Florence’s 'Maricarmen': 94-year-old faces losing her home of 60 years as rent nearly triples

Franca’s home is at risk because her rental contract expires in February. The landlord has said the contract will not continue on its current terms. To remain, Franca would need to accept a monthly rent of €1,200 instead of €450. Her family says that amount is unaffordable.

The flat is a 70-square-metre home where Franca has lived since the early 1960s. She shared it with her husband, and her daughter was born there. It contains family photographs, paintings and wedding mementoes. The proposed change comes through a contract renewal, meaning the landlord is offering continued occupancy only at a much higher price.

Franca is 94, almost blind and uses a walking frame. Her daughter has not yet told her about the eviction risk. She hopes to help with a modest increase, but calls €1,200 impossible. The family has asked Sunia, a tenants’ union, for help, while Florence faces wider pressure on renters.

A rental contract renewal is a new agreement, or continuation of an existing agreement, after the current rental period ends. It matters because the landlord and tenant may set new terms, including the rent. If the tenant cannot accept those terms, the tenancy may not continue. The article gives the general meaning through Franca’s case.

Franca’s contract was renewed every two years. Her current agreement expires in February, and the landlord has said she can stay only if the rent rises from €450 to €1,200 a month. That makes renewal more than routine paperwork. It becomes the point at which the proposed rent determines whether continued residence is financially possible.

The article does not describe the specific legal rules governing renewal in Italy. It does show the practical effect: Franca’s daughter says the family could manage a small increase, but not this one. The family has contacted Sunia to seek help and possibly understand its options.

The proposed rent increase is €750 each month, rising from €450 to €1,200. That is about 167% more than Franca currently pays, or roughly 2.7 times the existing rent. Over a year, the extra demand would amount to €9,000. These figures show why the proposed change is financially severe.

Franca lives on a minimum pension and her husband’s survivor’s pension. The article does not state the exact value of either payment, so the rent cannot be compared with a precise monthly income. Her daughter says that paying €1,200 would leave Franca with practically nothing to live on, including too little for food.

The family says it could manage a smaller increase and that the daughter would help. It considers €1,200 impossible, especially because there was no proper negotiation over a middle ground. The contract expires in February, so the proposed rent directly affects whether Franca can remain in her long-term home.

If Franca cannot afford the renewed rent, she may lose the home where she has lived for more than 60 years. Her daughter describes it as the only place where Franca feels truly at home. Leaving could therefore mean more than changing addresses. It could disrupt a familiar setting filled with family photographs, paintings and wedding memories.

The risk is especially serious because Franca is 94, almost blind and dependent on a walking frame. Her daughter says the proposed rent would leave her with practically nothing to eat. The article does not state where Franca would go or what specific care would follow, but it makes clear that the family fears she cannot remain under the new terms.

Franca does not yet know about the eviction risk because her daughter has not found the strength to tell her. The family accepts that rent may rise and would support a modest increase. It has turned to Sunia for help as the February contract expiry approaches.

Sunia is identified in the article as a tenants’ union. The source does not list its specific services, but tenants’ unions generally support renters dealing with landlords, contract changes and possible loss of housing. Their help can be important when a tenant needs information, representation or assistance seeking a fairer arrangement.

In Franca’s case, the landlord’s management has said the contract will not be renewed unless rent rises to €1,200. Her daughter says the family could manage a small increase, but there was no opportunity for proper negotiation. Contacting Sunia gives the family an organised channel for advice and support while the contract’s February expiry approaches.

The article does not say what Sunia will do or whether it can prevent Franca’s displacement. It does show why the union matters: the family faces a sharp rent increase, and Franca’s age and circumstances make moving especially difficult. The union may help clarify the situation and pursue possible options.

The pressure on tenants extends beyond Franca’s individual case. Tuscany recorded 2,427 eviction orders in 2025. This figure shows that many renters across the region faced formal orders connected with losing their homes. It places Franca’s situation within a wider housing squeeze rather than presenting it as an isolated dispute.

Florence accounted for around 35% of all enforcement requests filed in Tuscany. In simple terms, roughly one in three regional requests came from Florence. The article does not give the precise number of Florence requests, but its share indicates that the city is a major centre of the region’s eviction pressure.

The wider figures make Franca’s case more significant. Her landlord’s proposed increase concerns a long-term residential tenancy, not a reported conversion into holiday accommodation. Her family believes management wants higher returns. With thousands of orders across Tuscany, tenants’ groups such as Sunia may face continuing demand for assistance.

Housing affordability means whether a person can pay rent and still afford basic needs. It is not only the rent’s size. It also depends on income and necessary spending. Franca’s case shows the issue clearly: her daughter says €1,200 in rent would leave her with practically nothing, not even enough to eat.

People living on fixed pensions are especially exposed to sharp rent increases. A pension usually provides a limited, predictable income, while a landlord can propose a much higher rent at renewal. Franca receives a minimum pension and her husband’s survivor’s pension. Her family could help with a small rise, but not an increase from €450 to €1,200.

The article connects affordability with security and belonging. Franca’s 70-square-metre flat has been her home since the early 1960s, and it is the only place she feels truly at home. Her contract expires in February. She has sought help from Sunia as Tuscany reports 2,427 eviction orders in 2025.