A British homeowner has sold his Spanish holiday home after squatters refused to leave unless they were paid a 'ransom'. Michael Regan, who owns a property in the Catalan seaside town of Sitges, discovered the squatters during the Covid-19 lockdown when a neighbour alerted him to their presence.
Spanish law allows police to remove squatters, known as 'okupas', if the owner proves it is their primary or secondary residence, but the process can take up to two years. Mr Regan was told the squatters were professional extortionists, not a family in need, and he opted to hire a private eviction company.
He paid FueraOkupas, a firm that uses martial arts experts to negotiate with squatters, €3,500 (£3,000). After several visits, the squatters agreed to leave in exchange for a payment. Mr Regan later sold the property, saying the experience had left him disillusioned.
Property lawyer Santi Ventalló said extortion occurs in 1-2% of cases but is likely to become more common due to slow court processes. He noted that owners often pay squatters to leave immediately, calling it 'a very easy way to make money'.
A self-confessed former criminal, speaking anonymously, claimed he and his associates target expensive apartments owned by banks and finance companies. He said they break in on a Friday and demand a ransom by the following Monday, typically receiving €10,000–12,000 per property. He claimed to have broken into around 50 properties in the past year.
