"The first thing to do is call the police."
Me Raphaël Richemond is a lawyer specializing in real estate law.
He returns to the affair of the couple at the squatted house in Essonne which is making headlines.
“The law protects owners.
There is still in France the right of property which is sanctioned by the courts.
In 99% of cases, the owners win their case,” he says.
“You have to go and visit the property for a few hours, even a few minutes before signing, he explains.
Then once you are the owners, to avoid being squatted, you must install an alarm system, you must regularly visit the property.
In extreme cases, you can also have an anti-squat door installed,” says the specialist.
Read also“We go from dream to nightmare”: in Essonne, a couple cannot move into their new house squatted by a family
In the event of a squat, there is a 48-hour period during which the police can intervene.
Once these 48 hours have passed, a procedure must be initiated before a judge.
This is where things get complicated.
"It can take between 6 months and 3 years," says Me Richemond.
Watch his video testimony.