Sharp decline in lawsuits this spring
In the second quarter of 2025, Spain saw a marked decrease in court filings related to illegal occupation of residential properties. According to the Consejo General del Poder Judicial, from April to June, 487 new lawsuits were registered nationwide, which is 23.8% fewer compared to the same period last year. This is one of the lowest figures in recent years, surpassed only by the summer of 2023.
Regional leadership changes
For the first time in a long period, Andalucía has surpassed Catalonia in the number of new cases of illegal occupation. The region recorded 105 filings, accounting for 21.5% of the national total. Catalonia came second with 88 cases, followed by the Comunidad Valenciana (50), Madrid (33), and Murcia (32). At the same time, Navarra did not register any such lawsuits, while in Aragón, Cantabria, and La Rioja, the number did not exceed ten.
Provinces with the highest number of filings
Despite shifts in regional distribution, Barcelona remains the province with the highest number of lawsuits—65 out of 487 nationwide. It is followed by Málaga (45), Alicante (34), Madrid (33), and Murcia (32). In several provinces, such as Teruel, Soria, Valladolid, Lleida, and Navarra, there were no new cases of illegal occupation reported during the period.
Impact of new legislative measures
The decrease in the number of cases coincided with the entry into force on April 3, 2025, of new rules requiring property owners to attempt to reach an agreement with illegal occupants before filing a lawsuit. The law requires documentary proof of the negotiation attempt. If no agreement is reached within 30 days, or if there is no response, only then is legal action permitted.
Alternative approaches to resolving the issue
Experts note that many cases of illegal occupation never reach the courts or the police. An increasing number of property owners prefer to negotiate directly or turn to specialized eviction services. This is especially common in situations where tenants deliberately stop paying rent but formally remain as residents. The average length of eviction proceedings in Spain has reached nearly two years, forcing owners to seek faster solutions.
Regional differences in cases per capita
When comparing the number of lawsuits relative to population size, the leaders are La Rioja (2.5 cases per 100,000 residents), Balearic Islands (2.2), Murcia (2), Asturias (1.8), as well as Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands (1.3 each). In these regions, the issue is particularly acute, despite the overall decline in the number of cases.
