Squatting and second homes: preventing illegal occupation.
Discovering your country house or holiday flat occupied by strangers after months of absence is every owner's nightmare. Beyond the violation of privacy, squatting in a second home often results in significant legal costs and extensive repair work.
However, in 2025, technology offers unprecedented means of retaliation. At Oeil-Sûrwe support property owners in transforming these vulnerable properties into connected fortresses, capable of responding before occupation even becomes a fait accompli.
I. Why are second homes prime targets?
Squatter networks do not choose their targets at random. They rely on three key factors:
- The absence of signs of life: An overgrown garden, shutters closed in the middle of July or an overflowing letterbox are clear signs that the property is unoccupied.
- Geographical isolation: Seaside or country houses are often hidden from view, allowing intruders to break in without attracting the attention of neighbours.
- The response time: The longer the squatter stays, the more likely they are to try to assert their rights or make themselves "unevictable" without swift intervention.
II. Detect the intrusion before it becomes a "squat"
French law (in particular the Kasbarian-Bergé Act) has strengthened protection for property owners, but it requires immediate action. The first 48 hours are crucial for proving the break-in and benefiting from accelerated eviction procedures.
1. Perimeter protection: the first line of defence
Ideally, intruders should be detected as soon as they enter the premises. Infrared barriers or outdoor motion detectors can trigger an alert before a window is even broken.
2. The importance of video verification
A simple alarm is not sufficient to remotely alert the police. You need a evidence. Our smart cameras send real-time video footage to your smartphone. This footage provides immediate evidence of the break-in, which is necessary to trigger a police response.
3. Real-time alerts worldwide
Thanks to mobile applications, you receive instant notifications, whether you are at work or on the other side of the world, allowing you to respond immediately.
III. Technical solutions tailored to isolated properties (Oeil-Sûr expertise)
Securing a second home involves specific constraints that we are well versed in:
- The 4G/GPRS alarm: Many second homes do not have an active year-round internet subscription. Our control panels incorporate multi-operator SIM cards to ensure that alerts are transmitted even without a Wi-Fi box.
- Energy independence: For properties where electricity is cut off during winter, we install high-performance solar cameras and alarm systems powered by long-life batteries (up to 4 years of autonomy).
- 24-hour remote monitoring: If you live 500 km away from your property, you cannot intervene yourself. Professional remote surveillance ensures constant monitoring and the dispatch of a security guard to the site if the alert is confirmed.
IV. Remote deterrence through home automation
The best protection is to make it look like the house is occupied:
- Intelligent presence simulation: Thanks to home automation, we program the random switching on of interior lights and the opening of shutters every morning. To an outside observer, the house "comes to life".
- Connected intercom system: If a squatter tests your doorbell to check if you are home, you can respond directly from your smartphone. They will hear your voice as if you were behind the door, which is usually enough to scare them away.
- Deterrent lighting: Powerful LED floodlights coupled with motion detectors illuminate access points as soon as a presence is detected, removing the advantage of darkness for criminals.
In 2025, protecting your second home no longer means spending your weekends keeping an eye on the place. Technology makes it possible to transform a vulnerable house into a rigorously monitored property. Anticipating means saving yourself months of legal proceedings and thousands of pounds in costs.
Leave with peace of mind.
Do not leave your property at the mercy of squatters. Request your personalised security assessment now with the experts at Oeil-Sûr and enjoy your home without worry.
