with 7,009 cases.

The province of Barcelona leads the national ranking with 5,077 cases, representing 30.9% of the Spanish total.

In 2024, the record number of people investigated and arrested for these crimes was broken, with a total of 11,133. Catalonia also leads this category, with 8,039 arrested and investigated, representing 72.2% of the national total.

First-instance courts have recorded a significant increase in lawsuits for illegal SQUATTING, with a year-on-year increase of 55% in the third quarter of 2024. Catalonia also leads this ranking, accounting for nearly 20% of the national total.

Official figures do not include cases resolved out of court, suggesting that the problem could be even greater. The rise in "inquiokupación" (tenants who stop paying) also contributes to the problem. The average time for an eviction ruling is very long, causing landlords to seek alternative solutions.