87-year-old evicted from Madrid flat as Spain faces housing shortage

Madrid – Maricarmen, a long‑time tenant of a two‑bedroom flat in the city’s central district, has reported that she cannot meet the rent demanded by the investment firm that recently acquired the property. The firm, which purchased the building last month, raised the monthly rent by 25 percent, a figure that exceeds Maricarmen’s declared income and has prompted her to seek assistance from local housing authorities.

The case highlights the broader tension in Spain’s rental market, where a surge in corporate acquisitions of residential units has led to higher rents for existing occupants. Authorities have opened an inquiry to determine whether the new lease terms comply with current rent‑control regulations, while the tenant’s legal counsel has indicated that eviction proceedings may be filed if a payment arrangement is not reached. The outcome could set a precedent for similar disputes in Madrid’s rapidly changing housing sector.