The torture of Paco and Nati by the 'inquiokupa' who has been in their house in Madrid for two years: "He laughs at us and says that Justice is on his side"

Luis F. Durán Madrid

Madrid

Updated Friday, February 2, 2024-00:11

Natividad and Paco, both 76 years old, bought a small apartment in the Madrid neighborhood of Villaverde with their savings to have additional income in retirement. Seven years ago they rented it to a good-looking couple. At the end of 2021,

the couple divorced and the man, of North African nationality, stayed in the house and stopped paying

. He has become an annoying squatter and owes them more than 12,000 euros in rent, plus the electricity, water and gas costs that the two septuagenarians pay each month by not changing the name of the household bills.

The case was reported immediately when they were already owed the first two monthly payments, but

the matter is

dead

in court,

according to the owners. "He is in a drawer," says Paco, at the door of the building where the "caradura" resides. "Every two weeks we ask about the situation, but we do not receive a response and they comment that it is due to lack of officials," he laments.

«He laughs at us. He tells us that Justice is on his side. "That only one judge is going to throw him out,"

Paco, who has worked for more than 50 years in a printing press, comments with astonishment, while his wife was cleaning some offices in the Barajas district.

«We are terrible. Very desperate, since in addition to the rent each month the debt increases, since we pay the water, electricity and gas bills," he adds.

The lawyer tells them both that they have to continue paying the house expenses. "I don't understand it," says Francisco. "My wife is at home in the summer with the fan and the tenant with air conditioning that we pay, 200 or so euros we have spent on some bills," he continues. «For us, what he owes us is a lot of money. We can't help the rest of our family because of this person.

"We are 76 years old and we are protecting someone who is 40

," he says with the perplexity of a person who still believes in good faith.

Many days Paco stands decisively in the doorway on Sahara Street, to see if the squatter will come to his senses and soften his heart. «He doesn't flinch. On December 10, he told me that he was going to leave the apartment, but then he didn't. I also call him on the phone, I call him on the phone and send him messages and

he has answered me that when I am at his house not to bother him,"

says Paco.

While the situation is resolved, both of their health conditions worsen. «I don't sleep many days, I start thinking and tossing and turning and I don't rest. Psychologically, I'm not well. I have had to go to the 12 de Octubre Hospital on many occasions and my wife has dangerous arrhythmias that can end in something serious.

Before she went to the hospital every month, but as a result of this she has to go every week,"

she says.

Paco says that for years

he has always tried to be a good landlord.

«I was understanding with him and lowered the price of his rent. He told me that he was having a bad time and I lowered it from 650 to 500 and then to 450 euros, when around here a flat like mine is priced at around 650 or 700," he says. "If he can't be in the house, let him not be there," his wife says very angry. «We are workers. I have spent many years getting up at four in the morning to go to work in Barajas. He is enjoying part of our retirement. It took us a lot of effort to buy this apartment and now we can't enjoy what we have," he adds.