An eviction company is blocking the entrance to a hotel in Majorca where 100 squatters have moved in after experiencing rising rents across the island, they claim. The BelleVue hotel in Puerto de Alcudia, Majorca, has been filled with squatters, leading to concerns ahead of the summer high-season. Now the hotel invaders have shared the situation they faced that led them to taking over the complex.
The squatters, some of whom have jobs, say they can no longer afford the price of rent on the island. One of the squatters, named Jacob, said he earns around €1,500 (£1,241.81) a month, but the cheapest rent he has been able to find is €1,000 (£827.87). "Rents in Mallorca are sky-high and many workers like me earn very little and it is impossible to rent even a room," he said, reports Noticias.
He claimed that he paid an entrance fee to stay in one of the hotel apartments, but now is faced with an eviction company at the entrance to the building. Guardian Control workers have been asking permission from everyone who entered the building, denying entry to people who did not have one it has been reported. "What we are doing is access control. It is completely legal. This is a hotel and if the people who enter do not pay for the hotel service and the costs that this entails, they will not be allowed in," stated Tomeu Carbonell, head of security for the company.
Some individuals have asked to enter the building, but to be able to they have been forced to sign a paper that the security company staff had given them. By signing the paper, individuals accept the company's conditions and in exchange, are not reported.
Some of the squatters have since complained of feeling cheated because they were forced to pay between €800 (£662.30) and €1,500 (£1,241.81) for a hotel apartment, whilst others were paying between €150 (£124.18) and €300 (£248.36) a month. "I feel like a victim of a scam," said one of the squatters.
The eviction company has painted red crosses on the doors of apartments being vacated and so far, more than 70 already have a red cross. The remaining squatters have until Monday to leave. Hoteliers on the island are now concerned, as this is not the first hotel in Majorca to be squatted in, during the low season. Many of the hotels take advantage of the autumn and winter months to tidy and repair facilities, as there are usually low numbers of tourists in the area. However, the squatters take this as an opportunity to sneak in and occupy apartments.
Other buildings in the resort have suffered this issue for years, including the Hotel Delfín Azul. Dating back to the early seventies, BelleVue in Alcudia, Spain is a thriving holiday village. In total, there are 17 blocks of over 1,400 apartments and studios.
