Maricarmen: How an 87-Year-Old Became the Face of Spain’s Housing Crisis
The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen from the Madrid home where she had lived for more than 70 years sparked protests across Spain. Her case has become a symbol of a much wider housing crisis — but what is driving it, and what rights do tenants in Spain actually have?
Maricarmen: How an 87-Year-Old Became the Face of Spain’s Housing Crisis
The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen from the Madrid home where she had lived for more than 70 years sparked protests across Spain. Her case has become a symbol of a much wider housing crisis — but what is driving it, and what rights do tenants in Spain actually have?
On Wednesday 23 September, 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, was evicted from the Madrid apartment that had been her home since 1956.
Maricarmen had inherited the rent-controlled lease from her mother, who in turn had inherited it from her father, the original tenant.
After the apartment was acquired by a property investment company, a dispute developed over the continuation of the historic lease and the level of rent. A lengthy legal battle followed, ultimately ending in her eviction.
The sight of the 87-year-old being taken from her home on a stretcher caused outrage and helped trigger demonstrations in Madrid and other Spanish cities.
Since the eviction, Maricarmen and the property owner have reached an agreement that is expected to allow her to return to the apartment under a new eight-year lease, with the rent linked to her income.
A Housing Case That Gripped Spain
Maricarmen's eviction quickly developed into something much bigger than an individual dispute between a tenant and property owner.
Politicians traded responsibility over housing policy and the eviction, while the case also attracted international attention.
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had called for the eviction to be suspended while an adequate housing alternative was found.
Thousands of people subsequently took to the streets, turning Maricarmen into one of the most recognisable faces of Spain's increasingly heated debate over housing.
Why Is Spain Facing a Housing Crisis?
The roots of Spain's current housing shortage stretch back to the financial crisis of 2008.
Construction collapsed as lending froze and housebuilding has never fully returned to the levels seen during Spain's earlier property boom.
The Bank of Spain estimates that the country has accumulated a housing shortfall of around 750,000 homes in recent years as construction has failed to keep pace with demand.
At the same time, Spain's population has continued to grow, increasing demand for homes in many of the country's largest cities and coastal areas.
Another source of pressure is the growth of short-term and tourist accommodation. Hundreds of thousands of properties across Spain are officially registered as holiday rentals, with unregistered properties potentially pushing the real total higher.
The result is an increasingly competitive rental market in many parts of the country, with tenants facing limited supply and rising prices.
Madrid Renters Under Pressure
The situation is particularly acute in Madrid, where average rents have risen substantially and housing costs consume an increasingly large share of household income.
Maricarmen's case has therefore resonated far beyond her own circumstances, becoming part of a broader argument over affordability, investment ownership and the security of long-term tenants.
What Rights Do Tenants Have in Spain?
Spanish tenants benefit from significant legal protections, although the precise rules applying to any tenancy depend on the contract, when it was signed and the tenant's individual circumstances.
Key Tenant Protections
- Annual rent updates are regulated and, where applicable, subject to the statutory rent-update mechanism.
- A landlord cannot simply remove a tenant from a property without following the required legal process.
- Grounds for terminating a tenancy can include issues such as unpaid rent, unauthorised subletting or serious breaches of the tenancy agreement.
- Where the law permits a landlord to recover a property for personal use, specific legal conditions and procedures apply.
- Landlords cannot lawfully bypass the eviction process by simply changing the locks, removing a tenant's belongings or disconnecting essential utilities.
What About Rent Increases?
Rules governing rent increases have changed considerably in Spain in recent years.
For residential leases covered by the current system, annual rent updates are subject to the statutory framework and the Index for the Reference of Housing Rental Updates — the IRAV — plays an important role in determining the maximum annual update that can be applied in relevant cases.
However, Maricarmen's circumstances were unusual because they involved a historic rent-controlled lease inherited through her family rather than a standard modern rental contract.
A Crisis That Isn't Going Away
Spain's housing shortage cannot be solved quickly. New homes take years to plan and construct, while governments continue to debate rent regulation, tourist accommodation, social housing and the role of large property owners.
Maricarmen's eviction has now added a very human face to those arguments.
For renters, the important lesson is to understand the terms of their contract and their legal rights before a dispute reaches the point of eviction.
And if a landlord is seeking to terminate a tenancy, substantially alter the rent or take possession of a home, tenants should obtain qualified legal advice based on their particular contract and circumstances.
The Conversation