Years ago when my mother bought our house, she assumed all was in order.

Later on I discovered that the plot wasn't correctly measured, and there was an obligation put on us as the owners to contribute to the upkeep of the local church.

I went absolutely mental, as the only contribution I would be happy with would come in long sticks with short fuses.

You can never ensure 100% saftey when you purchase in Spain. Surveyors are practically non existant, and even with all the sensible precautions, you can still be sold a pup.

Only solution? Don't buy a house.

I'm now totally confused.

Are you saying you believe there IS a problem with illegal houses in Spain ....... or there IS'NT a problem with illegal houses in Spain?

which country was that in Bil?

Sorry, should have clarified. Put it down to brain fade.

That house was in the UK. Despite all the measures in place in the UK, we still ended up with what we weren't expecting.

In Spain, quite clearly there is a problem. The question is, how big. This is something that has not been addressed as all we have is speculation.

To be honest, those who bought knowing that the property was dodgy, sorry, but what did you expect? Those who did all they should and still got shafted, my sympathy to those as yet un-numerated folk, but that's what happens when houses are bought and sold in ANY market save those that are 100% regulated, and I'd question even that.

As with protecting your house against burglars, you can only do so much.

The only 100% guarantee, is to not buy a house.

Buying even a legal house has risks. Subsidence, poor foundations, damp etc etc etc.

Ours too is over 100, possibly nearer 200 years old. It's a dwelling. It used to own all the land in the valley. I believe it's legal. The escritura shows the pool. I believe we'll be fine. Am I sure? Sure as hell not. I agree older houses seem the safer bet but I'm not convinced given what little we do know of Spanish planning/housing/mapping history.

btw, what does iirc mean?

Interesting. Ours like almost all the houses there was built on what was an old stock road, a canada real (There's supposed to be a tilde over the 'n'). Basically people built along the sides of the road, reducing its size to just a canada/canada ancho, so it's quite possible that even then the illegality was rampant.

If I Remember Correctly.

there is never a tilde over an 'n'

'ñ' is a completely different letter

Gotcha. Thinking in English again.

you gotta stop doing that

Hey, give me a chance, and I'll be out of the UK so fast it will make your head spin.

Good news on that front actually. I faced the prospect of sticking out the next 4 - 9 years in the UK, but my son is coming into the business, and if he runs it there's hope I could be gone in a year or so, all going well.

I didn't realise you were still commuting!


I might just let you off then



maybe

Yeah. I'm what they call an 'Extreme Commuter'. It sounds a lot more butch than it is.

my oh has just started commuting again - but across the Atlantic

does that count as butch?

Yes same here, we believe it to be legal, it is very old and in an old village and has an escritura; however, the junta seem to be able to change the rules at will, so who knows?