How to reduce the risk of squatters in your Spanish home

Terms used

• Escritura — The escritura is the public deed of your purchase, and the main proof that you own the home.
• Nota simple — The nota simple is an informative, uncertified extract of your property register entry, usually enough for police and courts to start proceedings.
• Certificación registral — The certificación registral is the certified version of your property register entry.
• Registro de la Propiedad — The Registro de la Propiedad is the property register, where ownership of a home is recorded.
• Catastro — The Catastro is the property cadastre, which identifies each property and holds its cadastral data.
• IBI — The IBI is the yearly property tax bill; it supports your ownership but does not prove it.

Key rules

• Speed: Police can act directly against intruders in the first hours, so quick detection and a rapid complaint matter most.
• Proof of ownership: A nota simple is usually enough for police and courts to start proceedings.
• IBI and Catastro: The IBI receipt and Catastro certificate support your ownership but do not prove it.
• Utilities: Squatters without title generally cannot validly contract electricity, water or gas, and you can ask to end supplies in your name.

What lowers the risk most

Spotting a break-in fast matters more than any single lock. Police can act directly against intruders in the first hours, when they are caught in the act (in flagrante). A quick complaint also speeds up the court route. So combine two things: make entry harder, and make sure someone notices quickly.

Make the home hard to enter

Common measures for an empty home are an anti-squatter (antiocupa) security door, or steel shutters over doors and ground-floor windows. Add high-security cylinders on every outside door. The checklist below lists these and the other steps.

Make sure someone notices

• Ask several authorised security companies for quotes on an alarm linked to a central receptora, the alarm monitoring centre, with police response.
• Put up visible signs saying the home is alarmed.
• Use lights or presence simulation so the home looks lived in.
• Visit regularly, or give a trusted keyholder access.
• Ask neighbours to tell you at once if they see activity.

Alarm prices vary with the provider, the number of sensors and cameras, and whether a guard responds. Most plans mix an installation cost with a monthly fee, and many providers offer low or free installation if you sign a fixed-term contract. Compare quotes on those points and check current prices with each company.

Keep proof of ownership ready

Have your papers ready before anything happens. The main proof is the escritura, the deed of your purchase, together with the entry in the Registro de la Propiedad. You show that entry with a nota simple, an informative extract that is not certified, or a certificación registral, the certified version. Police and courts usually accept a nota simple to start proceedings.

The Catastro certificate and the IBI receipt show property and tax data. They support your ownership and identify the home, but they do not prove it. Keep copies on your phone and with someone you trust, so you can show them at once when you call the police. The documents list below sets out each one.

Utilities

Squatters without legal title to the home generally cannot validly sign up for electricity, water or gas. If supplies are in your name, you can ask the supplier to end the supply after an occupation. Tell the supplier about the occupation, ideally with a copy of your complaint. You can also report an illegal connection (enganche ilegal). Rules for vulnerable households and regional water rules differ, and social protections can limit cut-offs, so ask the supplier what applies to you.

Documents you need

• Escritura (public deed of your purchase), the main proof that you own the home.

• Nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad, an informative extract of the property register entry that police and courts usually accept to start proceedings. Keep a recent copy.

• Certificación registral from the Registro de la Propiedad, the certified version of the register entry, if you want certified proof.

• Catastro certificate, which identifies the property and its cadastral data. It supports your ownership but does not prove it.

• IBI receipt (the yearly property tax bill), which supports your ownership and identifies the property but does not prove it.

• Your electricity, water or gas contracts in your name, needed if you ask a supplier to end the supply after an occupation.

Checklist

• Compare each quote on installation cost, monthly fee, number of sensors and cameras, contract length and whether a guard responds to the alarm.

• Visit the home regularly, or ask a trusted keyholder to do it.

Check current alarm prices and what each package includes with several authorised security companies.

What to watch out for

• Illegal utility connections: Occupants may hook up to your electricity or water illegally (enganche ilegal), and you could be left with the bill or the damage. Report the illegal connection to the police, tell the supplier about the occupation and send a copy of your complaint.

• Supply you still hold in your name: Contracts still in your name keep running while occupants are inside, and you stay responsible for them. Ask the supplier to end the supply, with a copy of your complaint.

Frequently asked questions

Can squatters sign up for electricity or water in my empty home?

No, squatters generally cannot validly contract electricity, water or gas, because suppliers usually require proof of legal title to occupy the home. If you already hold the contract, you can ask the supplier to end the supply and send them a copy of your complaint.

What should I do about an illegal utility connection?

Report an illegal connection (enganche ilegal) to the police and tell the supplier about the occupation. Attach a copy of your complaint to the notice.

Which document proves I own my home when I call the police?

A nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad is the document to carry, because police and courts usually accept it to start proceedings. It is an informative extract of the property register entry. A certificación registral is the certified version, and your escritura (public deed) backs it up.

Does my IBI receipt prove that I own the property?

No, your IBI receipt (the yearly property tax bill) does not prove ownership, though it supports your claim and identifies the property. The same goes for the Catastro certificate, which shows cadastral data only. Keep them with your nota simple and escritura.