On ‘El Hormiguero’, Susana Abaitua and Maxi Iglesias described some of the worst homes they had lived in, bringing the challenges of finding decent housing in Spain into the conversation. Their stories struck a chord with many young people in the country.
Maxi Iglesias spoke plainly. Until he was 19, he lived with his mother and three dogs in a 50-square-meter flat. He had no bedroom or privacy. “I slept on a sofa bed,” he said. That was his life until he found steady work. Even then, things remained tough: on film shoots, he sometimes waited in windowless basements because there was nowhere else for actors to rest.
Euronews reported that Spain’s average asking rent reached 15.1 euros per square meter in August 2026, up 5.8% from the previous year.
Susana Abaitua’s experience was just as difficult. She had to leave her apartment because of a persistent cockroach infestation, and her neighbors refused to fumigate the building. “I killed the ones in my flat, but they always came back. I couldn’t sleep. Eventually, I was told nothing would be done, so I left,” she said. She felt powerless, as tenants often do.
Pablo Motos, the host, joined in with memories of his first apartment in Madrid. The address sounded fancy, Calle Jorge Juan, but the reality was not. The floors slanted and cracks ran through the walls. Pigeons had invaded. One day, after he flushed the toilet, an old cistern nearly fell on him. He barely avoided a serious accident. Even a prime location can be a nightmare.
Their stories tied directly into the theme of their new film, ‘Nuda propiedad’, which comes out on October 2, 2026. It examines the practice of buying property while the previous owner, usually elderly, retains the right to live there until death. This is legal in Spain. The arrangement reflects how difficult it can be to find a home in an increasingly tough market.
Official statistics from INE show that in 2024, 28.1% of tenants renting at market rates in Spain spent more than 40% of their disposable income on housing costs. Reuters and AFP have reported a structural housing shortage of around 750,000 homes, with projections that the gap could exceed 1 million by 2028.
The discussion turned to whether some couples stay together because they cannot afford to separate. Maxi Iglesias answered directly: “Unfortunately, yes. Many young people have no choice but to share a home because a single salary cannot cover today’s rents,” he said. He added that the same pressure is felt across Europe. In a perfect world, people would live together for love, not money. Reality is different.
The show offered more than personal stories: it depicted a country where living alone is out of reach for many. The actors’ accounts challenge the idea that fame protects people from the housing crisis. Their struggles mirror those faced by millions in Spain.
Spain’s housing market is under pressure. Rents keep rising while wages stay stuck, leaving affordable homes hard to find. Even celebrities can end up in poor or unstable housing. The problems raised on ‘El Hormiguero’ reflect growing frustration. ‘Nuda propiedad’ is due in theaters on October 2, 2026, and its subject mirrors circumstances people are living through now. Until everyone can afford a home, stories like these will keep coming.
