Cristina empty property

The house next door to our friend is empty and has been for 3 years because the owner died with no will and no family to pass the property onto. My question is how long will it stand empty,the garden was once lovely and is now a complete jungle.Also whats to stop somebody just moving in pay any outstanding bills and have the services put back on and just live there quite happily forever???

what nationality was the deceased?

there is usually family somewhere.

In some foreign jurisdictions probate can take many years - I've seen matters run for up to 5 years.

The owner was German and we are reliably informed there was deffinatly on family

I lived in a house in La Fustera where the chap next door died and that was in 1973 and the property is still empty today