Yes they were over contract, they still haven't got the habitation certificates. However we were told we couldn't get any money back by our previous solicitor and she told us to move into the property and maybe try to sell it. Ha! Without the legal paperwork - no chance!!! We were told habitation certificates would soon be in place but later discovered all the real problems and - still no certificates! The people who have already moved in, some have paid in cash, some have got mortgages - are living there illegally because none of the houses have the certificate of habitation, nor did they have the builders guarantee! We later discovered our solicitor works hand in hand with the agents we were buying from and if we had pulled out straight away they wouldn't have got their commission! We changed solicitor and were advised to move out last November, which we did. That is why the builders have only agreed to give us back half of our deposit.

When I said we were cheated and lied to that is because last April we received a phone call from the agents saying we could move into the property after Easter. One week before we moved over we received an email from our solicitor saying the builders wouldn't release the keys. We had to find somewhere to rent and storage for our belongings.

When we arrived on the urbanisation and started talking to people we discovered the many problems. Our solicitor told us she had held back part of our deposit becuse the builders guarantee wasn't in place - we didn't know this and she had held it for 18 months! After one month she advised us to move into the property as we would lose money if we didn't and she released the second part of the deposit to the builders so we could have the keys. That is how we were cheated and lied to! We should have found another solicitor right away but put our trust in her.

We had the pleasure of meeting up at the weekend, and what a lovely family you all are. It's so very sad that you've been treated so badly... not just by one person or one company, but by everyone from the builders right through to the Town Hall.

You are not gullible purchasers... you did all your homework, you chose to purchase through a major UK estate agent, your solicitor came highly recommended, and you followed their advice to the letter. What more could anyone reasonably expect?

Hope to see you before you go and we wish you all the best for the future and your new life in the UK. Do please keep in touch with us and the forum, and if you're ever in Spain you know you'll always be more than welcome here.

I do understand and hope you find a good place in Lancashire. I wish you well and will be thinking of you when you make your move.

Yesterday I was ready to pack up and go because of crappy customer services and finding proof once again that there are Spanish prices and English prices.

We will be spending half/half (or maybe 60/40) in the UK/Spain soon, as soon as we have more income when I get my pension.

I wish you well and please keep posting on the board.

By the way, we may be selling up in Spain and although we still have a house in the UK we may look to relocate with the proceeds of the Spanish house (whilst keeping our house in the Midlands where our son lives). We're not too bothered where, but would like coast/country preferably seeing as out other house is in the Midlands.

Any advice about Lancashire?

Thinking of you and hope all goes well.

xx

Thanks TT It was lovely to meet you and your wife and children, your children are adorable and we enjoyed meeting you and will definitely arrange another meeting soon. We still intend to explore Hondon and will let you know when we are out that way. We've still got lots to chat about too.

Now we are on a 6 month holiday before we return to the UK so want to make the best of the time we are in Spain. All this lovely hot sunshine, cheap booze and lazy days - how on earth are we going to get through the next 6 months

The kids will be delighted!

Quite easily I should imagine!

We will be returning to the place where I was brought up, I still have family there....Rossendale. I'm not looking forward to the cold wet winters but then weather isn't everything and I still have some very good friends there besides family.

That is a complete bummer. I am so sorry to hear that your plans were all for nothing.

I do hope that you manage to put it all behind you, and end with something somewhere that makes you happy.

Thanks, I hope it all goes well for you when you move over here

Thank you. I have tried my utmost to make sure we are doing everything straight, honest, and trying to think of everything that might go wrong etc etc etc, anything to prevent the risk of having to come back.

Reading this thread and others just makes my blood run cold when I see people who have done their best, coming home when they don't want to.

Lionda,

Just read this and I'm gutted for you. I remember you and my bezzie mucca Smarties were going to move about the same time to the same location. He pulled out and lost his deposit - maybe he was the lucky one. I know he'll be gutted when I tell him what's happened to you.

I do hope that you'll grab the positives from your experience and manage one day to laugh about it (I appreciate that must feel like an impossibility right now!).

Here's hoping you enjoy the remaining 6 months in Spain now the pressure is off to make it a home, settle back in the UK with ease and keep in touch with everyone. Undoubtedly your experience is priceless and may one save someone here from facing the same problems you've faced.

Good luck.

Sorry to hear about what has happened, hope all goes well on your return to the UK, Good Luck

Try to look on the bright side Lionda. I know you are bitterly disappointed but Spain is not the be all and all, at least you will be back amongst all your family and friends and despite some of the negative comments you get on the forum the UK is still a great place to live. Also just think of all of those other places just waiting to be visited, its a big world out there.

Hi Lionda
Im so gutted for you all - its just not fair that this can be allowed to happen to people - its about time that it was stopped and the people who are guilty of these crimes were dwelt with severely.
Its a shame as Spain is a beautiful country - who wouldnt want to live there but it makes you quite scared now to commit to it with all the corruption.
Hope its not to hard getting back on the property ladder here for you - as you say its a bit cheaper up here - next door to me is up for sale - very nice neighbours .
Enjoy your holiday and look forward to seeing you in July.
Big hugs and loads of love to you all.
Love Sam xxx

Oh my goodness Lionda................what a shock!

I'm so very sorry to hear about your negative experiences regarding the house.
You must be feeling particulary livid about the dreadful treatment you've received from the so called solicitor
It really does make you wonder how things like that can still happen; just how can a "professional" be allowed to get away with lying and cheating like that!?!

It's a terrible shame that your experience of life in Spain has been blighted in this way; as you do seem to have enjoyed a lot of the other aspects of being here.
It must have been a very stressful time for you and your family, so I really hope that your return to the UK will go smoothly, and that you will settle happily into Lancashire life.

It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you on here.
Please do keep in touch, and let us all know how you're doing.
You'll be very sadly missed

What is your daughter going to do?
Is she going to continue living here, or will she return with you?

Hopefully the next 6 months will be a positive and more relaxed time for you, and you might be able to leave Spain with some better memories.
As someone else said, it's a big world out there - and you never know what's round the next corner in life's (admittedly often frustrating!) journey.

Thinking of you, and sending big hugs
love Sam xx