Illegal occupants seize control of luxury Tenerife hotel
The four-star Callao Sport Hotel in Tenerife has been taken over by a group of illegal occupants, known as 'ocupas'. The property owners have been grappling with this issue since February, and the situation is becoming increasingly complicated.
The problem of illegal occupants is not new in Spain. In 2024, over 16,500 attempts to occupy someone else's property were recorded in the country.
According to the "Canarian Weekly" service, the issues at the Callao Sport Hotel began on 17 February, when the building was broken into. Since then, the owners have been dealing with the challenges posed by the illegal occupants. It was on this day that the building was broken into.
Hotel in Spain taken over by ocupas
The illegal occupants have taken over 92 rooms, as well as the gym, kitchen, reception area, and the spa. The owners reported the matter to the prosecutor's office, but they have not received permission for eviction. The prosecutor demanded details of all individuals staying in the hotel, which is impossible to fulfil. Meanwhile, the maintenance costs have tripled, and the owners are forced to bear them.
"People come and go all the time. Just the other day, a couple showed up in a Mercedes A-Class. This isn’t about vulnerable people in need of shelter, this is systematic exploitation," said Carmen Margarita, a representative of the company that owns the property, in a discussion with the service.
In connection with the escalating problem, the case was handed over to the prosecutor’s office following the applicable procedures. The property owners filed official complaints, supported by the local police. Despite this, the prosecutor’s office deemed these actions insufficient.
Owners must pay the bills
During the April review of the case, the prosecutor refused to issue eviction permission. Instead, they demanded from the owners a list of people currently staying in the hotel, which proved impossible to fulfil, as the owners do not have access to their own building.
The dispute to regain the hotel, intended for sale, is still ongoing. A significant issue is the growing bills. Since the property was taken over by illegal occupants, the maintenance costs have tripled, and the obligation to pay them still rests on the owners. "It’s alarming. We are being harmed, but so is the community," said Carmen Margarita.
The fight against ocupas
Let us recall that, from 3 April, new regulations facilitating the fight against illegal occupants have been in place. Owners must notify the police of their presence within 48 hours, and after this time, court intervention will be necessary.
According to Spanish law firms, before the regulations, evictions lasted from several months to two years. The new law accelerates these procedures; cases are resolved in an expedited manner within 15 days of reporting the offence.
