Lawyer warns of method commonly used by squatters to break into homes in Spain

One of the main housing concerns of Spaniards is squatting, which can be particularly problematic as laws are not always strict with squatters and legal proceedings can take years.

Lawyer Miguel Ángel Mejías, known for sharing legal advice on social media, has recently posted a video on TikTok, in which he explains what "the pizza trick" is and how it is used by squatters.

According to Mejías, "the pizza trick" mainly targets people's second residence or an empty flat. Days or weeks before entering the house, squatters place a food order, giving the address of the flat that they plan on occupying. They collect the food at the building's main doorway and keep the receipt.

That receipt then becomes proof of residence. "Weeks or months later, when the landlord notices and calls the police, the squatters present the receipt, along with a fake lease," Mejías said.

With such documentation, it is no longer considered a flagrant offence and the police cannot act or force the squatters out immediately. The owner then has no other option but to take legal action.

Is it possible to avoid these cases? Mejías recommends installing security cameras, acting quickly in the event of any clues and keeping invoices that prove that the house was not rented. This decreases the possibility of the squatters' plan being successful.