British musician offers to buy Madrid home to stop 87-year-old woman's eviction

James Rhodes tried to find a way for an 87-year-old woman to remain in the flat where she has lived since 1956

British musician James Rhodes has offered to buy the Madrid home of an 87-year-old woman who was evicted this week after living there for more than 70 years. The pianist, who has Spanish nationality and has lived in Spain since 2017, stepped in after the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal became a national story. He offered to pay her rent and even proposed buying the property himself so she could remain there for the rest of her life. Neither offer was accepted.

Maricarmen was finally removed from the flat in Madrid on September 23 on a stretcher, following several postponements. She was taken to hospital afterwards and remains there under observation after suffering severe stress and anxiety over the eviction.

The details of the case are just extraordinary. Maricarmen had lived in the same home since 1956 and had continued paying €500 a month in rent under an old rental agreement. She is now facing the prospect of leaving the neighbourhood she has known for most of her life.

The property, near Madrid's Retiro Park, was bought by Urbagestión in 2018. The company later sought to increase the rent to €2,650 a month and subsequently to €1,650, according to information released by Maricarmen's lawyer. With a pension of around €1,300 a month, neither figure was affordable.

It was this situation that prompted Rhodes to get involved. The musician contacted the property company and offered to pay Maricarmen's rent at what he described as a reasonable market rate. When that didn't work, he offered to buy the flat outright, with the intention of allowing her to stay there for life. He said he even tried to explain to the company that the arrangement could benefit everyone involved.

Rhodes wasn't the only person who tried to find a financial solution. A writer whose identity has not been made public also offered to pay Maricarmen's rent, while other people have offered accommodation and practical help. Many neighbours and organisations got involved to put their support behind Maricarmen and block the eviction.

Somos muchas pero nos faltas tú!

Puedes pasarte a cualquier hora de la noche.

Si no puedes quedarte, puedes colaborar con comida o agua.

A las 6:00h empieza todo. pic.twitter.com/mxG6ADr9iY

— Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid (@InquilinatoMad) September 22, 2026

But the eviction has now taken place and the immediate problem is finding Maricarmen somewhere suitable to live. Her health has deteriorated in recent months and she now uses a wheelchair. Until the eviction, she had been receiving support at home in Madrid, including home help, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychological care.

The Ayuntamiento has offered her a temporary place in a residential care home, but Maricarmen does not want to move into a care home while she is still able to live independently.

Another possibility is moving in with her cousin Vicente and his wife in Segovia. Their flat is less than 58 square metres and already has four residents. Maricarmen would sleep in their bed while the couple would use the sofa. That move would also mean losing the support services she currently receives in Madrid and having to start the process again in another region. Her lawyer has argued that neither option represents a proper long-term housing solution and says the public authorities should provide suitable accommodation.

For now, Maricarmen remains in hospital while doctors monitor her condition. Her cousin has said she is expected to remain there for several more days. Rhodes has described the situation as an "international shame" and questioned how a case like this could happen. The pianist has also said that he is still prepared to help find Maricarmen another home and pay the rent if necessary.

When homes become investment opportunities

Maricarmen’s case also raises bigger questions about Spain’s property market and how much oversight there is when companies buy residential buildings and seek to increase rents. In Maricarmen’s case, the company that bought the building wanted to raise her monthly rent from around €500 to €2,650, an increase of 275%, before reducing the demand to €1,650, still more than her pension. 

There have been other cases involving older people who have spent decades in their homes and then faced losing them when ownership changed. In Barcelona, an 80-year-old woman was evicted after her landlord died and a new owner decided not to renew her tenancy even though she had paid her rent religiously. Earlier this year, another 82-year-old woman faced eviction after the building where she had lived for more than 20 years was bought by a property company. The circumstances are different, but they raise the same uncomfortable question about what happens when homes become increasingly attractive as investments and the people who have lived in them for decades are left with little protection when the numbers change.

Image: Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid