Estíbaliz Kortazar, a Basque Basauri resident, worked hard for years to buy her own apartment. In 2021, she managed to fulfill this dream – she became the owner of the place she planned to treat as a safe haven for the remainder of her life. At the end of 2023, she decided to rent 1 area to a individual in difficulty. She volunteered to aid the homeless and offered a place to live to a Maghreb visitor who she thought needed help.
The lease was informal. It was agreed that a man would pay 350 euros a month. Initially, everything went smoothly. However, problems shortly began.
A increasing Chaos
As early as February 2024, the tenant stopped paying rent. Over time, his behaviour became more aggressive. He made noises at night, left lights on around the clock, refused to cooperate in regular duties. He owned common pots, destroyed furniture and equipment, and, above all, began to challenge the owner.
— He called me a whore, a dirty bitch, and a whore, as Estíbaliz reports.
Working remotely as a Spanish teacher, she could not usually conduct classes. Her students heard screaming and slamming doors in the background. Electricity bills jumped to over 200 euros a month, and the man did not pay a cent. As he claims, he deliberately disrupted her regular life to break her mentally and force her to decision out.
Escalation of Violence
One day, Estíbaliz asked a friend (also of mediate east origin) to aid her talk to the tenant. The gathering ended with an attack. An aggressive man bit an intervener in the face, which ended in sewing wounds and visiting the hospital. Nevertheless, the authorities were incapable to take decisive action. Police have declared that they can't do anything without the court's decision to evict. Estíbaliz filed a complaint as early as 1 January 2025, but the formal eviction order was not issued until March. And it wasn't even then.
Law not on the owners' side
Under the Spanish pandemic decree, tenant evictions can be held back if the tenant is in hard economical circumstances. The paper in explanation was expected to defend people from homelessness, but in practice began to act against owners. A man who stopped paying and was psychologically abusive over Estíbaliz could legally reside in her flat until the end of 2025.
The female was forced to leave her own 4 walls. She moved into her brother's flat in June. She went on medical leave and started intellectual therapy.
— He's a psychopath. He did not physically attack me, but I fear that it is only a substance of time,” he says today.
Rent arrears exceeded 2100 euros. But Estíbaliz emphasizes that she is not curious in money. He just wants his flat back and he feels safe again.
Public Appeal
A desperate female began collecting signatures under a petition to velocity up eviction procedures for tenants who do not pay and usage violence. Her words are a strong accusation against the system:
— The law protects more people occupying another people's homes than their owners. I just want to feel safe in my own home again.
More than 27,000 people have already signed the petition. In comments, net users express support and compassion. Many point out that Estíbaliz is no exception – akin situations happen throughout Spain.
System pathologies
The provisions in force are anachronistic and not adapted to a situation where an aggressive and non-paying individual can stay in the flat for many months – without the consent of the owner and without any consequences. Meanwhile, the owner must search refuge, pay bills and conflict with trauma.
In Spain, it is estimated that up to 100,000 housing units can be occupied illegally. any owners do not study this fact due to the fact that they know that the eviction process takes a long and frequently fails. Sometimes the neighbors take matters into their own hands and organize “citizen interventions”. However, specified cases are fewer and illegal activities may have serious consequences
