House Demolished
#166
Re: House Demolished
It's not just foreginers, and not just unknowns it happens to
http://www.informativos.telecinco.es...a/dn_60480.htm
http://www.informativos.telecinco.es...a/dn_60480.htm
#167
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Andalucia
Posts: 54
Re: House Demolished
In our part of Spain there is a feeling among the Spanish (at least in the countryside) that planning permission is not something you need to worry about as the house will surely be legalised sooner or later. Unfortunately they are often right in this perception! A large area of illegal houses near us is soon to be urbanised. People used to tell us: there are so many houses here, the council can hardly knock them all down, can they! Needless to say, all the owners are Spanish and demolition would be very unpopular.
#168
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: ashfrd kent
Posts: 236
Re: House Demolished
i understANd what you are saying - but it wuld be my luck that it would be MY HOUSE THEY WOULD KNOCK DOWN..
CAROLE
CAROLE
#169
Re: House Demolished
There are people near us who have waited 8 years for legalisation, and it does come around as you say eventually. I have said to them "doesn't it worry you" and they tell me no it doesn't. They just dont give a toss
#170
Livin' in Spain at last!
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: La Hortichuela Almeria
Posts: 862
Re: House Demolished
Chris XXX
#171
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: ashfrd kent
Posts: 236
Re: House Demolished
thanks chris...phew i knew somne wuold know what i meant eventually..lol
i was hoping to move to the albox area but as noone seems to know or has pointed me tthe place where i can understand which houses are the 12 that are illegal....i am terrified t put any money down.
and as for asking the right questins..the vera house people asked the right questions but seem to have been given the wrong answers...s where des that leave people..
the house was legal they had electric and water that to me seems legal they had a habitatin certificate frm the twn hall then the junta [ are they the police] say hey ho we are going t knck it dwn becaUSE WE DIDNT GIVE PERMISSION....so d i need the juntas permission r the ten halls whose....whiuch lawyer gave the wrng advice???i will steer clear of him...
carole
i was hoping to move to the albox area but as noone seems to know or has pointed me tthe place where i can understand which houses are the 12 that are illegal....i am terrified t put any money down.
and as for asking the right questins..the vera house people asked the right questions but seem to have been given the wrong answers...s where des that leave people..
the house was legal they had electric and water that to me seems legal they had a habitatin certificate frm the twn hall then the junta [ are they the police] say hey ho we are going t knck it dwn becaUSE WE DIDNT GIVE PERMISSION....so d i need the juntas permission r the ten halls whose....whiuch lawyer gave the wrng advice???i will steer clear of him...
carole
#172
Re: House Demolished
thanks chris...phew i knew somne wuold know what i meant eventually..lol
i was hoping to move to the albox area but as noone seems to know or has pointed me tthe place where i can understand which houses are the 12 that are illegal....i am terrified t put any money down.
and as for asking the right questins..the vera house people asked the right questions but seem to have been given the wrong answers...s where des that leave people..
the house was legal they had electric and water that to me seems legal they had a habitatin certificate frm the twn hall then the junta [ are they the police] say hey ho we are going t knck it dwn becaUSE WE DIDNT GIVE PERMISSION....so d i need the juntas permission r the ten halls whose....whiuch lawyer gave the wrng advice???i will steer clear of him...
carole
i was hoping to move to the albox area but as noone seems to know or has pointed me tthe place where i can understand which houses are the 12 that are illegal....i am terrified t put any money down.
and as for asking the right questins..the vera house people asked the right questions but seem to have been given the wrong answers...s where des that leave people..
the house was legal they had electric and water that to me seems legal they had a habitatin certificate frm the twn hall then the junta [ are they the police] say hey ho we are going t knck it dwn becaUSE WE DIDNT GIVE PERMISSION....so d i need the juntas permission r the ten halls whose....whiuch lawyer gave the wrng advice???i will steer clear of him...
carole
If you can afford to rent in your chosen area, then at least you will be able to suss things out than to go straight in and buy. Also the € to £ is not in your favour at present.
j.
#173
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2004
Location: Guadalhorce Valley, Málaga
Posts: 1,059
Re: House Demolished
Daily Telegraph news report on the demonstration in Vera:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/ma.../wexpat127.xml
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/ma.../wexpat127.xml
#174
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: ashfrd kent
Posts: 236
Re: House Demolished
i wonder if we will be ablwe to afford anyhting by the time we come..
the market is at a standstill. apparently waiting for the 'crash'/ we also live on an 'A' road so that doesnt help with selling and it is not a first time buyers house ie ; we have 5 bedrooms and its a bungalow..
so we need first time buyers to buy to start the ladder moving again..
we had a buyer who lost his.buy. we get very dispondant.orginally we were going to buy near huercal but cant keep people .hanging round..so we hope to rent..But wonder how possible that will be with 4 dogs..
carole
#175
Banned
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
Re: House Demolished
This is awful !! My heart goes out to these poor people !!
Hug's from Jessica xxx
Hug's from Jessica xxx
#176
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Javea, Costa Blanca.
Posts: 225
Re: House Demolished
Since I moved to Spain 4 years ago there has been so much bad publicity that I just assumed the Spanish constructors and government would do something about it as it must have put so many people off buying.
Of course now I realise that was just very naive!
Now property is in a slump maybe something will happen but don't hold your breath.
Also is it just me but how come all these horror stories primarily involve ex-pats. It seems a case of taking our money and then slapping us in the face.
Mark
Of course now I realise that was just very naive!
Now property is in a slump maybe something will happen but don't hold your breath.
Also is it just me but how come all these horror stories primarily involve ex-pats. It seems a case of taking our money and then slapping us in the face.
Mark
#177
Re: House Demolished
It may well be that ex-pats are proportionately more affected, but that's probably more down to choice of housing/location than to discrimination on the part of the authorities.
#178
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 985
Re: House Demolished
Until today, the Spanish national press has avoided the story of demolitions, illegal urbanisations, no paperwork, expropriations and land grab. Today's La Razón has printed an article about the threat to the economy raised by the hostile reports from the International press and has also interviewed the Priors and other disaffected property owners.
I've written it up on The Entertainer Online
I've written it up on The Entertainer Online
#179
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Gandia, Valencia
Posts: 28
Re: House Demolished
Mark - I have experienced different so called experts in Andalucia ranging from ´legal´to ´building´. All have been difficult to determine whether they are really sound and with whom I could trust. You have letters after your name so presumably you have a professional approach to your business : BSc Hons Building Surveying. MCIOB. However in Spain you cannot rely on anyone unless they come with plenty of personal recommendations. For example, if you employ an Architect to advise you on your nice new house, the average English person would perhaps assume that the architect in Spain would be able to understand and advise you oin local planning regulations etc. In my personal experience, an Architect in Spain is a person who uses CAD and likes drawings. Sometimes or probably very occasionally interpreting your ideas into relaistic buildings. Also in SPain, it does depend on asking the right questions. Don´t ask vague questions but be very very specific. To the point of being boring. You may just be able to get an answer but not invariably. Even with the answer you may always find that the law changes overnight making the answer outdated.
For prospective buyers, don't be put off. Just as in the newspapers, forums tend to focus on the worst case scenarios, for every bad purchase, there are plenty of good ones, but seeking independent advice is important.
I agree re recommendations, seek them wherever you can. I personally give individuals/companies I recommend one chance, If they slip up ethically or mess a client around, I won't recommend them again. I am also happy to give client references. Buyers should steer clear of any individual that won't readily put you in contact with past clients or (e.g. for building work) take you to see their work and clients.
#180
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: ashfrd kent
Posts: 236
Re: House Demolished
You are right re many Architects (though there are some very good ones), I regularly get involved with defects cases were the Spanish Architect Tecnico has played down a serious defect, or wrongly diagnosed a problem and hence often wrongly specified a solution or dismissed an owners claim (e.g. for 10 year decenal insurance). As an example, I was also involved in advising on a purchase where (on the lawyers instruction and clients concern due to my advice), an Architect measured up a property and claimed to have checked it with the town hall (even though the project was archived at the time) he then stated in writing that a property was fully legal when I knew it breached local planning laws by having an extra storey (three in total with an illegal 3 bed apartment underneath), it was also built too high and exceeded the permissable living volume for the plot. The town hall finally got the project out of the archives for me and confirmed that the apartment was indeed illegal and could never be legalised. Meanwhile the Architect stood by his completely misleading assessment (he was also the constructors Architect by the way) and the purchaser actually paid for this wrong 'professional' advice.
For prospective buyers, don't be put off. Just as in the newspapers, forums tend to focus on the worst case scenarios, for every bad purchase, there are plenty of good ones, but seeking independent advice is important.
I agree re recommendations, seek them wherever you can. I personally give individuals/companies I recommend one chance, If they slip up ethically or mess a client around, I won't recommend them again. I am also happy to give client references. Buyers should steer clear of any individual that won't readily put you in contact with past clients or (e.g. for building work) take you to see their work and clients.
For prospective buyers, don't be put off. Just as in the newspapers, forums tend to focus on the worst case scenarios, for every bad purchase, there are plenty of good ones, but seeking independent advice is important.
I agree re recommendations, seek them wherever you can. I personally give individuals/companies I recommend one chance, If they slip up ethically or mess a client around, I won't recommend them again. I am also happy to give client references. Buyers should steer clear of any individual that won't readily put you in contact with past clients or (e.g. for building work) take you to see their work and clients.
great advice..might come to you when we are ready to buy.as at the moment we dont know who to trust..
i am confused also as to how many people in spain are 'estate agents'
not as we know it in shops...but normal people who introduce you to property and they get a commision for doing so..do these people have to have qualifications???