Illegal home occupations in Spain declined in 2025, but Catalonia remains the epicenter. The region saw nearly 40% of all criminal complaints, far above its population share. New mediation rules and security measures are shifting the landscape.
Despite a nationwide decline in illegal home occupations, Catalonia continues to stand out as the region most affected by this issue. In 2025, Catalonia registered 5,913 criminal complaints related to illegal occupation, representing 39.7% of all such cases in Spain, even though it accounts for just 16% of the country’s population. This disproportion is highlighted by data from the Ministry of the Interior, which also shows that all four Catalan provinces lead the country in cases per 100,000 residents.
While the number of criminal complaints dropped by 15% compared to the previous year, the problem remains acute in Catalonia. Civil courts in the region processed an additional 377 cases of unauthorized occupation in 2025, a figure that is 18.6% lower than the year before but still amounts to one in five cases nationwide, according to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).
The statistics make a clear distinction between illegal occupation—entering a property without the owner’s consent—and evictions due to non-payment or contract termination. For example, the eviction of Jordi Galí and his family from their Barcelona home in June 2025 was the result of unpaid rent, not illegal occupation. The focus of the current data is strictly on unauthorized entry and use of properties.
Several factors are contributing to the overall decline in reported cases. Owners are increasingly investing in security measures, particularly in Catalonia, where public concern over illegal occupation remains high. Nationally, the number of such incidents fell by 9%. In cases involving vulnerable families, the introduction of mandatory mediation (MASC) in April 2025 has played a role. This mechanism requires parties to seek a mediated agreement before filing a civil complaint, which has led to a noticeable drop in new cases during the second and third quarters of the year. However, the last quarter of 2025 saw a slight uptick, and early 2026 data suggests the downward trend may continue, with only 88 cases reported in the first quarter compared to 122 a year earlier.
Social organizations working in the housing sector caution that the reduction in complaints does not necessarily mean fewer vulnerable people are at risk. They warn that the end of the pandemic-era eviction moratorium, following its repeal by PP and Junts, could lead to a rise in both evictions and rental prices in 2026. Guillem Domingo from Observatorio Desca notes that the underlying issue of housing insecurity remains unresolved for many families.
Legal experts point out that the choice between civil and criminal proceedings depends on the specifics of each case. Civil actions are typically available to individuals, non-profits, or public entities and are often used when the occupation is recent. If police, such as the Mossos d’Esquadra, intervene quickly, a criminal complaint may be more effective. Recovering possession through the courts can take an average of 20 months, according to the CGPJ.
Police have also observed a rise in illegal occupations for criminal purposes, such as setting up marijuana plantations. The problem is widespread across Catalonia, with Girona showing the highest rate per capita—almost 89 cases per 100,000 residents—followed by Barcelona with 76. Girona’s judicial district recorded 363 evictions last year, ranking fourth among Catalonia’s 40 districts.
Vanesa Morejón, who heads the Servei Comú Processal in Girona, oversees the execution of eviction orders. In 2025, her office received 936 requests, but only 38% resulted in the property being vacated. The majority were suspended due to the vulnerability of occupants, settlements, or voluntary departures. Coordination with social services and police is standard practice, and investment funds often negotiate with occupants to avoid judicial intervention. The average time to carry out an eviction is about two months.
Most civil cases handled by Morejón’s office involve non-payment or contract issues rather than illegal occupation, with such cases making up 97% of the civil docket. This distinction is important for understanding the broader context of housing disputes in Catalonia.
Recent legal disputes in Spain’s regions have also drawn national attention, such as the controversy over Basque language exam results, which led to court-ordered suspensions and widespread support for exam correctors. For example, more than 12,000 staff and teachers at EHU signed a petition backing the correctors amid legal challenges, as detailed in this report on the Basque exam dispute.
Illegal occupation remains a complex and evolving issue in Spain, particularly in Catalonia. While recent measures and declining complaint numbers suggest some progress, the underlying challenges of housing insecurity and legal complexity persist. The coming year will test whether new policies and enforcement strategies can sustain the downward trend or if the end of pandemic protections will trigger a new wave of disputes and evictions.
