[katy]

The Olive press reported another 2 demolitions ordered this week. Both British of course 🙄 It must be even more galling to see spaniards living around them who are not touched. beginning to seem like a witch hunt.

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2012/03/03/british-couples-demolition-heartbreak/

Here is one comment from the newspaper, I agree.

We don’t appear to know the full story but it’s quite obviously a racist decision. I can point out at least three buildings in this area, all Spanish owned, one; a bungalow, officially a stable, two; a huge extension of two storeys, no planning, but given an agricultural licence when completed, three; a “garage” erected just two years back, complete with TV aerial and services.
All this pales into insignificance when that vast hotel at Cabo de Gata with dubious planning consents is considered, but here the Government will spend 300,000,000 euros of taxpayers money for its demolition!!
But you can’t win, Jenny and John, you’re not Spanish, not crooked and haven’t got pots of money. The powers-that-be will spend any amount to put you down.
I’d move all your belongings back to civilisation, and throw in a couple of sticks of gelignite, let them clear it all up. You’d be better treated in the Congo!

[logan]

A few years ago, before all the publicity about illegal building I almost bought three properties near Albox. They were built on rural land with idyllic situations. During the process I had lunch nearby and overheard a conversation at the next table among a group of Brits. They were discussing illegal building and how to extricate themselves from the trouble they were all in. These people were trying to off load their problems on to other unsuspecting Brits by selling cheap knowing full well the situation. Some of them knew the risks when they bought their properties but the land was very cheap. They believed in the gold rush.
Needless to say I left Almeria that same afternoon with the knowledge a disaster was due. The moral of the story is if it’s cheap there is usually a very good reason and don’t assume your own nationals will be fair with you.

[katy]

Yes, most buildings were described as tool-sheds etc. Agents, lawyers all said that was the way of doing things, that’s what the Spanish did. It was true…except when foreigners began to do it they moved the goalposts. That is why there is a racist element. Remember the Priors? There are Spanish owned houses all around them, sin problema 🙄

A friend in Coín has been offered 90,000€ by a spaniard for their house which has incorrect paperwork. They paid 385,000€ from his Uncle! I would bet it becomes legal in time when/if a spaniard buys it 👿

[logan]

When I was there in the Albox region there were hundreds of built and half built properties owned by British people all over the place. They were clearly in zones never envisaged as urban land. I know some people were pure innocents at the time and were caught but many knew what they were doing and didn’t care.
Imagine being taken to the rural part of Hampshire for example and being told you could build on the top of a hill on Watership Down. You might think that was impossible. Not in Almeria, I think they left their brains on the plane.
The Spanish landowners and developers on the other hand knew exactly what they were doing. The Mayor of Albox and his chums have been prosecuted for corruption but the land owners did very nicely and sold useless arid growing land for a fortune.

[Anonymous]

The worst part to me is that it seems people are being treated differently. It shouldn’t matter if you are a britt or spaniard because thats the whole point of the EU.

I wonder why it was mostly britts getting mixed up into these things though? Not heard of many scandinavians, germans, russians or french getting into these things. I know the britts bought en mass.

[logan]

Many of the developers were actually British and they marketed the area in Britain. There are always double standards in Spain, being in the EU has little consequence. They look after their own and they also know their way around the system.

[Anonymous]

@logan wrote:

Many of the developers were actually British and they marketed the area in Britain. There are always double standards in Spain, being in the EU has little consequence. They look after their own and they also know their way around the system.

That makes sense.

[katy]

@Ardun wrote:

The worst part to me is that it seems people are being treated differently. It shouldn’t matter if you are a britt or spaniard because thats the whole point of the EU.

I wonder why it was mostly britts getting mixed up into these things though? Not heard of many scandinavians, germans, russians or french getting into these things. I know the britts bought en mass.

Perhaps because the rest of foreigners had more sense than to buy miles from the sea in isolated places 😆 rarely meet anyone but Brits in those places. Whatever agents say about other countries buying, the property boom on the CDS and CB was British dominated. Sales to other countries were a flea on an elephants bum

Of course there are many that say the foreigners, ie. British aren’t being treated differently but actions show they are. Just put it down to appeasement! BTW most of those corrupt mayors are gradually been aquitted, at least 5 to my knowledge. All are using the line that they were unaware of the regulations when they issued licences 🙄

[Author]

Posts