It's coming up to six months since the Priors were woken up in their home in Vera (Almería) to the sound of bulldozers.
Their house was knocked down and the rubble removed - but, as their garage was on a different licence, it was spared. They've lived in that garage ever since as they have no place else to go. Their money was in their house and they are now paying storage on their furniture.
The garage has no water or electric.
The lawyer wants to sue the town hall, the town hall wants to sue the Junta de Andalucia... and meanwhile... the Priors stay in their garage.
Nearby, there's a 22 storey hotel built on the beach and in a national park. It's illegal, but the govt won't knock it down. They will, however, talk about compensation and are currently offering 80 million euros to the owners.
The Priors, in their garage, know that they will not get compensation in under about seven to ten years - if they (or their children) are lucky.

Epitaph for a dead waiter - God finally caught his eye.

What is the reason for this post?

I imagined this was going somewhere - like a website or fighting fund bank details?

Perhaps his reason was to keep the issue of Spanish corruption at the forefront. Better than sweeping it under the carpet. There may be many more houses demolished soon!

Hmmmm. The rich and powerful are protected, the poor crushed and ignored.

Why, anyone would think that this was connected to the thread where I posted that money will buy happiness.

"but, as their garage was on a different licence, it was spared"

"The garage has no water or electric"

If the garage has no water supply or electricity, and the building was given a licence for use as a garage only.

Then how come they are still allowed to live in it???

According to the annual report of the public prosecutor (as reported in Voz de Almeria 15-06-2008):-
- 13 mayors of the province of Almeria have been
charged with corruption.
- 38 cases files are before the courts in Huercal-Overa
for Albox, Arboleas, Oria, Cantoria or Partaloa.
- 18 case files exits for Vera and 17 for Almeria.

Please note that the case file may cover a single dwelling or an entire urbanisation. The article is not specific.

The prosecutor also states that 4 cases have resulted in an agreement to demolish 20 houses which were built on public land. The execution of the demolition has not been requested.
It is also reported that of the 11 judgments made in 2007, there were 7 convictions and 4 acquittals (now under appeal). The convictions relate to buildings constructed without a license, or with a license for a nave. In other cases the accused had constructed entire urbanisations.


I know its the tip of the iceberg but slowly the worm is turning.....

Any news on the illegally extended finca close to the Priors that is owned by a socialist politician?

Is that the one where they have just put in an Olympic sized pool and two more storeys?

maybe it's for people who are interested in what happens to real people, not tw**s who live in Manchester !!!

Yes its rented on a very nice 7 year lease to a very sweet British couple Mr Mrs Prior No garage but they tell me they have one close by...... Anyway keep the red flag flying Champagne all round

So far, nothing has come from the nearby house - after all, the PSOE run Andalucía and they look after their own.
I've been inside the house, it's very nice, very big.
There are several houses near the Prior's garage. One is just putting up 'un almacén'. I expect he's a party-member as well.
Actually, for the Priors (and anyone else who is worried about losing their home in Spain), it's not even very funny.

Does anyone know of any group/website that's getting together to try and bring more attention to this? I've asked before on other forums but people's response/advice has generally been 'that's a shame, just make sure you do your research if you're thinking of buying in Spain' which is about as much help as a chocolate teapot. It's also very bad advice as there are so many dodgy estate agents/solicitors/ajuntaments who are quite prepared to sell these sort of properties without any mention of their questionable legalities. The fact that this sort of thing is happening in a European country (rather than some tin pot African dictatorship) is an absolute scandal and I'm amazed that more people haven't got together to try and help people like this.

Rant over. But as I say if anyone can point me in the direction of a group that's actually doing something to help people like this I'd be very grateful and very willing to publicise them on my website and ask others to do the same.

There are several sites which publicise this kind of thing (can I say them... ?) Spanish Property Insite web and forum is particularly useful. here The editor is Mark Stucklin who writes for the Sunday Times. Non-commercial and honest.
There are also a number of associations which help with advice, support and experience - the best known being Ciudadanos Europeos at Ciudadanos Europeos and the Abusos Urbanisticos - ¡No! - the AUN at AUN
Both have many thousands of members.
Locally (to the Priors, that is), we are setting up another owners association to deal with issues in the Baja Almanzora area (eastern Almería). We should have a webpage for AULAN up in a week or two.

Well, this has happened before. Someone comes on, foams at the injustice of it all, but when you suggest they get off their **** and organise a group, they go strangely quiet.

I think a group would be an excellent idea. You could all chip in and raise a fighting fund, and so on and so on.

Get it working well and you might well find that people like myself who are in no immediate or obvious need would be inclined to chip in and help simply on the basis that you never know when you might need a bit of help your self.

I have to say tho that if those concerned can't be bothered to take such a basic step as to organise and fight, then I'm at a loss to know why any of us should give a damn.