Good advice Bri and Katee. I'll have a look myself as my situation is not so far from the OPs. I can't possibly say what the government will do. in your case...or in ours if it came to that. But I suggest that you keep all correspondance from them and notes of all visits etc. If you don't have good Spanish take a friend and advocate who can speak for you. And cling on! You might also check the stop Deshaucios people for advice. I think it unlikely that the government will take your house during the crisis if you have had a low income during this whole period. I would get the advice of a gestor. They may not even charge you and if they do it may be very little but you can ask. I'm afraid now is not the time to have too much pride. It can happen to the best of us (and has ;-)) Ask for help from as many people as you can. You may, as you say end up having to sell your house. if you really don't want to live here. But you will be able to sell it yourself and just pay the 5000. But I'd hang on! And that's good advice to go unemployed for a while and bunch your invoices into a different month. It's not Ideal for an honest Englishman but I've considered it myself. But I have one other idea. IF YOU are currently not working you may be able to get yourself signed up as the Autonomo and pay the lower rate for long term unemployed while your husband becomes unemployed. Again, not ideal but needs must. If you aren't already signed on with the SAE (Servicio Andalucia de Empleo- or whichever applies to your area) Do so immediately. It won't entitle you to any benefits but it won't cost anything and will allow you to do this paying the lower Autonomo thing. You may be able to get on the 'orientada' and be given jobs or paid courses that may be suitable for you too.

Some good advice from Angie and Bri and Katee.

Get the ball rolling ASAP, the more people you can muster, and the quicker you act the better.

remember there are 'cut off dates' for applying for 'stay of execution' so to speak.

It would be a tragedy if you lost out due to bad timing.


If what you plan to do is not quite kosher, then still go for it, needs must.
As for the employment situation, if signing on the dole can give you dome breathing space, then go for it.

the groups that fight against evictions are getting some good results, but they are not always successful.

when Spanish people get evicted, some ARE ACTUALLY HOMELESS, but more often than not they can and do move in with family.

In your case, I suppose that you don't have extended family in Spain, so bring that into play when applying for assistance in the fight against eviction.

Any health issues you may have might also be 'useful'.

Good luck, get yourself in touch with all the help associations ( if you have been in the armed services the British legion should be on your list), but do it quickly.

Many thanks to all of you for the very helpful advice. Fortunately my oh swallowed his pride and went cap in hand to a relative and asked for help. The outcome was that this person has loaned us the money to get us out of this situation. Hopefully my oh will now see sence and keep signing off for a month or two as unemployed so we don´t get into this mess again. It is not something we want to do but when you look around all those who work cash in hand are having a great life in Spain.

That's what family values are all about and what we think is so good about the Spanish way at times like this they all pull together.

So pleased to hear this. By the way me me. there is no 'dole' for the self employed. but it is the swingeing rate of social security that causes the real problems. Yes, needs must, as they say. or as the Spanish say 'No hay mas remedio'. there's no alternative than to be Spanish about it.

You might be entitled to an "abogado de oficio" public defender if you have worked legally in Spain. You can check it out in this page http://www.justiciagratuita.es/pjg/home.do select your region.
Look for the nearest "colegio de abogados" and go there personally and they have lawyers on duty to ask for advise in these cases.
Good luck

I'm so glad that your relatives have been able to help and wish you well for the future.