andyrich666

I said once a offer was made, I did not say when it had sold, but you have the problem of showing people round with the people in place, however if it was priced right, would not need to look around.

I said under offer for the very reason you point out, i.e. it could be sold then wrecked, but if a serious offer is in place, they go and then surveryor comes in and its a yes or no.

You could not do this in the UK as there is a shortage of housing.

My home was empty for 18 months, my choice but the council wrote to me and said they would start making forcible threats if I left it that way, for now its tenanted. I guess it depends on councils too.

two tubes of toothpaste

You are confusing the loan to the banks, and the money that Brussels was going to use to bring down the cost of Spain's borrowing on it's bonds. None of which was used.

rugbymatt

That's a reassuringly Socialist idea. I like!

amideislas

Well, if the government were able to take my property for the "common good", then I (and a few million others) will be packin' it up and going somewhere that they can't take my property away from me.

two tubes of toothpaste

I think you're making a point that I didn't make forcefully enough with my illustration about "empty British holiday homes".

Although the 3.4 million properties might be classed as "empty", every single one of them is owned.

jimenato

Given that there is a housing shortage in the UK and a huge glut in Spain I think that is unlikely. Admittedly at the middle and top end of the market prices are outstripping earnings but at the bottom end of the market, away from London and the south east, there are still many affordable houses.

jimenato

Forgive me if I've misunderstood but according to the article in the OP there are 3.4 million empty houses in Spain but only 700,000 in the UK.

It is the Spanish empty houses which are standing idle, doing nobody any good. The UK houses are nearly all doing something for somebody either making them money, or waiting for them to go on holiday in them.

andyrich666

some are making a loss not money

Dick Dasterdly

I'm not suggesting anything.
Just thought I'd leave it to you guys to come up with some bright ideas that I can forward to Mr Rajoy.

Bit of bother here regarding an eviction.

http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/05/29/...81_902514.html

Squatters moved into an old transport building 17 years ago and eventually turned it into what is described as a Social and Cultural centre.

Since they were recently evicted, simply so it can be demolished, there have been some pretty nasty riots every night in Barcelona, as well as protests in other cities.

two tubes of toothpaste

I cannot see the difference whatsoever between an empty British property and a Spanish one.

Both have owners, both attract local taxes on the property, electricity and water standing charges, and maintenance costs. In neither case can the authorities put homeless families into them without the permission of the owner and some form of rent being paid.

How can an empty British property be making money for its owner, but a Spanish one can't ? How can an empty British property be waiting for someone to go on holiday in it but a Spanish one can't ?

I live in an urbanizacion where more than half the houses stand empty and are only occupied during long weekends and August. When they do sell, these houses sell at many multiples the cost of building them.

two tubes of toothpaste

No, you never do, do you ?

You just like to shine a spotlight on anything bad about Spain.

Pure Schadenfreude.

hatecold

Funny how people are quick to comment before even reading linked articles....and reading in between the lines.
Happens in all discussion forums all the time. :-(