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Squatter issues on Costa del Sol

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 2:56pm
15 replies1202 views6 members subscribed
Floss

Posts: 8

Location: Nueva Andalucia

Joined: 15 May 2021

Hi everyone,

I am thinking of buying a vacation home in the Estepona area, but have noticed some articles in the English and Spanish press about squatter problems in Spain. 

I wanted to ask if anyone who has been living on the Costa del Sol or has a vacation home there if they feel this is a worry for  residents, as there have been press reports that organised squatter gangs are now targeting vacation homes. I would also like to hear from anyone who has a property on a gated community, to hear their opinion on whether they feel their home is protected by the security services there. 

Many thanks for your comments and advice in advance! I appreciate any help you could give with this matter, as I am finding it difficult to assess the risks involved here.

clifton1971

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:48am

clifton1971

Helpful member

Posts: 372

144 helpful points

Location: Estepona

Joined: 11 Oct 2019

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:48am

Floss wrote on Thu Jun 10, 2021 2:56pm:

Hi everyone,

I am thinking of buying a vacation home in the Estepona area, but have noticed some articles in the English and Spanish press about squatter problems in Spain. 

I wanted to ask if anyone who has been living on the Costa del Sol or has a vacation home there if they feel this is a worry for  residents, as there have been press reports that organised squatter gangs are now targeting vacation homes. I would also like to hear from anyone who has a property on a gated community, to hear their opinion on whether they feel their home is protected by the security services there. 

Many thanks for your comments and advice in advance! I appreciate any help you could give with this matter, as I am finding it difficult to assess the risks involved here.

Hi

It is a growing problem in Europe especially Spain. If you leave your Property for long periods of time be prepared to get a Key Holder who can put lights on etc to make your Property lived in. See article below

https://rightcasa.com/how-to-protect-your-spanish-home-from-squatters/

Good Luck

Nigel


Floss

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 2:37pm

Floss

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Nueva Andalucia

Joined: 15 May 2021

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 2:37pm

clifton1971 wrote on Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:48am:

Hi

It is a growing problem in Europe especially Spain. If you leave your Property for long periods of time be prepared to get a Key Holder who can put lights on etc to make your Property lived in. See article below

Many thanks for taking the time to comment and the link to the interesting article. That's exactly the problem, that the property will be vacant a lot of the time, so it's certainly a worry for me. I can't imagine what a terrible mess I'd be in if I found out something like that had happened to my home in Spain, and I feel very sorry for anyone who has been affected by this issue.

Mike66

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:30pm

Posts: 30

2 helpful points

Location: Estepona

Joined: 19 Apr 2020

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:30pm

Floss wrote on Tue Jun 15, 2021 2:37pm:

Many thanks for taking the time to comment and the link to the interesting article. That's exactly the problem, that the property will be vacant a lot of the time, so it's certainly a worry for me. I can't imagine what a terrible mess I'd be in if I found out something like that had happened to m...

...y home in Spain, and I feel very sorry for anyone who has been affected by this issue.

Consider purchasing an apartment I’m sure the risk there is negligible as they are usually much more secure..

Floss

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:40am

Floss

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Nueva Andalucia

Joined: 15 May 2021

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:40am

Mike66 wrote on Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:30pm:

Consider purchasing an apartment I’m sure the risk there is negligible as they are usually much more secure..

Thank you Mike66 for your suggestion... I am also coming to the conclusion that an apartment would be much safer. I guess the risk in general isn't huge, otherwise I would have had more of a response to my question if many homeowners had been affected by this problem, but it is still a prospect which would spell financial disaster for me, so it's better to be safe than sorry. 

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Kathrynmc

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:58am

Posts: 14

3 helpful points

Location: Casares

Joined: 11 Nov 2019

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:58am

Hi

I have an apartment in that area and due to the restrictions hadn't been there since mid last year, I managed to get out last week and found (apart from minor cleaning issues) everything is ok.  I would recommend getting an apartment on an urbanisation with security.  Also it's worth buying an upper level with security shutters installed.

Good luck

Floss

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:07am

Floss

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Nueva Andalucia

Joined: 15 May 2021

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:07am

Kathrynmc wrote on Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:58am:

Hi

I have an apartment in that area and due to the restrictions hadn't been there since mid last year, I managed to get out last week and found (apart from minor cleaning issues) everything is ok.  I would recommend getting an apartment on an urbanisation with security.  Also it's worth bu...

...ying an upper level with security shutters installed.

Good luck

Thanks so much for the tip! Glad to hear all was okay on your return to Estepona! Have you been happy with your apartment, by the way? I read on another blog that the Spanish can be really noisy and that many Brits have had issues with a lot of noise at night and during the day too. I've never lived in an apartment before, so I'm not sure what that would be like... I would really appreciate any feedback/tips, as the estate agent is unlikely to be completely honest with me about possible negative things about living in an apartment, I guess.

Kathrynmc

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:14am

Posts: 14

3 helpful points

Location: Casares

Joined: 11 Nov 2019

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:14am

Floss wrote on Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:07am:

Thanks so much for the tip! Glad to hear all was okay on your return to Estepona! Have you been happy with your apartment, by the way? I read on another blog that the Spanish can be really noisy and that many Brits have had issues with a lot of noise at night and during the day too. I've never li...

...ved in an apartment before, so I'm not sure what that would be like... I would really appreciate any feedback/tips, as the estate agent is unlikely to be completely honest with me about possible negative things about living in an apartment, I guess.

I haven't had any issues with noise, the area is really quite.  Most of the apartments are holiday lets so maybe I have been lucky so far

Floss

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:19am

Floss

Original Poster

Posts: 8

Location: Nueva Andalucia

Joined: 15 May 2021

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:19am

Kathrynmc wrote on Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:14am:

I haven't had any issues with noise, the area is really quite.  Most of the apartments are holiday lets so maybe I have been lucky so far

That's great, obviously you've made a wise choice! :-D THANKS for your help! I appreciate your advice a lot! 

Julie5

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 12:19pm

Posts: 2

2 helpful points

Location: Fuengirola

Joined: 22 Mar 2021

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 12:19pm

Hi

We’ve heard many stories and an interesting fact I’d that it’s best to have an alarm as if you have one fitted & obviously it’s activated, then the

police will attend and help to remove the intruders. So it’s worth installing one. We know a great firm who were so efficient and quite cost effective and have an app on our phones too!

Wishing you lots of luck 

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