Living with the Presidente.

Sandra said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 11:05 AM

Send the bucketeers round to help.

Seriously, it's not on. (How deep IS the water in the garages ?)

Sandra said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 11:22 AM

Send the bucketeers round to help.

Seriously, it's not on. (How deep IS the water in the garages ?)

Sandra said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 11:23 AM

Sorry, was refreshing page to see if you'd got back & it resent previous one.

Karensun said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 12:04 PM

Sandra, the water was about 8 inches deep at the worst time. The automatic pump in the grill under the garage door has been working ever since the flood but it's still about 4 inches deep. This pump will NOT clear it all and it certainly will not clear the lift shaft because that is lower than the garage floor. Despite contact with the builder and town hall this morning....nobody wants to know and El Presidente is pulling his hair out.

scissor lifts said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 12:06 PM

you can also now get battery powered tables, for the ultimate in workplace convenience. These models come with a heavy duty electric motor, and a built-in charger, and start at about $1600.

Karensun said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 12:08 PM

scissor lifts..............how would that help our flooded garages ???????

Sandra said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 1:24 PM

What about buying a pump Karen.
In two of the pubs we owned we had problems with the cellars flooding. We installed a sump at the lowest level of each cellar and the pump was activated when the water reached a certain level in the sump.
It may work, although the volume of water shown on your photographs might mean you will require a sizeable pump.
You could later recoup the cost of the pump by selling it once the problem has been fixed.

Karensun said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 1:30 PM

Thanks for that Sandra. We already have the pump under the garage door. The ground is so uneven that it would have to be moved round to sort out the problem and then the whole place has to be scrubbed out which is a mammoth job ( which, of course would be left to El Presidente and Moi !! ).
AND.........we can't have access to the lift shafts without specialist pumping equipment which ( surprisingly ) only Pele and Canno
( the pumping out professionals ) have.

dt_pesca said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 7:33 PM

Not only is this an ongoing problem that no one seems to take responsibility for, I do seriously worry about the long term effects on the foundations of the building with this continual soaking. I am no structural engineer but surely this cannot be doing the building any good. I know you and El presidente are pulling your hair out and must dread every storm. The perimiter wall to the new complex has to come down as natural drainage would of been over the grounds in front of phase II. If the Town Hall is not prepared to install flood drains or divert the water this problem will persist forever. In Spain I know it is difficult with the legal systems but if there is even a slight risk that this water can penetrate and weaken the foundations or supporting pillars then someone has to act asap and not just when we have been flooded. I dont envy you some of the jobs you get. You have my support and understanding.

Karensun said:
Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 11:19 PM

We have the Round Town News coming out tomorrow to do an exposure about the state of the garages. We have sent in YET ANOTHER complaint to the town hall and the Administrator is going to the town hall tomorrow morning at 9am to see the building and drainage dept on our behalf.
Until SOMEONE accepts responsibility El Presidente and Moi are stumped...and wet!!

FibbyUK said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 7:54 AM

Poor you two!
We all know how hard Peter works at being Presidente and the unwarranted grief he often gets..........but to have this ongoing problem is really not fair for both of you.
I may have said this before, but is there a health department in Spain to complain to? Surely it could be a health risk, stagnant water, germs, rats etc., Worth a try?

Karensun said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 8:35 AM

Off to the Administrators RIGHT NOW.

Sandra said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 3:03 PM

Well ?? What happened, Karen ?

(I know you're back...)

Good news or..

Karensun said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 4:30 PM

Sandra............sweet fanny Adams happened ( it IS Spain you know ! )
The builder says if the Town Hall give a note saying ti is the builder's responsibility then they will sort it. A missive has been faxed with photos to Orihuela town hall to a Councillor in Charge and we have to WAIT.....and WAIT.....until some decision is mad. Given that we've been waiting 4 years already, I won't hold my breath !
La Mirada and the FLOODING will be covered in the Round Town News either this friday or next, so perhaps the brown stuff will hit the fan???.................

Sandra said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 5:13 PM

Oh dear Karen what a flaming mess!!
Those poor people on the top floor must be at their wits end.
Let's hope the councillor responsible gets his finger out.............and quickly!

Sandra:es said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 5:28 PM

Karen, seems there are TWO Sandra's posting.

I posted on Nov 24th @ 11.05, 11.22 & 11.23am also today @3.03pm.

I'll post in future as Sandra:es (if I remember).

Sandra:es said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 5:29 PM

I'll watch out for RTN then.

Karensun said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 5:38 PM

So.............who is the other Sandra then??

Sandra said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 7:10 PM

It's me silly!!

Sandra:es said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 7:41 PM

THAT wasn't me, it was Sandra !

Karensun said:
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 @ 9:36 PM

OK........I know I'm a blonde and a woman...but I'm confused !! I know I'm confused MOST of the time ( before coming to live here I had a responsible teaching job - I've got 2 degrees and a teaching cert ) but since living here I've gone downhill all the way ( must be all this water ). So there's Sandra.es and there's Sandra who says 'it's me silly'.......??????????

Sandra:es said:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 @ 2:07 PM

There are currently 31,814 members not to mention those who can also post so it's inevitable a name such as mine would be for at least two, Karen. We just like your posts & like to comment.

Sandra said:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 @ 2:25 PM


Eureka!!!!!!!!!!
She's got it, I think she's got it.
There are quite a number of Sandras using this website, not suprising really as the name was quite popular from the mid 1940s up to about 1960. Now we're all retired/retiring and many are dreaming of a place in Spain.
Anyhow, how's the ankle Karen? Better I hope.
And the water is that subsiding?
At least the confusion in our posts was a diversion for a few minutes, hope you're soon dried out.

Karensun said:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 @ 2:28 PM

Hi Sandra and Sandra et al ( and anyone else!! )
Ankle still swollen and hurting...no shoes for me yet!! Water gone down a bit.......will do another BLOG later with NEWS !!

Roberto said:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 @ 10:52 PM

I know it's not much compensation really, Karen, but if it makes you feel any better....5 years on nearly, and we STILL haven't resolved the problem of our flooding garage either. Builder says "it's the water company", water company says "it's the builder, but by the way, we've submitted a project to the town hall to increase the capacity of the drains in the street but they haven't approved it yet so it's their fault too". Hang on a minute, that sounds like it's not the builder then? We've had a judicial perito round, a technical architect and several plumbers, and annoying neighbours who like to turn up a couple of times a year and "suggest" that we (who?) ought to DO something about it. One has even taken to ringing the EX-presidente once in a while to ask what progress we (who??) are making. That helps. The EX-presidente had a meeting with the administrator a couple of weeks ago, with the current vice-president (anybody seen the president?) because he decided to get involved and get something done - presumably thought nobody had tried doing anything so far. He's now up to date and also seems to have lost interest. The admin agreed to do various things (send yet another letter to water company and town hall, get presupuestos for a pump system etc.) All gone quiet there, and the ex-presidente is b*ggered if he's going to do the chasing up (where IS the president, anyway?) Curiously, the water company rang the ex-P today (had my mobile because they had to call me when they were coming out to clean the garage after the last flood, because, err, the president wasn't around)and asked if we had put in the pump yet. Why do they care? Maybe they know it's their fault?
Meanwhile, the president's husband decided to take some action (presumably due to the lack of action forthcoming from his spouse) and blocked up the two nearest drains to the lift shaft and put a piece of wood 4 cms high across the doorway between the garage and the stairwell, in the hope that next time, at least the lift shaft will remain dry. (The last flood reached at least 5cms depth). He also pumped the shaft out last time - first time anyone other than the ex-P and his missus has volunteered. We're still waiting for confirmation that our insurance will pay the last €800 repair bill for the lift.
I'm truly sick of it all. And tonight....it's raining.