Spain Senate Bill Legalizes Utility Cuts for Squatters
Spain's Senate has passed a bill that would decriminalize property owners cutting off utilities to squatters, potentially offering a new tool to combat illegal occupation.
The problem of squatting in Spain could soon be over, thanks to a new bill passed by the Senate. This bill aims to make it legal for property owners to do something that, until now, could lead to fines or even jail time.
Cristina Ruiz, a real estate lawyer in Tenerife, says this change is a huge relief for many owners who have been asking for new rules for years.
"Right now, we are seeing the end of squatting," Ruiz stated in one of her videos, highlighting how important this legal change is.
The Senate has made a big move towards changing the Penal Code, which could transform how owners deal with illegal occupation in Spain. This proposal, supported by several political parties, would mean that cutting off utilities like water or electricity would no longer be considered a crime of coercion when squatters are in a property.
Cristina Ruiz believes this could be the first step to stopping squatting. Owners would be able to turn off water, electricity, or gas without worrying about legal punishment. This would give owners a more effective way to get their properties back and discourage illegal squatting.
For this change to the Penal Code to become law, it still needs to be approved by Congress.
Ruiz points out that courts in Catalonia have already been applying this idea. There, various rulings allow owners to cut off utilities without it being seen as illegal coercion. This new reform would apply this possibility across the entire country, making the rules consistent and avoiding different interpretations in different regions.
Currently, Article 172 of the Penal Code punishes any illegal restriction of another person's freedom as coercion. This includes actions like cutting off electricity, water, or gas to force someone to leave. This rule has led to many legal cases against owners who, desperate after long occupations, cut off supplies to prevent more damage or reduce their own costs.
The reform aims to make it clear that these actions will not be a crime when the people occupying the property do not have a legal right to be there. Many people are happy about this first step, believing it could speed up evictions and make more people think twice before squatting in a property.