Re: Chiclana dream
 

My final post on this topic. Through all my often rambling and off topic posts I would like to sum up...
I found the forum through Googling 'Chiclana Electric Bikes' as I contemplated buying a moped/electric bicycle for running around the place. I was excited and thrilled to have finally completed on my house, and it seemd to be the right purchase in the right place after a year of searching and whittling down.
The came the 'Chiclana Electric' thread. Panic!! Are my agent, lawyer,vendor all frauds ?? Is the house really illegal when I have been told it is legal ?? Should I be dismantling the meter to look for a serial number or charging down to Endesa to see if it was registered?? Even that TV programe on pedal powered generators was viewed with greater interest. A great pair of legs after a fortnights pedalling?? mmmmmm...
And then I found a fellow forumite who even with all her own problems made light of it all..she found the logic in why my house is legal and her's isn't, and pointed out all the pros of Chiclana. We all know the cons only too well.
I became involved with the thread to try and reassure concerned persons in the same way. Yes I am sorry there are many of you having such problems, and I put it down to luck that so far everything has been alright for me. I do not deny that there are frauds and con merchants out there, in Chiclana as all over Spain and the world, but to imply that everyone involved in the property business in Chiclana is on a scam is extreme paranoia in my opinion.
yes please do be careful if buying here....with hindsight I would have checked and double checked all the facilities that I was told were in place. Fortunately they were. We worried when we completed and found the pump had not been installed, but found that this is commonly done after the sale goes through, as they can be stolen, and it was done by the following day.
Good Luck to you all, and if anyone wants any questions answered, or just reassuring, please pm me and I will help if am able. :) :)

Re: Chiclana dream
 

An interesting post..could you elucidate on any practices that Spanish lawyers may have condoned that the British based firm eschewed? A friend of mine has bought a flat in Algorobbo using a British lawyer. Did you still pay the 'cash' element ?? Your's seems a very sensible approach to adopt if there is any uncertainty whatsoever.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Actually Dazzle the most entertaing accounts of Atlantic crossings are both by women.. Clare Francis's single handed race, and a girl called Anne Miller 'Out of the Blue' who against all advice sailed there and back. Great blends of the personal and the nautical. The male written books tend to be a bit gung ho. They're not going to admit to being scared as hell at times !!

Re: Chiclana dream
 

I know you are probably right, I just don't seem to have the need to push myself to the limits of my endurance - or maybe I do and the treadmill is my limit! Who knows?

I still think there are some pastimes that the more superior being :p should not concern themselves with....Bungee jumping for instance - now tell me why would anyone in their right mind want to tie a piece of elastic to their ankles and throw themselves off a bridge? :confused: It's beyond me!

But we are straying off topic.......

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Now have you actually tried it Dazzle ?? The experience may be so groundbreaking (!) it may become addictive. Atlantic crossings may once have been on my wish list but no more. The North Sea is challenging enough.Nowadays a long sail followed by several bottles of Cava at anchor, even on the mostly grey Thames is my usual routine. But I harbour dreams of doing the same in the harbour at Old Sancti Petri :p :p :p

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Now I might join you on that but bungee jumping? No!! (Saying that I'd probably be seasick!!!)

Re: Chiclana dream
 

LOL...I couldn't stop grinning as I was wafted into business class, my partner saying make it look like we always travel business class and this is perfectly normal !! We were dressed up to the nines, all white linen actually, as a couple we had befriended in our hotel had invited us to breakfast the same morning in the executive dining room. Telling them with delight about our upgrade on our return imagine my chagrin to hear that they had been upgraded to first class.. but then she is a glamorous blonde. Now where does one buy Hydrogen Peroxide ??

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Poollounger, it's hard to say, really. Put it like this : If I was Spanish and didn't have very good English and wanted to buy a property in the UK, I doubt very much whether I would go to a British estate agent and allow them to choose the lawyer that was to act on my behalf for purposes of the purchase. There is, to say the least, something of a conflict of interest going on there!

Regarding the difference between the declared price and the actual one, yes, I'm afraid I had little choice. I was assured by absolutely everyone that there was really no way around this - I dare say it's different (perhaps) for a newbuild. I can't say I was terribly happy about it, but it seems pretty standard practice and I managed to negotiate down the difference by quite a bit, probably thanks to being a cash buyer.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Your logic makes perfect sense to me. If I had thought it through I may well have done the same. Thankfully no harms seems to have come of it. However if I had had more time, I most certainly would have explored a mortgage with a bank with British links, like Banco Hispania-the Halifax, or Banco Santander who now own the Abbey. The one thing we were stung for which was not included in quotes for the mortgage was the complusory, at least from Sabadell Atlantico,critical illness, employment and life insurance. The premium diminishes with the outstanding capital, but is still a whopping Eu1200 pa.There was mention of insurance on the day of signing, but no details or premiums, and in all the hubbub I had assumed it was the building insurance.
On the other hand the mortgage went through with the greatest of ease.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

The article about the tram in Chiclana, cdl, stated that the Junta had agreed the funds!!!!! Why should it be an old chestnut! Perhaps it just takes time for such a large project.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Must reply to your final??? post on this subject.

Strange how Chiclana Electric Bikes thread would lead us into all these lengthy discussions about the not so frivolous side of Chiclana.

You are so lucky if you found the right purchase in the right place and I reckon there are many out there who are envious. I do feel though that if you have a house in another place UK for example then when you feel the “urge” so to speak you can go back and forth to suit your mood.

Quite a funny “quip” about the electric meter and I think any of us including myself could easily make light when fortunate enough to have a legal meter and supply of electric. However you have to spare a thought for the many in not so fortunate a position which I am sure you do.

I take my hat off to your fellow forumite who can make light of all her problems and sincerely hope that she can nurture her positivity until her situation changes if it ever does. Unfortunately I am sure that many people who I know have just locked up and gone because they were unable or unwilling to live with such situations and why should they in the 21st Century?

It is very commendable of you only to join this thread in order to help people. However I think to really help then you need to have the experiences that a lot of others have had to be able to do that properly and correctly. I have had a wonderful pm post which I have just replied to and hopefully it will be put onto the forum.

Everybody has their own opinion and yours is quite strong when you state to put everybody in the same light is extreme paranoia. This forum is for anyone to voice their opinions and experiences in the hope of helping people. At the end of the day extreme caution should be exercised in this area.

In the meantime I hope people reading this forum will continue to PM me as they have been doing over these past months and I will offer as much advice and help as I can based on my own experiences.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

I don't think Poollounger will ever have a final post on this subject!!

Re: Chiclana dream
 

It sounds to me as though Poollounger admits and acknowledges that he has been very lucky in his purchase, having walked into it a bit blind.

It's been well known for at least five years in the UK - thanks to programmes like A Place in the Sun - about illegal newbuilds in Spain, so I do wonder why people still continue to purchase property there, without being 100% certain as to the situation regarding their particular chosen plot. It really isn't difficult to do - it may cost a bit more in the short term, but doesn't it make sense?

Genuinely I feel sorry for people who bought a few years ago and weren't aware of the situation, but surely now everyone has been, for a good few years? Why would anyone fall into this trap recently? Surely no-one buys property overseas, or indeed in the UK, without doing research, employing lawyers that work for you as opposed to your estate agents?

I don't think the Spanish are any more devious when it comes to property sales than any other country - they're just trying to make a buck, and it's a case of caveat emptor.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Yes, do agree with your last para. Un-Expat. Many people are in a bit of a daze when they come looking for property, so for anyone contemplating it, I hope the following will be useful. Apologies in advance as it's long....

There have been so many bits of helpful information on this and other threads about the property situation in Chiclana, that I’ve drawn a few together to try and cover what I think might be the first steps when seeing a property you like.

Ask to see or apply for an Information Note (nota simple informative) in the Registro de la Propiedad. This is just a document saying who the proprietor (propietario) and title owner (titular) of the property are and whether the property is subject to any debts/charges or other incumbrances. There have been instances where unsuspecting buyers have found themselves liable for a mortgage taken out by the previous owner and it was not discharged, thus leaving them liable to pay twice – once to the vendor and then ongoing for the vendor’s mortgage.
Do not be put off by promises of obtaining the nota simple later. Reliable estate agents and trustworthy vendors will either have this or be able to produce it promptly. It is advisable not to enter into a Private Contract and pay a deposit before seeing a nota simple, otherwise the chances are high that the property is illegal.
Pace out the land to check that the size of plot coincides with the vendor’s claims.
Verify that the land where the property is located is classified as suelo urbano (not rustic land but urban land).
Check the Urban Development Plans (planes de desarrollo urbano) of the locality including any future potential developments that may have applied for planning permission.
Check at the Planning Office (Ayuntamiento) for the Urban Clasification (clasificación urbana del suelo) and whether there are any known or intended future developments that may have a bearing on the purchase or on the future value of the applicable land (planes de desarrollo urbano).
Unless you have a personal recommendation about their trustworthiness, be very cautious about using a lawyer or bank recommended by the estate agent. If you think you have no alternative, it’s worth considering hiring an independent interpreter who speaks your language and Spanish fluently.

ELECTRICITY:
Check that there’s a meter outside the property (if it’s inside and inaccessible to Endesa to read every two months, it could be connected illegally). Check also with Endesa that there is an account that could be transferred in your name. If the property is a resale, ask to see the bills (facturas).
There are many properties in the Chiclana area that have been built without planning permission and Endesa have refused an electricity supply.
Beware of several properties on a large plot built by the same builder with only one valid electricity meter. These could have been built on the large site with a previous single dwelling and bona fide electricity supply. Without a certificate of first occupancy, Endesa will not connect all the properties. .
Read www.mycadiz.biz (general forum/electricity) and this forum about the ongoing attempts by many to get connected.
WATER:
If the property is in the campo and unurbanised, the water will most likely be supplied by a well. Run the taps, taste the water – sometimes it is salty, particularly if it’s a seepage well. This is unlikely to change. Check the pressure by observation. The water will invariably be hard, i.e high levels of carbonates and sulphates. This is normal in this area. Some people have water filters installed as there could be build-ups of limescale in washing machines, dishwashers, kettles. It’s possible to buy delcalfying tablets for some appliances. Never assume that the water is drinkable, particularly from a relatively shallow seepage well.
There are instances of wells being dry and unscrupulous vendors filling them from the water tanker and passing them off as productive wells. Apart from checking out with neighbouring property owners whether they have a reliable water supply, I can’t think of any other solution.
SEWERAGE AND GREY WATER:
Most properties in the campo do not have mains sewerage, nor a septic tank, but have a “pozo negro” – a brick-lined hole of varying depths that is supposedly self-draining. However, in real life you will find it is mainly a storage tank and will have to get it emptied regularly. Always check which system applies on the property and ask to see the inspection chamber. Many properties have pozos negros that have no access point, having been concreted over. If you don’t know the access point and later find sewage coming up through your bath and bidet, you’ll have a fine time – like us – ripping up the garden to find the pozo negro and smashing your way in! The use of lavatory paper and other objects into these systems is not to be recommended. Unlike modern sewerage systems, these pozos negros become blocked, adding to the overflows. (A short training course on the use of the bidet is to be recommended – ask the Greeks!)
OK – I think these are the basic precautions to be thinking of when you look at property and good luck to you all out there in your quest.

Re: Chiclana dream
 

Wow Arco-Iris

This is excellent... Thanks and Well done... !!! :D