http://www.costadelaluznews.com/

AGREEMENT WITH UNICAJA OVER ILLEGAL HOMES
The mayor of Chiclana, José Maríamán, and the president of Unicaja, Braulio Medel, have signed one of the most important agreements made in Cádiz province in recent years. Under this agreement, the bank will help the owners of almost 20,000 illegally-built properties to finance the costs of making them legal, via preferential mortgages and loans. These low-interest, long-term loans are expected to amount to some 450 million euros.


Anybody know why you need a loan to make your house legal ??

Not entirely sure why you should get a loan if you've bought illegally ... If it was bought and built illegally, knock the house down and make the developers liable for compensation. Is that harsh? Yes. But this really has to stop.

Not all of the Illegal buys are that straightforward I think. Some of these developers will dissappear overnight leaving the buyer who has been duped with nothing. You may say its their own fault, but there are some clever constructors out there.
I'd agree the illegal build has to stop, but I partly blame the government for not having and using the correct powers. After all these constructions don't just appear overnight so they have lots of time to act, and if its down to the corrupt local government then they should correct the situation for free - or am I being niave here

[QUOTE=un-mundo]Not entirely sure why you should get a loan if you've bought illegally ... If it was bought and built illegally, knock the house down and make the developers liable for compensation. Is that harsh? Yes. But this really has to stop.[/QUOTE



The point that everybody is forgetting here that now
Chiclana town hall by signing this agreement has openly admitted that they have allowed over a period of time nearly 20000 houses to built illegally one way or another. Now consider that the biggest corruption case ever to hit Spain ie Marbella has approx 30000 illegal builds (dont forget that also Marbella is a lot bigger than Chiclana) and that should give you the scale of the problem.

How can you possible knock down nearly 20000 houses. I would think it would devestate the economy and destroy the dreams of so many people. I agree fully with you that this has to stop but who is going to stop it? Even now despite all the bad publicity the town is recieving it is still going on all over Chiclana.

[QUOTE=mitzipurr] I don't know anything about Chiclana, save what I've seen on this board, but I agree whole heartedly with your last comment about peoples dreams. If you build a house knowing that its illegal then you must face the music, but so many people have been taken by seemingly respectable builders. Take that Huut thread elsewhere on here. (Solicitors, architects, everyone duped). People save their whole lives to be able to live their dream by having a home abroad, and it can be taken away so easily by unsrcupulous people. The Government knew this was going on, and they didn't make enough of an effort to stop it. I put much of the blame at their door. If they want to draw a line under it then that is great but I feel morally something should be done for those already caught in the net ....... now I AM being niave aren't I!!

Not a bad deal for Unicaja, 20,000 new loans amounting to 450 million euros.

By the way does Unicaja let you off having to pay if you don't win, after all the loan is to legalise your house?

Sounds like clever marketing to me.

Yes very clever.
I may be thick but I still do not see why you need a loan to legalise your property??

I think it's to cover the urbanisation fees. I believe that once your area is fully urbanised your property becomes legal!

Ok understood. Just one question how can the council find the manpower for this mammoth task they are still finishing areas off that they started over two years ago on!

My Spanish teacher who is a Chiclanero (don't know if that is right) told me that Chiclana is run by the Mafia under four corrupt builders, four notaries and four abogados!! And he fears for the future.

:scared: :scared: :scared:

I don't supposed he named any of them did he? Though I suspect I know one of the builders!

The average cost of being urbanised is 6000 euros , that a lot of money for locals to find hence the loans offer , you will need to pay to be urbanised even if your house is legal . work contines in Bateria Colorado , Veguetas , recent announcement that Rana Verde and then Marquesado will be next over next two years .

Someone pointed out to me that 450 million divided by 20,000 is 22,250€ per property. Not sure where this fugure comes from unless it is for urbanisation fees and this 'legalisation' process. The first thing I would do would be to politely ask the Town Hall for my 7% purchase tax returned as if a house is illegal, how can they justify asking for and accepting the tax on it !!!

I don't think it is a simple sum as you suggest , an amount of money whatever the total has been made available , they can only have a vague idea of number of people who will need to take the offer of a loan and how much they will borrow .

As i said it will not only be illegal homes who will have to pay the fines and for urbanisation , those legal homes not urbanised wil have to pay for services to be installed and for extensions , buildings erected without permission, so i suggest the number of homes affected will be well in advance of 20000 homes .