I know this is an old chestnut, but just to re-open the (wound?) issue for a mo, has anyone any firm info on something I recently heard along the lines that ALL new building since 1994 - yes, 1994 - is illegal & that they (whoever they may be in this instance, ayuntamientos, provinces, national government....) are considering a hefty percentage-of-value fine on ALL of them? Now this may only refer, of course, to Andalucia, or a part of the Prov. de Malaga, but any whispers/info would be welcome. Our house is actually some 150 years old though refurbed within the past 8 or so years, but the campo in these parts is littered with Wimpey-style new builds (sorry, I get a bit precious when it comes to despoiling the countryside) & I'd love to know what if anything is planned. Not least planned to penalise the countless abogados up & down the place who've obviously advised folk that it is fine to buy houses even though the escrituras suggest they're actually naves.

If the local council have got a licence from goverment then issued there licence they are not illegal.you may be thinking of the exstentions and refurbs with no licence.or undervalued to save taxes.or as you say a nave sold as a house.but why should it bother you as to what the spanish do in there own country.country side or anywhere.

Naves sold as houses for sure.... why should it bother anyone what anyone does in their own country??? a bit simplistic - so the Amazon rainforest is no-one else's concern? I think the despoiling of countryside when houses could so easily be built on the periphery of towns is an issue anyone's entitled to feel strongly about. Not to mention the effect traffic & notably water use has on campo Espana. I would only criticise the powers that be, though, if it turns out that there has been some 'tweaking' of the powers....if the permissions are all correct, all we can do is be sad for the countryside.

So are only the Spanish entitled to an opinion as to what goes on in this country? If that is the case, I will give you mine and my wifes (my wife is "me me" the member OF THE FORUM by the way).

We should ALL take an interest in what goes on in our surroundings, even us Spanish have to live by rules. If not there is no society and only total chaos.

Regards

JLFS

I agree, we can take part in Local elections and so take an interest in what is happening. Unless you want to live in some gated ex-pat ghetto!

Good point.
When I lived in the UK, I voted in the elections and considered myself as having a much rights as the British. Although we were Spanish, if there were planning laws that adversely affected me and mine, I would protest.
If I had been told that it was no concern of mine I would have been seriously miffed.

JLFS

By the way if you never hear from me again it is because my wife has strangled me for using her name to post. I will claim in my own defence that as I logged on the computer the name and password was already in (which is true) but she can be a bit fiery, it must be her Spanish blood.

the late JLFS

my husband has been known to do that too:curse:


he will tell you I can be pretty fiery - even without the spanish blood - maybe I've absorbed some over the past few years?!

If you.....gated ex-pats want to change things, Get off your ass and register to vote..............................Oh sorry you have to have a legal ghetto crack den to vote LMAO.

I would only criticise the powers that be, though, if it turns out that there has been some 'tweaking' of the powers....if the permissions are all correct, all we can do is be sad for the countryside.
.....actually, I should have said we should be sad for the countryside - and use our VOTE! (honest I was going to say that, I've got my vote in Spain & was a greeny letter writer, parish councillor, etc) I just can't wait for my Spanish to be up to the mark to actually get somewhere with our ayuntamiento!

The local authorities don't mind if you vote. As long as you vote for the local authorities. Both the PP and the PSOE will do all they can... until the election is over.
Best support an independent party - which isn't afraid of putting 'Europeans' on their list - or start your own party, why don't you?
We have one here, which represents all the town residents. It's called Ciudadanos Europeos de Mojácar and we're in the town hall in a coalition with the PP.
We're at: http://ciudadanoseuropeosdemojacar.blogspot.com.

Good on ya, Lenox and Co.

(SNIP)
Basically it is up to the local town hall!
If you buy a property with a mortgage the bank will check the legality as well so regardless of what your agent or lawyer says the bank will have the final say, and its irefutable!
Some town halls are saying that to get your paperwork legal you have to get a full project and submit this and then the town hall will legalise it for a fine but as to how much will depend on the individual property and what laws may have been broken!

Hmmmm....interesting....so it's down to the banks & town halls to determine planning rights or wrongs? Have they done this so far? or is it just that it's only now people are prepared to say for just how long the planning laws have been flouted? any more might be enlightening davidakky, for example is this national? provincial? regional?

Yeah right! So the banks have been refusing to grant mortgages on illegal builds all these years? Nobody who bought an illegal build took out a mortgage? Oooh, flying pig...heaven help your clients!

its not just the planning permision its the permision to give the planning permision.well im glad you are taking a interest in what is hapening around you.but at the end of they day you are doing what the people who came to england did.they changed things and most things and rules now suit them more than the english.do you realy think they would let that happen in spain