15/02/2013 00:00
TW
0

Palma.—The Mortage Victims' Group and various other associations, including a consumer rights body, mounted a protest outside a Palma branch of the Banco Sabadell after it apparently issued a client with an eviction order after he fell just 320 euros in arrears.

The client's lawyer, Carlos Hernandez, who works with the Mortgage Victims' Group described the situation as “an absolute scandal”.
Apparently his client has missed two payments of 120 euros but deposits 300 euros per month with the bank and instead of using that to cover his mortgage payments the bank diverted it to his credit card allowance.

Spokesperson for the Mortgage Victims' Group in Majorca, Angela Pons accused the banks of “cheating and defrauding” their clients and reminded everyone of what happened in Cas Catala earlier this week when a retired couple committed suicide because they were facing eviction from their home.

She called on the public to join their cause and help protect people from losing their homes.
Within hours of the double suicide in Calvia, Spain's governing centre right Partido Popular and main opposition Socialists agreed to expedite a citizens' bill that would halt evictions of homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments.

Backed by 1.4 million signatures, this popular legislative initiative, or ILP, arrived at the lower house on Tuesday and members agreed to consider it.
The move to extradite the bill will cut in half the usual time required to bring legislation to a vote.
But, it remains to be seen whether the citizens' motion will be fast-tracked together with a pending regular bill that would strengthen protections for indebted homeowners and which is far along in the legislative process.

And, for that reason, a massive protest demonstration against continued evictions and the government's reluctance to find a solution which will effectively save people's lives has been organised for this Saturday in Plaza España at 6pm.