Yzabelle Bostyn
A BRITISH expat and her three children are demanding justice after being kicked out of their Costa del Sol home ‘without any warning’.
‘Devastated’ Lydia Preston Sweeney, 52, was given just 15 minutes to leave her Benahavis house by her landlord and former PSOE mayoral candidate Luis Feito Miragaya.
The left-wing politician, who campaigned for housing reform just last year, is said to have turned up to the two-bedroom property on July 17, flanked by three court representatives.
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Photo: The Olive Press
Lydia was informed that her rent had not been paid since January and that she needed to vacate the property immediately.
But Lydia, from Liverpool, claims she never received any warnings about the eviction.
Her allegedly abusive ex-husband is court-ordered to cover her rent and maintenance bills, and she had contacted the courts on multiple occasions to warn that he had not been doing so.
“I was in a complete panic,” she told the Olive Press.
“I’m crying my eyes out, my 12-year-old daughter is too, she is completely traumatised, she’s not herself anymore and is hardly speaking.”
The expat of 10 years and former flight attendant managed to pack just three bags of clothes.
She was told the house, where she had lived without issue for three-and-a-half years, would be sealed and she could pick up the rest of her things at a later date with a police escort.
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Photo: The Olive Press
However after a visit to social services, she claims she returned that same day to find her belongings being dumped into bin bags and thrown into the garage by Miragaya and his family.
She told the Olive Press: “We came here with the illusion of a better life on the sunny Costa del Sol, you don’t think things like this will happen.
“I am completely devastated, I’m tired, I haven’t slept in two nights and I’ve got awful headaches.
“I’m putting on a brave face for the children but I can’t put it into words, I’m in shock.
“This ‘man of the people’ knew I was a vulnerable person living there with three kids.”
She added: “He’s a PSOE politician so his party is meant to stand up for people like me, but he’s had the biggest hand in getting me evicted.”
Photo: The Olive Press
Seeing her belongings ‘thrown’ into the dirt was ‘humiliating’ and when she protested, Lydia claims Miragaya ‘ignored’ her, ‘speaking on his phone the whole time’.
The single mum was well aware the rent had not been paid and had been reporting it to criminal courts for months.
The expat was unable to cover the costs by herself and thought she would be protected by a law stating ‘vulnerable’ people cannot be evicted (Real Decreto-ley 11/2020).
When explaining her situation garnered no sympathy, she called a lawyer, who advised her to comply.
Despite court representatives claiming they had notified Lydia about the impending eviction, social services have not been able to find any evidence of this and have launched an investigation into the matter.
The eviction notice was issued by Marbella Civil Court which did not communicate with the criminal court where Lydia had reported her former husband for not paying the rent.
“There is a process that should have been followed, if it had been, I wouldn’t be on the street with three children,” she said.
Lydia and her family, Lyla, 12, Peter, 10 and Harry, 9, have now been homeless for over a week, relying on the kindness of family and friends to get by.
Photo: The Olive Press
“Spain is meant to be a civilised country,” she said.
“We are a decent family, we get involved in the local community, so for our lives to change overnight like this makes me lose all hope. I just can’t believe it.”
She plans to report the incident to the Spanish ombudsman, as well as the Consejo General de Poder Judicial (the General Council of the Judiciary).
Miragaya, who ran for mayor of Benahavis last year, vowed to prioritise ‘citizen wellbeing’, stating: “It’s time for housing…We will create public housing for families that the young people of Benahavis need.”
Miragaya and the PSOE declined to comment when contacted by the Olive Press.
Lydia’s ex-husband was also contacted and denied any accusations.
