“I was a squatter for five years”: a Reddit user’s account amid the housing crisis

“I was a squatter for five years, ask me anything; there is a lot of stigma.” That was how a Reddit user introduced his account, saying he had lived in squatted properties in Madrid and Barcelona between 2016 and 2021.

His post comes amid a housing crisis which, according to the account, is affecting an entire generation. Maricarmen’s eviction has reportedly put the issue even more firmly in the spotlight, triggering large gatherings in Madrid. With people in the streets calling for effective measures, the former squatter chose to share his experience with Reddit users.

He said he was a student at the time, with limited income from occasional jobs, and did not want to ask his parents to help him become independent. “So I decided to squat, with the knowledge and the circle of people who had already done it,” he explained, also referring to “a lot of lack of knowledge, fear and stigma” around the issue.

Questions came quickly. The most supported question in his thread concerned the main difference between renting and living in a squatted property. His answer was direct: “Above all, the peace of mind of not waiting for an eviction.”

Asked whether having lived in an irregular situation could affect an application for loans, he said it could have an impact, while claiming that judicial consequences were “normally” not serious. He said he had faced only one trial, after which his group was reportedly acquitted. In his view, judges were, “at least before”, fairly lenient when the property belonged to a bank or a vulture fund.

The user also stated: “We were students and avoided throwing parties.” Relations with neighbours also drew interest on Reddit. Without offering evidence beyond his own testimony, he said he had experienced a conflict with Desokupa: “Once, we had problems with Desokupa.” He added that their involvement in housing unions had enabled them to stand up to the company, arguing that such businesses target vulnerable people and think twice when facing organised people who know their rights.

It was notably to address this lack of knowledge and stigma that he reportedly posted his message. In recent years, companies opposing squatting have multiplied in Spain; Desokupa is among the best known and has received substantial media coverage.