naomi512

Hope some one can advise me. I have been working as a cleaner for a property management company for 18mths and thought I was on a contract. My husband also statred working for them 12 months ago. Things ended up getting bad and was making me ill so I left on quite good terms, however my husband is owed 8 months wages. I have tried repeatedly to get the wages but they are making out they have no money or not replying to me. We also brought a car from them but never recieved a recipt or any documents. As it stands I have all my time sheets, wage slips, tshirts with company logo on and other bits and bobs including emails which I have printed off to denounce them for the wages owed and the car documents. The emails state from the manager about wages owed and the car documents. When we left we found we have never been on a contract. Oh yes I have have paperwork with all their properties with directions and alarm codes and 4 sets of cleaners keys for the properties which I have refused to return until we get what is owed. Does anyone have any idea where I go from here. I have a friend who speaks spanish that has said she will come with me to denounce them as I think this is the only way I am likely to see any of the things that are owed???

Madridboy

Go to your local court house and speak to the Lawyer department. Because you are not working you will be entitled to a free lawyer. Wait until you have spoken to this department and have your free lawyer before you denounce as you will have a better chance if everything is done to the letter of the law, in the meantime be patient as things don't happen overnight in Spain.

sensationalfrog

why did hubby work for 8 months with no pay?

naomi512

I was being paid regularly so that was keeping us going on a weekly basis for food etc, he was handing in time sheets every month and kept speaking to the boss who constantly said we will sort it soon and it didnt happen. Prob is my husband is a big man who hates confrontation and he is old fashioned in respect he hates asking for things and was hoping the boss would eventually agree to sort it out. I also think he was thinking of long term as we pay our rent yearly so he was thinking if he left it he could put a large amount away for the rent in January

rachelk

But you were paid, weren't you? Does your husband have the same kind of evidence? That seems to be the issue - I'm not sure the contract details are relevant here.

If you husband has evidence that he worked and wasn't paid, then I suggest you get legal advice. If you have no evidence, then you might have to write it off to experience.

naomi512

yes I was paid weekly , he has the time sheets that he had to fill in and has company t-shirts and the car we brought as the company logo on the back and I have a couple of work sheets that they gave detailing thework he was to do, he also has the keys to the ofice/shop and thealarm code, surely that is enogh to warrant that something isnt rght, you wouldnt be given shop keys etc unless you was working. I going to the local court house tomorrow with everything I have to ee if Ican speak to a legal rep for advice efore I denounce them. Thanks for the advice averyone

sensationalfrog

sorry i just find it strange that anyone would work for 8 months with no pay and being a big man,maybe he should have had a word with the boss

would he have done this in the uk?

i have always been self employed,but i know if i didnt get the money at the end of the week/month i would complain,to let it to go on for 8 months is madness

my wife would have killed me if i was doing that

chulo

I`m assuming this was the only way to remain in Spain therefore you hoped it would work out, I guess they came to the same assumption and have lied to you.

If there Spanish they`ll be aware of the time to sort any legal stuff out.

Seek legal advice, soon.

naomi512

Hi Yes you are right it was the only way for us to remain here and regarding the other quote, my husband was also self-employed in the UK and he had to wait for payments there as well, so after 12 years of self-employment I suppose he got used to waiting for payments to come in, the difference there was we earnt a lot more money.
The managers of this business are english unfortunately and as I now realise this isnt the first time they have done this to people, the difference is I am fighting back and others have just walked away. There may be good news though as I told them I was seeking legal advice and now they have asked my husband to go into the office, without me though, so I presume they are a little afraid that I will not take this lying down. We are good workers and have never let them down, this is there loss

jdr

Tell him to pick up the chain saw from the repairers on the way to the office and put it on the desk with his bill.

Loving it so far

Hi
We had problems with a british firm in the costa del sol. Owed us money. Broken promises etc, emails, phone calls. After threatening to denounce him. he paid our money back. 3 months later. Not as much as you are prob owed but still.
All the best, good luck

Madridboy

How did it go? Be nice to get an update hopefuly everything was in your favour.

chulo

Why do Brits believe getting ripped off in Spain is better than being ripped off in the UK.

JLFS

Tell them that unless they pay you the money you will go to the Inem, and report them for not paying your social securtiy quotas.

If they dont pay you then report them to the SS. They will be investigated pretty sharpish, the courts will make you wait, for months or even years.

But if you report them for failing to pay social security contributions, the response will be almost immediate.
If you can prove that you worked there, which it sounds as though you can, they will be in deep trouble.

Of course, if you do this it is unlikly that you will get paid, but it does not sound as though you will anyway.

At least this way it will put a stop to their exploitation and lets face it I think after the way you have been treated, they deserve all that is coming their way.

naomi512

Hi all and thank you all so much for your advice and encouargement you made me realise that not all british ex pats are in Spain to rip people off.
The good news was the company have paid some money to us, not a lot but at least we got some back, they did the usual and said we stopping money for this and that. I remained calm and took the little cash we could and I have informed SS that I have been wokring for them and I have provided them with every piece of evidence that I had, maybe this was wrong because we did get paid, but at the end of the day this business as been running in San Javier for 7 years and by what I know many brits have gone through what I have with these people, so I decided it just takes one person to speak up and stop this happening again. Lets hope this stops them doing it to anyone else.
Again thank you all for the support, and its job hunting time me again now. Kind regards to you all x x