Re: Properties in Calabria
 

I'm willing to be that there are thousand more Brits that have been ripped off in Spain than Italy.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

True, but now it is appearing everywhere, even the Eastern Block Countries, even more reason not to do silly things that you would never dream of doing in the UK. ;-)

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

QUOTE=Lorna at Vicenza;7495219]I'm willing to be that there are thousand more Brits that have been ripped off in Spain than Italy.[/QUOTE]

This is for sure,overall,and It is also worth remembering,having read this thread in detail and the large number of difficulties people have encountered with either solicitors or large Marketing companies particularly on the East coast of Calabria in the majority of cases originated from Spain.Medsea for one had its head office based in Torreveica.
The fact that they are now gone after successfully selling thousands of units the Majority of which are not yet completed bears testament that you have to be extremely careful on the track record of a company you buy through.
Many of these properties were sold on free or highly subsidized viewing trips,staying in five star hotels etc at the expense to either the agent or other marketing company.It has to be remembered "that their is no such thing as a free Lunch"or dinner for that matter, and this method of selling also originated from Spain and any such offer particularly these days sould be viewed with Caution.It is often far better and cost effective to pay your own trip and do plenty of research on a number of companies before traveling.
Given the high number of people these offers and indeed sales attracted,these companies would also often set up what i regard as allegiances with certain solicitor firms,(the majority of these though often break down over time)
These firms of solicitors who may well not even originate from the area are drafted in and even open offices next door or across the road and agree to handle all the business that comes their way for ease and speed of getting parties to sign contracts quickly.
This leads to what i regard as a "conflict of Interest" because these companies and sales people will be under strict instructions from the top to direct all the clients to this particular firm of solicitors and means in some instances as many as 600 people may be represented by only one firm of solicitors in a given development(a very unhealthy situation) who may well have not got his facts or paperwork wrong in the first place! as we have all seen before.
Large developments in general will always attract a far higher risk in my view as their is always far more that can go wrong particularly in the current economic climate.
When buying off-plan no matter what the size of development It is also highly important that your solicitor as well as checking all the legal paperwork also check out the solvency of the building company who is contracted to build to insure they have funds to build and verify the history and reputation of the company this cannot be stressed enough.
Whether Buying off-plan in either Italy or Spain the pitfalls that are out there can be minimised, unfortunately does not help those that have been affected in the past and fallen foul but i hope it will help people in the future to buy as safely as possible from reputable developers in what is one of the most beautiful regions in the whole of Italy.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

I couldn't agree more ! And what is wrong with buying a resale property that you can see, has been lived in and is probably actually cheaper than the off plan "bargains" ? That is exactly what we have done, and it was a smooth and relatively quick way to get our place in Italy.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

bobbob. Nothing wrong with a resale property at all. Beginning to wish I'd gone down that road now. Toni.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

A company called Key4International based in London was promoting a development in Ciro Marina called Terra Nova. Key4International has disappeared. Are there any Terra Nova buyers out there?

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

Is there anyone else out there waiting on completion for residential amusa with G&L? There is a lot of worrying stories out there. G&L advising that completion wont be until May 2010 now and that we either have to extend contracts or get involved with recission letters to pull out of contract. Who are the developers, can G&L be trusted? how do we ensure are deposits are safe? any info would be great, cheers :confused:

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

Maybe your lawyer should of advised you about this possible problem before letting you sign anything ?
One of the dangers of buying off plan.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

Has anyone clarified the planning issues on Jewel in the Sun?

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

I Believe it is still ongoing our hopes and dreams were shattered long ago by all of this,VFI sould never have sold us these properties,it was all so wrong of them we were all hoodwinked by them and the solicitors they recomended us skullduggery springs to mind when i look and think what they have done and are responsible for.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

There is a Jewel of the Seas buyers forum jewelofthesea.info and also Incalabria.com is a useful resource.

Calabria is like the wild west so far as the lawyers are concerned. Working for both Developer and Buyer they don't know the meaning of conflict of interest.

As regards to those that have suffered losses through Medsea (Italian Connection) there is news on the Incalabria.com forum of an impending legal case.

As regards to Parador, especially if you have lost money, then watch out if you have seen chelseahouseproperty or prestwickinvestments as these are sites set up by the Hamilton familty.

It is about time that UK and international governments issued arrest warrants for all these crooks.

We cannot forget ********* (***) wealthy Chairman of Stoke Football Club in the UK. His clients have lost millions in rogue property deals. WHERE IS ROBIN HOOD WHEN YOU NEED HIM....

Re: Property in Calabria - Residential Amusa
 

Does anyone know the prices of the Residential Amusa apartments? I am thinking of purchasing one that is up for sale but want to check out the original prices. Price range would help i.e. Ground floor, 1st, 2nd, 3rd floor etc. Toni.

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

:(What a sad, sad, story. I feel so sorry for these people from the UK, who obviously have not even the remotest idea of the complexity of planning/ownership/construction regulations in Italy in general; and a lawless place like Calabria in particular. No surprise that the President of the Regional administration received a bullet in the post yesterday; probably from some 'ndranghetta builder who has been copped building where he shouldn't.
I love Calabria, but always go camping.:lol: Wouldn't have an appartment or villa there if it was FOC.
Anybody from UK thinking about Calabria - Caveat Emptor is the only advice I can give.
ciao for now,
'o nonno

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

The guy from the removal firm we used when we left the UK said he had moved six families to Calabria and eventually brought them all home again.:eek:

Re: Properties in Calabria
 

Help re contacting others in my position re lost deposit;
Hello can anyone help ;I am trying to find people in my position having lost 50% deposit paid to Lawyers G&L in Spring 2007 for a property on the east coast of Calabria ? Needless to say my story is similar to posts on this website .
I visited calabria in Spring 2007 fell in love with it brought thro what I thought was a reputable company property hotspots/ Italian connection and medsea , developers were Bella calabria .The property was due for completion in 2009 delayed to 2010.Like some of you I have had enormous difficulties getting information from all involved and my Lawyers ; having had a "secure contract " and being asssured by G&L that funds would not be transferred without a bank loan gaurantee I eventually found that funds had been transferred without this , the development 2.5 years on has not been started there are rumours of lack of planning permission ; IC and medsea dissapeared as did G&L relocating to Italy, continuing to be difficult to contact .Following a trip to Calabria in Sept 2009 when I met with reps from Bella Calabria they claimed they hadnt received my deposit ,the lawyers are denying all liability despite breaching the contract in not securing a bank loan gaurantee or responding to queries or keeoing me updated. They have acted totally unethically -I have reported them to the law society and have won a small compensation - a tiny drop in the ocean of what I have lost .Needless to say the deposit was due to my releasing equity/remortgaging , so this is a heavy burden. G&L have been so immoral which is appaling when you consider they are supposed to protect the interests of their cleints , I later was advised by a lawyer in Italy that many people are in my position the 50 plots they sold on my development ,all those people have lost out .I also found out that they were struck off frompractising in England hence reloacting our files to siciliy
I have now instructed lawyers in London to try and get compensation re recovering my deposit .I am trying to locate people in my position , the law society advised me that they had been inundated with complaints but are not allowed to put me in touch with others in my position.
Is anyone out there in my position and interested in trying to do something about it . Please get in touch .
Sincere regards
Rupinder