Su antiguo casero desmonta a Maricarmen: "No me pude permitir comprar una vivienda en el edificio"

Summary

The interview presents the account of Ignacio Lázaro, whose family owned the Madrid building where Maricarmen lived for decades. The programme says her eviction became a prominent public controversy and that she is now expected to return to the apartment.

The building and its residents

Lázaro recounts how his grandfather moved to Madrid from Zaragoza, built up a business through hard work, and bought the building in the 1950s. Several generations of the family lived there, and Lázaro says he knew Maricarmen and her parents throughout his life.

He says his family was repeatedly approached about problems in the building, even when they did not manage the property directly. He describes his relationship with Maricarmen as difficult, while saying relations with most other residents were good.

The tenancy and sale

Lázaro says Maricarmen was paying €170 a month in rent when the building was sold in March 2018. He says the property also involved substantial maintenance and regulatory costs, making it unprofitable for his family.

According to Lázaro, after Maricarmen’s mother died in 2005, the tenancy could legally be transferred to Maricarmen only until 2007. He says his elderly aunts nevertheless allowed her to remain rather than pursue an eviction.

He says some other long-term tenants were offered the chance to buy their homes in 2018 for around €200,000, and that one tenant did so. He says Maricarmen’s apartment was also valued at about that amount, but does not say that she bought it.

Personal impact

Lázaro describes the sale as a personal loss. He had lived in the building and later rented an apartment there for €750 a month. After the sale, he moved to Rivas Vaciamadrid, where he says rent was €1,200. He says his share of the sale proceeds was not enough to buy one of the building’s apartments at market prices.

Public debate and housing policy

Lázaro argues that the Maricarmen case should not be reduced to a simple story of a vulnerable tenant against a villainous landlord. He criticises the public demonisation of the company that later owned the property, describing it as a small business with mortgage costs. He says media coverage had not adequately examined the other side of the story and argues that housing problems are structural, rather than the sole responsibility of individual landlords.

He also criticises proposed government measures that he believes could make renting less attractive or expose landlords to prolonged, loss-making tenancies. Citing figures he says had recently been reported, he claims rental listings on Idealista had fallen by 20% nationally and 36% in Valencia in a day. He advises owners to wait and see whether the proposed decrees are confirmed, warning that some may withdraw homes from the rental market.

Lázaro points to limited savings and difficulty securing mortgages as barriers to home ownership, particularly for young people. He also argues that governments should make better use of public buildings and land for housing, and that assistance should focus on people genuinely in need without, in his view, unfairly burdening employers or property owners.

Protests and public conduct

Lázaro supports the right to protest over housing but criticises the Sol encampment for mixing housing demands with other issues. He condemns threats and abuse directed at journalists and public figures, and suggests the protests may distract from other political matters.

Presenters and contributors

• Ignacio Lázaro — former co-owner of the building and interviewee.
• Libertad Digital interviewer — the presenter, whose name is not given in the subtitles.