María Vicente is the owner of an apartment in Son Rapinya (Palma) which she and her husband Lorenzo rented out last year to a couple who have since declared that they are squatters. The rent was lower than it might have been because the couple were expecting a child. The owners had sympathy for them and kept the rent down.
Maria explains that the couple presented false documentation in order to become tenants. "They impersonated some friends." This included presenting pay slips and employment contracts.
Last summer, it was discovered that the couple were renting out beds in the apartment for 400 euros. This is a property for four people. It would appear that it now has eight beds in it. Maria and her husband told the couple they were in breach of contract and would have to move out. They didn't. They stopped paying the rent and stated that they had become squatters. Having had the baby, they insist that they cannot be moved out.
Neighbours in the apartment block say that there have been issues with the couple, such as putting the garbage out on the landing. There have been fights and some furniture from the apartment has been stolen.
Maria and Lorenzo say that they are defenceless and are victims of the slowness of the judicial system. They have mortgage payments to make, but they are struggling to be able to do so because they aren't being paid any rent.
2 comments
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I don't understand how people put up with this. I wouldn't go to the authorities, I would get a bunch of mates, break the door down and kick them out. Any resistance they get the crap kicked out of them. Then throw their stuff on the street and change the locks, end of. These people are filth.
They talk about squatters' rights. No. Squatters have no rights. They're squatters. No legal documents, no contracts, no nothing. They're simply thieves of property by another name. And as thieves they need to be prosecuted for trespassing onto property that doesn't belong to them and evicted. The Council's apparent "blind eye" attitude doesn't help. In this case the owners have been greatly taken advantage of by the squatters who evidently had pre-intent of bad purpose from the get-go. The Authorities need to support the owners in evicting the squatters and reclaiming their home. There is zero justification for what is happening to the owners and the full force of common law must be brought to bear against the squatters to show that no one can steal someone else's home. The owners will now have to face taking costly legal measures to re-claim their property. In some other countries it would be simpler. The owners and enlisted "friends" would simply enter the property, pick up the squatters and march them out onto the street. Job done. I hope for everyone's sake it doesn't come to this here in Palma but the Authorities must put a stop to these squatters now or it just might.