Only in Spain
#1
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,273
Only in Spain
A couple of weeks ago I had my friendly Spanish builder round to remove and replace the render on the side of our house.
While he was doing this we had a visit from two local police officers who asked to see our licence de obras.
When I explained that I did not have one, I was told that I would be sanctioned because the builders scaffolding tower was blocking the pavement.
Ok I says "it's a fair cop, What do we do now"? One of the officers wrote out a ticket and told me that I would receive a letter to take to the town hall.
Last Friday I got the said letter (all 5 pages).
When I took it to the town hall I was issued with a further 3 pages to take to the local Diputation de Sevilla office.
When I arrived and presented all the documentation to the guy on the desk he read through it all and said "Go and get a coffee and come back in half an hour as the person who deals with this has gone to a bar for breakfast.
When I returned, the chap I needed to see was back, and I handed over all the papers to him.
This chap then proceded to photo copy all the paperwork, and then spent half an hour filling in various other forms and giving them all the official stamp treatment.
By this time I was getting a bit worried
When eventually all the papers had been read, copied, stamped and signed by all parties present.
I was hit with a fine for the grand total of.........................................
€3 and 12 cents For obstructing the via publica for 1 day
It must have cost at least 10 times this much for all the manpower and paperwork involved.
BW
While he was doing this we had a visit from two local police officers who asked to see our licence de obras.
When I explained that I did not have one, I was told that I would be sanctioned because the builders scaffolding tower was blocking the pavement.
Ok I says "it's a fair cop, What do we do now"? One of the officers wrote out a ticket and told me that I would receive a letter to take to the town hall.
Last Friday I got the said letter (all 5 pages).
When I took it to the town hall I was issued with a further 3 pages to take to the local Diputation de Sevilla office.
When I arrived and presented all the documentation to the guy on the desk he read through it all and said "Go and get a coffee and come back in half an hour as the person who deals with this has gone to a bar for breakfast.
When I returned, the chap I needed to see was back, and I handed over all the papers to him.
This chap then proceded to photo copy all the paperwork, and then spent half an hour filling in various other forms and giving them all the official stamp treatment.
By this time I was getting a bit worried
When eventually all the papers had been read, copied, stamped and signed by all parties present.
I was hit with a fine for the grand total of.........................................
€3 and 12 cents For obstructing the via publica for 1 day
It must have cost at least 10 times this much for all the manpower and paperwork involved.
BW
Last edited by big wheels; Jan 28th 2007 at 11:17 pm.
#2
Re: Only in Spain
I seem to remember reading an article on India where things like this were created just to keep people in jobs. Everything had to have a form to fill in and be stamped, even though quite often it was a pointless exercise.
#3
Re: Only in Spain
What a great story big wheels, it's grand to hear a positive slant to all the official bumph here in Spain. You really made me laugh
Jock
Jock
#4
Re: Only in Spain
Ditto, BW!
Made us laugh out loud
Haven't had an experience like this (yet!) but could just picture the scene!!
Made us laugh out loud
Haven't had an experience like this (yet!) but could just picture the scene!!
#5
Not Junior but not Senior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,052
Re: Only in Spain
The form filling in India is endless, but was inherited from the days of the British Raj !!
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Murcia, Spain
Posts: 148
Re: Only in Spain
Great story, and typical of Spain, we have had a casita we have recently had restored, with all the correct licenses. We have had it 2 years during which time we have tried to register for contribucions with our local ayundamiento, we were working recently on the casita when a guy pulls up in a van with an old woman in the front. After running up the hill he explains in Spanish that we have not paid our contributions for the last 2 years (which we already know). I am thinking that this is an unusual way to collect the payment, when he tells us his mother in the car was the owner before the people we bought the property of and had not owned the property for years, seems they had been landed with the bill as the owners before us were'nt replying to the letters.
After telling them that there was no problem and we would pay it, and showing them the casita where she had lived many years before, we all shook hands and exchanged kisses before he handed me the bill and fine.
9 euros per year plus a whopping fine of 3 euroes total with IVA 25 euros.
Paul
After telling them that there was no problem and we would pay it, and showing them the casita where she had lived many years before, we all shook hands and exchanged kisses before he handed me the bill and fine.
9 euros per year plus a whopping fine of 3 euroes total with IVA 25 euros.
Paul