Region plans to tackle rise in Almeria evictions

THE regional government plans to buy repossessed properties and rent them to those who lose homes through eviction. This news will come as a relief to many people in Almeria Province where the courts issued 563 eviction orders in the first three months of this year, 24.8 per cent more than in 2014.
Not all of these evictions were finally carried out, as in some cases agreement was reached between banks and the homeowners. In others they could not be carried out owing to demonstrations by the anti-evictions group, PAH.
According to figures from the General Council of Judicial Power, 243 properties were finally repossessed after owners fell behind with mortgage payments or tenants were evicted for rent arrears.
There have been 4,623 evictions in Almeria Province since 2008, although these latest figures are the highest yet for Almeria Province.
Although repossessions by the banks are in line with the national average, the number of tenants evicted from rented properties was 22 per cent more than the national average.