When one woman and her family decided to stop paying rent on their flat, the landlord was forced to take action and wanted them evicted from the premises.
However, one thing they didn’t account for was that they would need a crane to remove her, after a chronic condition had left her morbidly obese.
Antònia Jover Fiol Hadn’t Paid Rent in Three Years
The landlord wanted to evict Antònia Jover Fiol and her family because they hadn’t paid the rent on their flat in Palma in three years.
They had been living in the apartment for a total of eight years, but due to the stress and lack of payment for three of those years, the landlord had to take action and evict the family.
The Family Stopped Paying Rent to Save Money
The family decided to stop paying their rent after the Palma Anti-Eviction Office informed them that they would be evicted at some point.
They stopped paying rent so that they could save money for having to pay rent elsewhere as they were told they’d have to earn between €3,000 and €3,500 a month, but their combined pensions came to €2,000 a month.
Antònia Jover Fiol Was Restricted to Her Bed
Fiol and her family had stopped paying the rent after she ended up bedridden due to having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to Ultima Hora.
She was completely dependent on a respirator and, as such, was unable to leave her bed.
The Family Owed €10,000 in Rent
The owners of the property reported Fiol and her family for not paying rent in September 2021, about a year after they stopped.
At this stage, they owed €10,000. The owner’s wife even made their community payments, as the family hadn’t been doing this either.
Antònia Jover Fiol Used to Be a Business Owner
Antònia Jover Fiol hadn’t always lived like this, as she used to be a prominent businesswoman.
The Sun reports that she had run her own glassware company and had also been the president of the Playas Arenal Sports Club between 1984 and 2000.
Firefighters Had to Use a Crane
The fire crew was called to remove Antònia Jover Fiol from the apartment where she was illegally living. They needed to use a crane.
Once they realized the situation, The Sun reported that the National Police, Local Police, Palma Town Hall social services, and Public Health Service had to be called to assist with her removal.
The Eviction Took Longer Than Expected
The fire service reported that most tenant evictions tend to only take no more than 20 minutes, but this one took a little bit longer.
The eviction had been scheduled by the court to take place at 9:30 a.m. However, it took until just before midday to get her out of the building.
Antònia Jover Fiol’s Health Was at Risk
Due to her morbid obesity, the removal of Fiol from the flat posed a great risk to her health.
Crews were worried about her health, as she was in a lot of pain, with the head of the fire department saying that she was at risk of having a heart attack.
COPD Was the Biggest Risk to Antònia Jover Fiol
People who have COPD have many risks to their health, which was likely heightened because of Fiol’s morbid obesity.
Mayo Clinic states that some of the complications of COPD, as well as a heart attack, include respiratory infections, lung cancer, high blood pressure in lung arteries, and depression. With the removal of Fiol from her flat, any of these could have been worsened.
The Family Had Been Offered Alternative Accommodation
This wasn’t the first time Fiol and her family had faced eviction, as three previous attempts had been planned but didn’t happen.
Social services had also offered the family alternative accommodation, however, they decided not to take them up on this offer.
Antònia Jover Fiol Is Now in the Hospital
After her crane removal from her flat, Fiol is now in the hospital, receiving treatment for COPD.
Her husband and son have also been moved to a hostel in Secar de la Real until permanent accommodation can be found.
