In Girona, Spain, a family recovered their illegally occupied house, but was forced by police to leave and return the property to the 'squatters'. The occupants presented a video as proof that they had already been staying in the dwelling for more than two days, and authorities interpreted the law in favor of the squatters. A specialized lawyer criticized the erroneous application of the so-called 48-hour deadline, which does not exist in the Spanish Penal Code, warning that this type of situation can drag on for months or years — on average 18.1 months to recover an occupied dwelling in Spain. The specialist advocated for legislative reform to standardize police protocols and accelerate the restitution of properties, noting that parallel strategies such as 'occupying the occupant' carry significant legal risks. The article also compares with Portuguese legislation, which since November 2025 provides for prison sentences of up to three years for illegal occupations of permanent dwellings.
Postal do Algarve04/09/26, 16:10
