My meeting with the Mayor
As many of you will know by now, we have many problems with our development. The developer says the problems are down to the town hall and the town hall says the problems are down to the developer.
So this week we decided to take these issues (and there are quite a few) to the top and we made an appointment to see the mayor. The appointment was this morning and I was accompanied by Lola who is our "feisty" administrator.
I've never actually met the mayor before in person. I've seen him around and said "hola" but that's about it. He's always looked like quite a nice guy, friendly, and dare I say it, sometimes a bit camp (not that that's a problem in any way).
So we arrive at his office and accompanying him is the lady from the town planning department who let's say, we haven't seen eye to eye with before. It all starts off well, the mayor tells us we're going to be getting proper electricity and water in a couple of weeks (not bad after 18 months waiting for it) but then it starts going downhill when he tells us that phones are still going to be a luxury because Telefonica can't pull their finger out. I didn't feel the phone excuse was good enough but we moved on....and that's when things started to get nasty!
The mayor had a good laugh at the name that he gave our road..."Calle Utopia"...yes, it's the same word in Spanish. He thought it was quite amusing that this poor excuse for a road should be given this name...which he gave it himself!! I wasn't impressed to say the least. Moving on....
Things start getting animated when he tells me that the town hall will not spend a single Euro to solve ANY of the problems we are facing. He says it's the developer's fault and the fact that all the other developers in the area haven't coughed up their share. Seeing as three of the actual 5 developments here are actually stopped I don't think the developers are going to be shelling out any money for roads and infrastructure that they don't yet need.
So I told him I could not accept the fact that they would not take any responsibility for this mess which they helped to create. He started to get quite angry after I demanded some sort of resolution. I didn't get it. He just kept stating that they wouldn't pay any money at all.
I won't mention some of the things he said due to the sensitive nature of his comments towards the people living here but he is most definitely not who I thought he was. My whole impression of the mayor has changed totally. He lost his cool too quickly and as a citizen of HIS town he should at least be seen to be trying his hardest to make Manilva a place to be proud of....and he's not, he's just taking the p*ss. If that is his attitude then I can now understand why everyone's attitude in the town hall is the same. He certainly won't be getting my vote next year.
So we're back to where we started. It's such a shame because just 3 years ago Manilva was such a nice town and it's been totally ruined. I really (maybe naively so) thought the mayor would be genuinely interested in sorting out the problems that we've got but he's not. I didn't come to Spain for all this crap, I think in the New Year it's time to go house hunting again.
Now, where are those houses I saw where the roads have been finished???
So this week we decided to take these issues (and there are quite a few) to the top and we made an appointment to see the mayor. The appointment was this morning and I was accompanied by Lola who is our "feisty" administrator.
I've never actually met the mayor before in person. I've seen him around and said "hola" but that's about it. He's always looked like quite a nice guy, friendly, and dare I say it, sometimes a bit camp (not that that's a problem in any way).
So we arrive at his office and accompanying him is the lady from the town planning department who let's say, we haven't seen eye to eye with before. It all starts off well, the mayor tells us we're going to be getting proper electricity and water in a couple of weeks (not bad after 18 months waiting for it) but then it starts going downhill when he tells us that phones are still going to be a luxury because Telefonica can't pull their finger out. I didn't feel the phone excuse was good enough but we moved on....and that's when things started to get nasty!
The mayor had a good laugh at the name that he gave our road..."Calle Utopia"...yes, it's the same word in Spanish. He thought it was quite amusing that this poor excuse for a road should be given this name...which he gave it himself!! I wasn't impressed to say the least. Moving on....
Things start getting animated when he tells me that the town hall will not spend a single Euro to solve ANY of the problems we are facing. He says it's the developer's fault and the fact that all the other developers in the area haven't coughed up their share. Seeing as three of the actual 5 developments here are actually stopped I don't think the developers are going to be shelling out any money for roads and infrastructure that they don't yet need.
So I told him I could not accept the fact that they would not take any responsibility for this mess which they helped to create. He started to get quite angry after I demanded some sort of resolution. I didn't get it. He just kept stating that they wouldn't pay any money at all.
I won't mention some of the things he said due to the sensitive nature of his comments towards the people living here but he is most definitely not who I thought he was. My whole impression of the mayor has changed totally. He lost his cool too quickly and as a citizen of HIS town he should at least be seen to be trying his hardest to make Manilva a place to be proud of....and he's not, he's just taking the p*ss. If that is his attitude then I can now understand why everyone's attitude in the town hall is the same. He certainly won't be getting my vote next year.
So we're back to where we started. It's such a shame because just 3 years ago Manilva was such a nice town and it's been totally ruined. I really (maybe naively so) thought the mayor would be genuinely interested in sorting out the problems that we've got but he's not. I didn't come to Spain for all this crap, I think in the New Year it's time to go house hunting again.
Now, where are those houses I saw where the roads have been finished???
Labels: developers, manilva, mayor
posted by Eye on Spain at 12:26 PM
7 Comments:
Justin, maybe you should think about coming to Almanzora/Cantoria in Almeria.
Recently a friend of mine was rushed to hospital with appendicitis. As he lives on the other side of the rambla (dry river bed) the journey was painful to say the least. My husband spoke to our local councillor, Gasper, asking if something could be done about the surface - the very next day a team of workmen arrived with a JCB and a lorry full of gravel and they levelled out the rambla and filled in the potholes.
They also repair broken water pipes almost as soon as you report them!
And Paco in the town hall not only speaks English he is also very helpful and polite to everyone.
Of all the places I've lived in in Spain over the past 18 years Cantoria is definitely the best.
Justin, thanks for letting us know that things aren't glorious in 'Utopia'!
I'm a UK based overseas property agent and showing prospective clients your website and articles like this one prepares them for when the worst happens. I'm sure not everyone experiences this when they buy in Spain but if they are prepared for this then they should cope better. Keep up the good work. Maybe run for mayor yourself! Or would the brain surgery be too much! Best wishes.
What a depressing situation! Is it not possible to appeal for help to the local member of parliament or regional government?
You wouldn't believe how many people have suggested I run for Mayor! And you wouldn't believe how many Spanish friends have told me they vote for an English mayor!
I don't really think it's for me (I hate politics) but it's an interesting thought!!!
Justin, I am in the process of completing on an off plan purchase on Manilva Heights (Royal Manilva as was), I have justed picked up on your blog and wondedred if you have any other info (or could direct me to) that will help me understand what is happenibg with the development. Talking with agents is a slow process and as I was dealing with Royal Group help is nil!
Thanks
gg, we are buying there too! Click the link below and log in to see comments on the development:
www.eyeonspain.com/ViewDevNo.aspx?dev=M147
Perhaps you should move East - our development on Vera Playa had roads, street lights and just piles of dirt which over the last 2 years have morphed into lots and lots of properties . . .
webster
Post a Comment
<< Home