French woman given one-year sentence for hiring men to evict squatter

A woman who paid men to forcibly remove a squatter from her home in south-west France has been handed a one-year suspended prison sentence by Bordeaux criminal court.

Karine Lellouche, 55, paid two men €200 each to remove a squatter from her house in Andernos-les-Bains (Gironde) in September 2024. The property, which she inherited from her father, had been occupied for around six months.

Ms Lellouche said she wanted to sell the house to help pay inheritance taxes. However, when she discovered someone was living there, police told her the individual was occupying the property legally.

‘Acted out of desperation’

Frustrated by the situation, Ms Lellouche posted on Facebook asking for help. She was contacted by a man using the name ‘Bruno’, who offered to resolve the issue. She paid him €5,000 to organise the removal.

The two men he sent to the property assaulted the squatter during the eviction, leading the squatter to file a police complaint.

Bordeaux criminal court sentenced Ms Lellouche to a one-year suspended prison term in November. Speaking in court, she said she had acted out of desperation and expressed regret.

“Of course, I did something stupid. I’m paying for it and I accept that,” she told broadcaster TF1. “But there’s still a bit of bitterness in all this. Because for me, I’m the victim.”

The court ruled that the squatter was the victim in the case. Ms Lellouche and the two men involved were each ordered to pay €1,200 in damages.

The two men who carried out the removal were given suspended prison sentences of 10 and 12 months. Police are still searching for ‘Bruno’, who is believed to have orchestrated the operation.

What does French law say about squatters?

France tightened its anti-squatting laws in July 2023, particularly for main and second homes, with the aim of speeding up evictions. However, the changes do not fully prevent illegal occupations and have been criticised by some for still offering squatters significant protection.

Homeowners who discover a squatter in their property can now request an accelerated eviction procedure by filing a complaint with police. There is no longer a 48-hour deadline from the moment the squatter enters the property.

Owners must prove they own the home and have a bailiff (commissaire de justice), police officer or mayor confirm that it is being occupied illegally. They can then ask their department’s prefect to issue a formal notice requiring the squatter to leave within 24 hours. The prefect must respond within 48 hours.

Alternatively, homeowners can take the case to court, a process that can take several months. This requires proof of ownership and the legal identity of at least one squatter.

If convicted, squatters can face penalties of up to three years in prison and fines of up to €45,000.

In 2024, one French woman was refunded four years of property taxes after squatters took over her Paris apartment.