Family face eviction and fine of up to €780,000 in south Tenerife for installing a mobile home without permission
A family in Granadilla de Abona, in the south of Tenerife, already facing eviction, is now at risk of fines of up to €780,000 after placing a small mobile home on land they believed they were allowed to use. The plot, however, is not legally developable, and the man who gave them permission to install the mobile home is not the actual owner.
Ángeles Dorta, 38, her partner José Luis García, 53, and their 19-year-old daughter, who has a 70% disability, bought the 28-square-metre mobile home for €15,000 as a last resort. Their eviction was scheduled for 4th February, and the family says they had no other housing options.
They placed the home on a piece of land in front of the house where they had been staying, with verbal permission from a resident named Ramón, who claimed to be responsible for the finca. But a neighbour’s complaint led the local council to investigate.
The Granadilla de Abona council opened a sanctions file, stating that the mobile home was installed without authorisation and without the consent of the real owner of the land. The family now faces three different types of penalties under the Canary Islands Land Law.
The plot is classified as “Sectorised, Undeveloped Urban Land (SUSNO-R)”, meaning it has no streets, sewage system or approved development plan. Legally, that means it must be treated like rural land, where residential use is generally prohibited.
Police and council technicians inspected the site and concluded that the home appears to be intended for permanent use. They also valued the structure at €7,500 - around half of what the family paid.
The council’s order halts all work or use of the mobile home, requires the structure to be sealed, and warns that ignoring the order could trigger fines between €150,000 and €600,000. Additionally, the unauthorised installation is classed as a serious infraction, carrying fines of €6,001 to €150,000. The family has also been given 20 days to remove the home or face monthly penalties of €600 to €3,000, as well as possible forced removal at their expense.
In total, the penalties could reach €780,000, with a minimum liability of more than €160,000.
The family has appealed, requesting a suspension of the order due to their vulnerability and asking for involvement from social services. They argue that removing the home would cause “serious and irreparable harm”, particularly for their daughter’s health and stability.
They insist they acted in good faith, believing Ramón had the right to authorise their stay: “People can’t be left on the street,” Ramón said, defending the family in a video sent to local media.
Local social-rights group ARCAN is advising the family. The council says it is “working on the family’s case,” without offering further details.
This is the second time in less than a year that the family has faced homelessness. In 2025, they were evicted from their previous rented home after a court decision over unpaid rent. Their next eviction is scheduled for next week, and they have again requested a postponement due to their vulnerable situation.
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