Squatters nearly drive British expat to suicide on Spain’s Costa del Sol

I've been in that situation, ironically I let my second home because I was away a lot and was in a highly visible location so that potential squatters knew when it was vacant. Fortunately i had good neighbours who warned me of the risk.

However, the tenant only paid one month's rent, I was paying hundreds for electricity and water. I had to pay eviction proceedings as well, like this lady.

Apart from always being sure of credentials - don't risk your home/investment because someone is apparently in need - there is one key thing you HAVE TO DO - when they vacate, with or without physical eviction by a bailiff which mine avoided - BE THERE WITH A LOCKSMITH AND HAVE THE LOCKS CHANGED IMMEDIATELY. If you or a representative supervise their leaving there must be a moment when everyone is out of the house and you can just stand there and say that you are changing the locks and the place must be empty. Mine went quietly, but in the time they were there they had several extra people living with them, driving the costs up.

Eviction takes months because the courts are dealing with a lot of such cases and the availability of a bailiff takes even longer, the case was uncontested and was over just after the summer break, but the bailiff couldn't come until February. In the end they left voluntarily at the beginning of November 2018.

I have every sympathy and wish the lady a happy ending - but whatever the cost, a solicitor rather than the police should be the answer.