The eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid apartment has reignited debate over Spain’s deepening housing crisis, underscoring soaring rental costs and a critical lack of available accommodation. Maricarmen, who is known only by her first name, was removed from her flat in the central Retiro district on Wednesday.
She had lived in the property for seven decades before investment firm Urbagestión purchased it in 2018. Following the acquisition, the monthly rent was raised from €500 to €2,650. Although the firm later reduced the amount to €1,650, Maricarmen stated she could not afford this figure on her pension of €1,350 per month.
On the day of the eviction, protesters gathered at the property and clashed with police. The case has drawn significant media attention, with BBC correspondent Guy Hedgecoe examining how the incident has shone a light on the broader difficulties facing tenants across Spain.
I lived through similar situations in Barcelona. It’s not just Maricarmen; this is happening everywhere in Spain.
Is the government doing anything about this, or just watching these stories unfold? We need policy changes now.
Rent jumping from 500 to 2,650 is insane. How is any pensioner supposed to compete with investors?
This is absolutely horrifying. An elderly woman forced out after 70 years? The system is broken.