Ángela Pons, spokesperson for the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages, believes "thousands of families in the Balearic Islands will face eviction" as a consequence of the Tuesday vote in Congress not to ratify a Spanish Government decree for a two-year extension to existing rental contracts and a limit of rent increases to two per cent per annum.
Pons argues that there will be thousands of evictions because "the trend is not to renew leases but rather to create new contracts that double the previous rent, always above €1,500". Many people don't earn this much, making the rents unaffordable.
"We live in a community where speculation takes precedence over having a tenant who pays on time and maintains the property in perfect condition." She predicts that the Partido Popular, Vox, and Junts parties will suffer political damage for not voting in favour of the decree. "The families who need it most will realise that these political groups don't care about the most vulnerable in Spain, and that the cry of 'España, España' is for a select few, while they forget the large number of working families, the unemployed and pensioners who will be left homeless."
The president of the Consubal consumers association in the Balearics, Alfonso Rodríguez, believes that the failure to approve the extension decree will leave a large number of tenants whose contracts expire in the coming months in a very difficult situation. "Contracts will not be renewed and/or there will be renewals with rent increases of between 35% and 50%.
"Many families will be forced to accept exorbitant rent increases due to the impossibility of finding alternative housing and will be forced to cut back on other necessities to cope with the rising rents. Some families are already being forced to stop paying other bills, such as electricity and telephone, as a result of these increases."
* The government's extension, which was in force for a short period after the decree was issued, related to special arrangements implemented during the pandemic.