Alex Trelinski
AN 87-YEAR-OLD Tenerife woman with no immediate family has been left homeless after squatters took over her property when she was in hospital.
The victim named as Mari Carmen from La Laguna was being treated after suffering a fall and a family with five children took over her home on Calle Arzobispio Elias Yanes.
A reporter for the Telecinco TV channel went to the property to talk to the squatters who said they felt ‘harassed’ and claimed that Mari Carmen gave them the keys and they were staying there legally.
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The Policia Nacional has placed a restraining order so that nobody from the squatting family can approach the victim, who has remained in hospital.
La Laguna City Council said that ‘relevant’ proceedings are being taken.
The family said they were neighbours on the same street and lived a few metres away from the occupied property.
“Everything is fine and we have authorisation from the lady,” one of them told Telecinco.
They said they knew her for many years and have taken care of her.
Other neighbours had a very different opinion and challenged the claims made by the squatters.
One interviewee said: “I doubt that with the attachment she had to her house she would give her consent.”
“She was afraid that they would squat her house,” says another resident.
“They knew perfectly well that the house was empty and they took advantage of the opportunity,”
