Lenox

The absurd and occasional demolitions of British-owned houses in the Almanzora Valley has got to stop. Calling 13,000 homes 'illegal', and thus condemning the owners to living in valueless homes, often without water or electric, is so bad for Almería, and so bad for Spain's reputation abroad, that even the Nigerian Media are laughing. Stop.

Peaceful Demonstration – Saturday 9th November, Palacio de Almanzora, 12.30am

A peaceful demonstration will take place on Saturday 9th November at 12.30am before the Palace of Almanzora in Almanzora (Cantoria, Almería) calling for solutions to the problem of illegal houses and for an end to demolitions that have such a detrimental effect on the image and economy of the region as a whole in addition to their devastating effect on the lives of individual home owners who, in the judgement of the court, acted in good faith. Helen Prior will be among the speakers.

Contact: [email protected] or Patricia Sampson 638323706
Soluciones Si, Derribos No! / Solutions Yes, Demolitions No.

jackytoo

Hope they aren't relying on the "I'm all right Jack" expats to offer support

me me

I was thinking the same myself.

There are some posters who seem to have such a hatred for fellow expats, and are looking for every opportunity to slag them off, or ridicule them for getting duped.
they wallow in the misfortuen of others.

Quite frankly it is sickening.

Lenox

There are a lot of illegal homes Cantoria-way, the figure is put at 13,000 for the Almanzora Valley- at two people per home, that's a good number of indignant homer-owners. The AUAN has shown that it has some spirit, and has got lots of supporters. The local Spanish are also sympathetic. Will the media cover it? I suppose that's the issue in the end.

IamStu

Really me me. I mean really???

me me

Yes really, I can´t believe that you haven´t noticed, post blaming the innocent British buyers are on loads of thread.



They are slated for using corrupt solicitors and such, as though it is their fault that the solicitors in question are bent.

I don´t understand your confusion at all.

IamStu

Sincerely, I wasn´t aware of those posts

me me

Whenever this topic arises, there will always be a poster or 2, who says it is the responsibility to only employ an "honest" lawyer.

As if the people who bought illegal houses looked in the yelow pages and the lawyers were advertised under two different sections, Straight lawyers and corrupt lawyers. (and they deliberatly chose to use a corrupt one).

Putting the blame on the victim is pretty common.

agoreira

They are normally accused of leaving their brains on the aircraft as well! Even Brits that went down the full legal route, getting the correct paperwork etc, it's normally their fault they ended up with an illegal property. Hard to believe, I know, but it happens.

IamStu

I guess those posters have never been duped! It can happen to anyone! Especially in Spain it would seem!

sam54140

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...convicted.html

Domino

Lenox, it was my understanding that the house(s) demolished in Cantoria were demolished because they were built on National Park land where it was totally and irrevocably banned from building.
That the original builder was told on more than one occaision by the police that he couldn't build there didn't stop him. Nor did it stop him from selling on the properties to eager guiris who wanted their little place in the sun, looking down over a pleasant valley.
Even town hall officials falsified documentation to get electricity and water laid on.

Just a shame that their legal representatives weren't fully aware of the fact you can't build on the National Park. Strange considering it is usually best policy to use fully trained and certified lawyers of the country you are buying in.
In this instance even the Notary should have had one or two reasons for hesitation when going through the documentation.

Yes, there are people who have been duped, in the same way as other people have bought land and had a house and swimming pool built when there shouldn't even be a garden shed thinking it will be alright after 4 years, you can get a waiver for a couple of hundred euros.

But in the case of the Cantoria 4 - Sorry no come back, they bought an illegal property and thats it, end of story, in the same way as someone buys a stolen car and has to give it back to the original owner. Out of pocket.

`

Lenox

Even the Nigerian Media are laughing at Spain.
In short, if the Government is mad enough to knock down two houses in an area with 40% unemployment, and demn the consequences, then they should make sure that the owners are reimbursed, not by some Spanish wowser who has done a runner, but by the Government itself.
Otherwise, the unemployment is not going to change for the better (see here, a village in Almería with 80% unemployment).
There is NO WAY, in a society as anal as the Andalucian one, that 300,000 houses were planned, promoted, built and sold without someone in Government in Seville calling a halt.
Why, in the same region, with a sizable chunk of the 2.5 million empty homes owned by the banks, are none of these considered 'illegal'? Not a single one.
But, sell one to some guiri de mierda and see what happens!

jackytoo

Agree Lenox

cricketman

It would set quite a precedent if the judge ruled that the house could remain standing, no?

It seems that justice has been done in this case. The developer conned this couple, the judge gave the developer a prison sentence and has been ordered to pay the money back. Unfortunately the guy is now bankrupt

If the couple hired a lawyer (which I dont know) then he/she should have been convicted too as it would have been very clear that the property was built in a national park

I dont see that nationality is a factor is this case at all. And your racism claims are just that... pretty racist to be honest. Pretty racist about Nigerians too