Growing old in a rented apartment: ‘I’ll extend my working life to increase my pension, but I’ll have to move to a village’
Spain’s housing crisis is pushing a rising number of people over 45 into renting, a situation that brings growing insecurity
Ramón Bultó, a 57-year-old IT professional in Getafe, near Madrid, is concerned about his future as a renter. He has been living in an apartment for three years, paying €751 per month in rent. Bultó has refused to sign a new contract after three years, instead choosing to extend his working life to increase his pension. He is considering moving to a village to escape the high cost of renting.
Across Spain, many older individuals are facing similar situations. Renting has become more common for people in their 50s and 60s, as purchasing a home has become increasingly difficult. The baby boomer generation, born between the late-1950s and mid-1970s, is among the first to confront this reality. Professor Josep Oliver of the Autonomous University of Barcelona describes the situation as a "ticking time bomb" and warns that urgent action is needed from the government to address the needs of this aging population.
Elena Martínez, a sociologist, emphasizes that the housing problem extends beyond young people and highlights the various factors contributing to the rise of older renters, such as rising prices, limited access to financing, and changes in family structures.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
