How evictions are being turned into a lucrative business model in Spain | DW NEWS

Key Concepts

• Housing Crisis in Spain: A severe shortage of affordable housing leading to widespread tenant insecurity and an increase in evictions and squatting.
• Eviction Companies: Businesses specializing in the removal of tenants from properties, often for landlords facing non-payment of rent or illegal occupation.
• Squatting: The act of occupying an empty property without the owner's permission.
• Precarious Tenant: A tenant in an unstable living situation, often due to financial difficulties or disputes with the landlord.
• Social Housing: Government-subsidized housing intended to be affordable for low-income individuals and families.
• Bureaucracy: The complex administrative system that can slow down construction and legal processes.
• Tourism Impact: The effect of the booming tourism industry on the housing market, leading to properties being converted to short-term rentals and driving up local housing costs.

Anala Mendoza: The Eviction Specialist

Anala Mendoza operates in Spain's severe housing crisis, a situation where a significant number of tenants live in constant fear of homelessness. Her company specializes in evicting individuals from apartments, often acting as a last resort for property owners who have exhausted other options. Anala's work is highly polarizing, viewed by some as a necessary service for distressed landlords and by others as a tool for exploitative property owners.

Operations and Methodology

Anala's team, composed of strong men prepared for confrontation, engages in evictions across Spain. Their operations are meticulously planned, often starting with a reconnaissance phase.

• Initial Approach: The team typically begins by attempting to contact the tenant, often by ringing the doorbell.
• Escalation: If there is no response, they may attempt to gain access through alternative means, such as the building's stairwell.
• Psychological Tactics: Anala emphasizes a "psychology and a more cooperative social approach." This involves a visible presence of her team, including the display of plastic handcuffs, to create pressure.
• Negotiation and Agreement: In some cases, direct confrontation is avoided. The team may engage in negotiation, aiming for a signed agreement where the tenant commits to vacating the property within a specified timeframe. Anala may offer assistance in finding new accommodation as part of the agreement.
• Legal Compliance: Anala asserts that her team operates within the law, denying accusations of intimidation. She states that the fear tenants experience is often rooted in the possibility of forceful removal by other entities.

Case Study: Castell Defero

Anala's team undertakes an operation in Castell Defero, a coastal town on the Costa Tropical, to evict a tenant who has not paid rent for months. The tenant, who lives alone after an older woman accused him of abuse, is considered to be in a "precarious living situation."

• Scenario: The tenant is in arrears for three months and claims he cannot afford the rent.
• Outcome: Despite initial expectations of confrontation, the tenant remains calm and signs an agreement to move out within three weeks. Anala promises to help him find a new place.
• Success Metric: Anala considers this a "complete success" as the tenant admits to being a precarious tenant and acknowledges his ability to pay.

Client Interaction and Motivation

Anala's clients are often property owners facing significant financial strain due to tenants not paying rent and covering utility bills.

• Client Example: An elderly couple, who bought an apartment for their children, express immense relief and gratitude upon learning of the successful eviction. They state they "never guessed it would go so well" and that they "can't afford to just let someone live rent-free and also pay all their bills."
• Desperation: The couple turned to Anala out of desperation after all their attempts to resolve the situation with the tenant failed.

The Broader Context: Spain's Housing Crisis

Anala's business thrives due to systemic issues within Spain's housing market and legal system.

• Scale of the Problem: In 2024 alone, Spain faced 16,000 cases of squatting. The court system is overwhelmed, with nearly a million pending cases in Andalusia, leading to lengthy delays for authorized police evictions.
• Reasons for Eviction: Anala notes that her company handles cases ranging from tenants in financial distress to organized groups using properties for criminal activities.
• Threats and Danger: Anala herself has faced threats, including being told where she lives and that her son would be killed. She acknowledges the constant danger associated with her work.

Counter-Perspectives: Tenant and Community Struggles

While Anala presents her work as a necessary service, many tenants and community advocates view eviction companies as instruments of landlords exploiting vulnerable populations.

• Maria's Story: Maria (pseudonym), facing potential eviction, expresses extreme fear and desperation, stating she has "nothing left" and is "completely at the end of my rope." She highlights the lack of affordable housing as a primary driver of these conflicts.
• Neighborhood Initiative (Ziden): Joseé Juan Martinez from the Ziden neighborhood initiative explains that their area, historically a working-class district, is being displaced by the expansion of tourist apartments. He argues that the squatting problem would not exist if affordable housing were available.
• Tourism's Impact: The surge in tourism has led to a doubling of registered tourist accommodations since 2021, incentivizing property owners to prioritize short-term rental profits over local housing needs.

Anala's Defense and Philosophy

Anala strongly refutes the characterization of her work as solely benefiting greedy landlords.

• Frustration with Accusations: She expresses frustration with comments that accuse her of helping the poor, stating that "a lot of people have no idea what's going on. They only ever see a small part of the reality."
• Rewarding Work: Anala finds her work rewarding when she can help individuals, particularly elderly property owners, reclaim what they have worked their lives to acquire. She recounts an instance where her team helped a pensioner evict a subletter who had deceived him, and subsequently assisted him in selling his home after it was broken into.
• Nuance in Conflict: Anala believes that "everyone involved in these housing conflicts is in some way a little bit right. The good ones aren't totally good, nor are the bad ones completely bad."

Government Response and Future Outlook

The Spanish government is attempting to address the housing shortage, but progress is slow.

• Lack of Affordable Housing: A significant issue is the scarcity of publicly subsidized housing, with over 90% of property being privately owned.
• Social Housing Projects: A large-scale social housing project near Malaga aims to build over 7,000 units, but developers caution that such projects can take over a decade to complete due to extensive bureaucracy.
• Bureaucratic Hurdles: The construction process is hampered by numerous reports and expert analyses required for environmental and geographical factors, leading to significant delays.
• Vicious Cycle: The combination of bureaucracy, slowed construction, intensified rental conflicts, and overwhelmed courts creates a "vicious cycle" that exacerbates the housing crisis.

Conclusion

Anala Mendoza's work is a direct consequence of Spain's deep-seated housing crisis, characterized by a severe lack of affordable housing, an overwhelmed legal system, and the growing influence of tourism on the property market. While Anala defends her operations as a necessary service for property owners and emphasizes a psychological approach, critics highlight the human cost for tenants facing displacement. The government's efforts to increase social housing are underway but face significant bureaucratic challenges and will take considerable time to alleviate the current pressures. Anala anticipates that her services will remain in high demand, as she sees no "simple solutions" to the complex and multifaceted housing disputes plaguing Spain.