Spanish Pensioner Evicted From Home of 70 Years Reaches Deal to Return, Lawyer Says

An 87-year-old disabled woman whose forced removal from her Madrid apartment became a symbol of Spain's mounting housing crisis will be allowed to move back into the home she has occupied for more than seven decades, according to her legal representative.

Maricarmen Abascal was carried out of her flat on a stretcher on 23 September after a prolonged legal battle, an event that was captured on camera and broadcast widely across Spanish media. She was taken to hospital following the eviction, where she has been treated for exhaustion.

Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, told reporters at a press conference that an agreement had been reached between Abascal and the property's owner, the investment firm Urbagestión. Duro described the outcome as the product of "goodwill from both parties," noting that her client would pay a rent amount similar to what she had been paying previously under a new contract.

The arrangement, which has not yet been formally signed, would avert the substantial rent increase that had precipitated the eviction proceedings. Duro said Abascal, who remains under medical care, would sign the agreement once she felt well enough to do so.

The case traces back to 1956, when Abascal's father first rented the property. She continued as the tenant following the deaths of her parents, a period during which Spanish law imposed a cap on rental increases for long-standing tenants. That protection effectively kept her monthly rent at a relatively modest level for decades.

The situation changed after Urbagestión purchased the building in 2018. The company sought to raise Abascal's rent from €500 per month (approximately £428 or $572) to €2,650 (£2,280 or $3,020). When Abascal could not meet that demand, the firm later offered to reduce the figure to €1,650. Even that lower amount proved impossible for her to pay, as her monthly pension stood at just €1,350.

Courts blocked three separate attempts to remove her from the apartment before the September eviction finally proceeded. The images of the frail woman being taken from her home on a stretcher provoked widespread public anger, turning her personal predicament into a national talking point about housing affordability and tenant protections.

Tens of thousands of people marched through central Madrid on the Saturday following the eviction, calling for stronger safeguards for renters and condemning the manner of her removal. Protesters wearing orange, many of whom had gathered outside her building, demanded that officials take action to prevent similar cases.

Duro attributed the eventual agreement directly to that public pressure, saying it was the "result of the social mobilisation" that followed her client's eviction. Supporters of Abascal welcomed the news as a victory while making clear they intended to keep pressing for broader changes.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to introduce housing relief measures, with his cabinet scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the proposed steps. His Socialist Party does not hold a majority in Parliament, meaning any legislation will require support from other parties to pass.

The backdrop to the case is a severe shortage of affordable housing across Spain. The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short of approximately 700,000 homes, a figure calculated by comparing current demand against the pace of new construction. Rents have risen sharply in major cities, squeezing tenants and fueling public discontent.

The eviction of Abascal became the most visible manifestation of that discontent, with her case cited by activists as evidence that existing legal protections are inadequate for vulnerable tenants facing well-resourced property owners. The agreement reached this week, while welcome, does not resolve the underlying structural problems that produced the confrontation.

For Abascal herself, the immediate prospect is a return to the apartment where she has lived since childhood. Her lawyer indicated that the deal would allow her to remain there at a cost comparable to her previous arrangement, sparing her the dramatic increase that Urbagestión had sought.

It remains unclear when exactly Abascal will be able to return, given that she is still recovering. Duro said the timing depends on her client's health, but expressed confidence that the agreement would be finalized once she is well enough to sign.

The case has also intensified debate over the role of investment firms in Spain's residential property market. Critics argue that companies purchasing older buildings frequently seek to displace long-term tenants paying below-market rents, a practice that campaigners say contributes to homelessness and social displacement in cities like Madrid.

Government officials have not yet detailed what specific measures the cabinet might approve. Housing advocates say they will be watching closely to see whether the promised relief translates into meaningful protections, or whether Abascal's case remains an exception rather than the start of a broader shift in policy.