Holiday Homes From Hell
 

Just seen, yet another scare program, Thursday 3rd April, 10-11pm Spanish time, ITV, called Holiday Homes From Hell......

Re: Holiday Homes From Hell
 

The way they moan on the Costa Esuri thread, it wouldnt surprise me if those apartments are on it :rofl:

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Thanks for that mrsjdr - i'll put it on record - there was something on Trever McDonald a while ago about Spain - dont know if it will be similar or not - they make good watching but makes you wonder how much to believe

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May even be a repeat, but thought I would mention it was going to be on

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Some of those progs are a tad repetitive, but sometimes there are valuable nuggets of info in there.

Some of them tho, you really wonder how the hell they let themselves get into that position.

Others you think 'there but for the grace of god go I'.....

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It´s on tonight, maybe a repeat of all the other rubish....but you never know !

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Can you have fire without smoke ?

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:confused:

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Have you no keyboard

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:blink:

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It is like the B.B.C.
All repeats

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:confused_smile:

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Im watching it now....just knocked some poor buggers house down. ITV Granada

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We are watching that french loony who climbs sky scrapers without any aids :eek: Its on channel 4........he is a total nutter :ohmy:

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He is a plonker (spell checker don't like that) needs a hair cut:lol:

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He has got mega bottle :blink:

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Your mistaking the stupidity for bottle.:blink:

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Roll on - it might give us a result.

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Just email [email protected]

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That must be hard to take, genuine emotion from me @ seeing that €600k house just turning into dust. I dont think if I was in there position I would have been as laid back from the start when they knew about it.

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Was that masa building group an umbrella for Masa International, you know the one that featured the villa with the cracks and the sloaping swimming pool on the Costa del Sol?

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Do you think I can use last years tv licence?

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What is very hard to understand is why the local town hall was not brought to task for granting a building license for rural land :sneaky: if there was corruption then bring them before a court, But looking further because the garage and pool was built under an all together different building license they are allowed to stay on the plot how stupid it looks to the world media that this poor couple who have papers stating the house is legal can have a garage and pool on rural land yet their very nice house was put to the dozer to make a political point to others not to illegal build :mad:The owners now live in a tacky caravan on the plot........with pool and garage.......now that is a blot on the landscape..... talking of which do you remember the tv programme of the same name where the lady of the house wore that very low cut pinny showing of her ample thrupny-bit's ::wub:

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The ironic thing is it's not just the Town Hall. National law in Spain since 1993 is that you cannot build on rustic land on less than 10,000m2 (1 Ha). SO MANY PROPERTIES around here have been built on less than that it's untrue.

Some are definately on the nod and the wink of the local Town Halls, yes, but many are not. Either way, builders are happy to build in the knowledge that the build is illegal, estate agents are happy to sell in the knowledge that the build is illegal, and solicitors are happy to do the paperwork in the knowledge that the build is illegal. Fine example of professionalism in the building industry. :thumbsup:

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A group of us looked at land to build houses on in Almeria years ago.
Anything you looked they were selling, yes that is ok you just need to plant 40 olive trees on the plot.
The con stood out a mile and was so obvious.
Nearly the whole of Almeria was agricultural land and reachable land was covered in polythene greenhouses, that really should of given them a hint.

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If you want a cheery start to the day just go in to Telegraph, business pages feature about Spanish housing market, not good reading I`m afraid.

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:rofl::rofl:

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more doom and gloom here, expecting a 10% price drop in property and a 15 year turn around

"Spain to struggle for years as real estate flops"


http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7433456

Re: Holiday Homes From Hell
 

All these appalling media reports on the way in which the Spanish property market is being projected, just one house where the owners were under the impression their home was legal then duly flattened at the whim of the local beaucrat frightens sends shudders down the spine of prospective purchasers.

I had a property on the development where the couple whose house was cracking, Camposol is in Murcia, Costa Calida, not Costa del Sol. Fortunately I sold it but visit friends who live on the development, my heart goes out to them they will find it very difficult to sell as its now got a tarnished reputation. People have spent thousands on their properties, the whole development is built on unstable ground which I fear is a disaster waiting to happen. The area is prone to earthquakes and the build quality of the properties just are not strong enough to withstand the forces of nature in this area.

When we were last there in March the site manager on Camposol was going around to owners who had been getting there energy supplies from the builders generators demanding €100 fee on the sport, the set-up of a direct debit for the same amount or the cutting-off of supplies even if you just used the property as a holiday home, in other words they were being held to ransom. This is just one example of the `bully-boy´ tacticts used by this developer and there are countless where the purchasers have been victims of.

Excluding the property slump and the credit crunch the authorities and developers in Spain will have to improve their reputation of just being out there to make a fast buck, we Brits appear to leave our brains at home and arrive in Spain to be milked for all we possess. Having read the reports in the papers Spain is going to experience a 10/15 year housing depression I sincerely hope during this period Spain will improve the legalese of house purchasing, developings and customer relationship skills before many of us will even contemplate returning to purchase a property there again

Re: Holiday Homes From Hell
 

He's a bit of spice in life. I just hope he doesn't ever fall.

Unlike the Spanish market which seems definitely wobbly.

Tragic to see the dreams crushed. Sometimes people have been damn stupid, (altho it's hard not to feel sorry) but when people have been honest and above board, only to get screwed at the end, that's tragic.

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We live in Almeria, there are so many houses here that are illegal. We were gonna buy last year but changed our minds after hearing so many stories from people, we just rent now. When we do evebtually buy i dont think it will be in this area.

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I saw the programme and many of them seemed pensioners. What a way to finish up in a crumbling unsellable home, my heart goes out to them. I thought there had to be a 10 year guarantee by law?

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hi everyone!

I am originally spanish but I am working for Estate Agency selling properties overseas.
I just would like to let you know all little tips to void these kind of situations:

1st: NEVER EVER EVER wonder around by yourself in a foreign country looking for developers or Estate Agents. If you are looking to buy overseas speak to a Estate Agent (established for a long time) who has a headoffice in the UK.

2nd: ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT the developer has the rights to build. DO also make sure that they are all free land-grab. Tricky situation when you are looking for a place "to do up". Careful there ;)

3rd: Browse around for the same deal. I am sorry but some of you think that you will find villas in the sourthern of Spain for £50K. If you do, mmmmm, something dodgy is there.

4th: If you look to buy a plot to build on. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE PERMIT FROM THE COUNCIL. Do not let the builder do it on your behalf. NEVER. Remember, as in UK, you will need permission for any modification on the property, even building a swimming pool!

5th: If an Estate Agent offers you something off plan, again, ask them to make sure that the developer has the rights to build, if they give you excuses like 'Easter is here and the council has not issued it yet but it is on its way" or "The council accepted it but they won't give us the paper work till May" NEVER EVER NEVER put money down!! DO NOT GO FOR IT!!! EVEN THOUGH THE PROPERTY IS OFFERED IN AN UNBEATABLE PRICE.

6th: If you like a property in a resort where the builder has finished one phase and has another one on its way. DO NOT CHOSE a plot in the unfinished one, the properties have normally same layouts ( the pilots are the best ;)) and it also will be cheaper!

These are little tips for you open hearted by me. I really feel upset you are all watching these programs thinking that all the Estate Agents /Builders in Spain are dodgy....

Remember. We cannot blame the whole desert just because of one little stone in it

Have very sunny days guys!!

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Some good points but, I don't agree with your "Use an agent with a UK office". Many of the problems have been with the UK ones. Could name a few but probably not allowed!

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As longest as the company is Spanish Established but with a recognised branch in the Uk.
Sorry i did not specify there :)

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Why do you say that, what is the benefit of them having a UK headoffice? You realise how easy it would appear to have a UK registered office that was no more than your Mums house or somesuch?

Surely you're better using a reputable independent advisor and not someone who has to cover huge overheads

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Our experience with a large, long established and reputable agent with a UK head office has been very poor.

We have also dealt with a small English-speaking agency based in Spain. Experience very good.

We have also dealt with a small Spanish agent in our local village, again extremely good.

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Golfus, your tips do not cover the eventuality that a legally built property with a licence from the local town hall, as in the case of the Priors, is then summarily declared illegal by the regional government which, at the time, accepted all the taxes and fees due without a word.

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Technically, it wasn't ever legally built. For 15 years it's been against national planning rules to build on rustic land on anything less than 10,000 m2. It's not like no-one knew the rules.

The issue is that the builders, solicitors, estate agents and town halls all happily broke the rules for years. And when something was finally done, it was the homeowners that got blamed!

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This is why I and many other Brits would add
Point 7 "Forget it."