Squatters Rights with Property in Spain

Hello community,

I'd like to buy a house in Valencia and then start renting it to other people. I need your support with legal questions. I'm a citizen of Ukraine and I'm aware there's a squatters rights law present in Spain. This law means that a person to who I'm renting a place might take a legal possession of the property. Please advise me if this is going to be a big problem and perhaps how to solve it.

Thank you,
Arthur

Hello Arhur and welcome to the community EOS.

This is a legal question and apart from member Maria L. de Castro, JD, MA. Lawyer. Director www.costaluzlawyers.es I doubt any other member is fully qualified to answer. If you are concerned perhaps you should contact a Spanish lawyer who specialises and is an expert in squatter’s rights laws in Spain.

I believe that if a person take's possesion of your house, then thats going to be a big problem...Can't you see the answer you need in your own question?

Come on guys I bet you can do much better than to send send me straight to the attorney and write a few troll lines. Please I give me a hand here, if you asked me anything about similar matters in Ukraine I would've helped you out. We remove a tenant every year for a month here to avoid them exercising their SR. Will this work in Spain? Is there the same annual limit? Maybe yes, perhaps no? How to avoid this right from being exercised in a proper way?

I can'y answer as we don't rent, but maybe they might be able to help  https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiLxKCzot7nAhUfUhUIHQxYAgMQFjAAegQIFRAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.citizensadvice.org.es%2F&usg=AOvVaw3PjUrgEB1fPcB1-KSv6t_G 

ok that didn't work, www.citizensadvice.org.es

Thank you for your effort Fhanrah

Means the world

I'll try reaching out our embassy in Spain tomorrow. If I find the answer I'll post it here for general edu purposes, for it's a very interesting topic for sure.

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2018/06/24/new-squatting-rules-in-spain-drastically-speed-up-the-eviction-process/

You might also be interested in this general article re new rental law.

https://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/2019/03/02/new-rental-law/

Thnak you so much Kavanagh and ads for your help and support discovering answers to this dilemma. Great articles indeed! Looks like more I learn about the rental law, more and more I lose that interest in buying a house. I wish everything was simple and crystal clear to understand. For example you rent and they pay, or, you buy and they sell. Bureaucracy is the case. Still I appreciate your time and wish you the best of all and all the best.

Arthur.   I guess you have discovered that non EU nationals who are not resident in spain, pay 24% tax on the gross income from let property.  That is there is no possibility of off-setting any expenses.

I thought Arthur asked about squatters rights not income Tax?

The OP has already responded re gratitude for educational articles that are connected to renting which includes tax issues and changes in law, so why limit the scope of relevant knowledge associated with his mention of renting from the outset that covers the wider perspective? Why limit the scope of relevant knowledge re renting? Forewarned is forearmed and all that.... All too often the lack of knowledge relating to a very limited perspective can lead to unintended consequences.

This message was last edited by ads on 21/02/2020.

Hi Ads, I guess Baz did not read, "I'd like to buy a house in Valencia and then start renting it to other people. I need your support with legal questions. I'm a citizen of Ukraine )

Adding a bit of extra info can be useful as `we know what we know but do not know what we don't know´ therefore  maybe we not know when we need to ask a question,  or what question to ask.

Oh yes I read it correctly, Tax isn't a legal question, this was about what 'IF' squatters take over the house, my bet is the poster is clever enough to know all about the buying and Tax concerning any house buying in Spain before they take the plunge, as someone has already said you need the correct legal advice concerning all matters with buying in Spain, not just the advice of people that think they know, and when the provable hits the fan, where are these 'Knowledgeable' experts then?

Sorry Baz.   I apologise. I just just giving you the benefit of the doubt

Arthur,  Please tell us what were you hoping for when you posted your question ?

There's no problem with forwarding relevant articles or first hand experiences with the proviso to say if further detailed legal advice is required, to seek out respected legal professional(s) who should have full knowledge of the relevant law (especially given the many changes that occur in Spain).

But sometimes the facts covered in relevant articles prove sufficient to forewarn of uncomfortable realities and/or the need to proceed with extreme caution, which in themselves hopefully serve a worthwhile purpose. 

Hey johnzx. I was hoping for one of the members to point me out into the right direction for this particular topic. And everything's perfect, thank you a lot. I reached out to the Costaluz Lawyers and received an awesome reply a few ago. Sorry cannot share that email for it has a confidential note at the bottom. But pretty much Maria the Lawyer promissed me to take care of all problems related to the squatters rights law and plus more, including help with real estate paperwork. Those great articles that you provided for me led me to others and those to others and so on... Snowball was rolling fast that's for sure. I can truly say now that I'm educated about this topic and armed with useful information and a good lawyer. Thank you all again for making this crash course happen and God bless you.

Good to hear Arthur.

Thanks for the feedback. :)