Elderly Madrid tenant reaches new rental agreement after eviction protest
An 87-year-old disabled woman in Madrid will return to her apartment under a revised lease after negotiations between her lawyer and the property owner, following nationwide protests over the eviction.
An 87-year-old disabled tenant in Madrid is expected to move back into her long-standing apartment after her lawyer secured a new rental contract with the property’s owner, investment firm Urbagestión. The agreement, announced at a press conference on Monday, includes a rent level similar to the previous amount and awaits the tenant’s signature once her health improves.
Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed from the flat on a stretcher on 23 September and subsequently hospitalized, had been living in the unit for more than seven decades. Her father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents’ deaths, during a period when rent increases were capped.
Urbagestión purchased the building in 2018 and raised the monthly rent from €500 to €2,650. The company later offered a reduced rate of €1,650, which remained above Abascal’s pension of €1,350. Lawyer Beatriz Duro said the latest deal reflects “goodwill from both parties” and avoids a larger rent increase.
The case sparked large-scale demonstrations across Spain, with up to 1,000 people gathering at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol and tens of thousands marching in the capital to demand stronger tenant protections. The city’s Tenants’ Union called on the government to adopt deeper housing reforms to prevent similar situations.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged new housing relief measures, and his cabinet is scheduled to meet to discuss a decree aimed at enhancing tenant safeguards. The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of around 700,000 homes, underscoring the broader housing shortage.
Supporters of Abascal hailed the negotiated settlement as a step forward but said the movement will continue to press for affordable housing and broader reforms.