Residents Shocked by Unauthorised Registrations

Several residents of L'Hospitalet have discovered that many more people are officially registered at their homes than actually live there, some without their knowledge. The issue has prompted the Municipal Group of the Popular Party (PP) to demand urgent action from the city council to strengthen oversight of the municipal padrón, or residency register. Sonia Esplugas, spokesperson for the PP in L'Hospitalet, revealed that some homeowners only learn of unauthorised registrations when they receive municipal tax bills, such as those for waste collection, showing inflated resident numbers.

Numerous residents have discovered, upon receiving their waste tax bill, that the number of people registered at their homes was much higher than the number they were aware of,

she said, citing complaints received by her group.

Proposal to Lower Inspection Threshold

Currently, the city triggers inspections of suspected overcrowded properties when more than ten people are registered at a single address. According to data from the municipal government, there are now 471 homes in L'Hospitalet exceeding this threshold. The PP is calling for the threshold to be reduced to eight people to allow earlier intervention. Esplugas described the current protocol as insufficient and argued that lowering the bar would help prevent administrative fraud and improve public health and safety. She noted that until about a year ago, inspections were carried out only sporadically, contributing to worsening conditions, particularly in northern neighbourhoods, where overcrowding and mass registrations are most prevalent.

Beyond coexistence issues, Esplugas stressed that fraudulent registrations have serious legal and social consequences. Some residents have reportedly been removed from the padrón at their own homes without consent, affecting their ability to access services from the Catalan Employment Service (SOC), Social Security, and other rights tied to official residence. The PP has also called for investigations into organised networks that charge for false registrations. Where evidence suggests mafias are involved, the party wants the City Council to refer cases to the Public Prosecutor's Office or municipal legal services. Coordinated action between local authorities and the Mossos d'Esquadra (regional police) is also recommended, especially in cases linked to human trafficking or exploitation.

Overcrowding and fraudulent registrations are not just a problem of coexistence: they are a reflection of the failure of housing policy and the lack of institutional control,

Esplugas concluded. The proposal includes establishing a social protection mechanism for vulnerable families living in overcrowded conditions, acknowledging that many affected individuals are themselves at risk and require support rather than enforcement alone.

Reported by lavanguardia.com, La Vanguardia Barcelona.