Evicted, owing 68,000 euros rent

The tenants of chalet in El Almanecer, Palma enjoy a good standard of living, but they also owe 68,000 euros rent - three years' worth. When legal costs are added, the amount totals 120,000 euros.

The eviction was scheduled for 1.30 on Thursday afternoon. The couple who own the chalet were there, as were lawyers, court officials and police. The owners have themselves been renting a small apartment elsewhere in Palma, the rent on the chalet having been used to pay the mortgage. The bank has been threatening to foreclose.

The tenants arrived in 2013 but they stopped paying the rent three years ago. In January this year, the courts agreed with the owners that there should be eviction, but Jaime Palmer, whose chalet this is, says that there have been various "legal tricks" to delay leaving the property and to justify non-payment of the rent. The tenants pointed to a rent-to-buy agreement, but they had not carried out the acquisition within the agreed period and then refused to continue paying.

The tenants, who were notified of the eviction in October, waited until the final moment, seeking a way of staying in the chalet. There was no way, and they finally left.