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I've just had a letter from the administrators to say that the next meeting is on 23rd July (time to be arranged).  Firstly the good news is that the pool is now licensed and legal.  The letter complains about the damage that is being done to the urbanisation by owners and the bad use of the pool area .  This is a joke because all the damage is being done by just 3 SPANISH YOBS who are about 12 years old and none of their families are paying their community fees!   So far they have thrown stones in the pool, dug up the turf, ride skate-boards in front of peoples houses, use the pool lights as goal posts which results in them being broken and even unscrewing the nozzles to the pool showers.  The damage to the urbanisation is probably reference to the alterations being done by a certain group of people who think the rules don't apply to them and stuff everyone else.  I am writing to the administrators to tell them all this and see if they will supply a translator at the meeting.  But, I need more support so can you also try and attend the meeting if you can, and email the administrators at gaemusl@teleline.es or ring them on 95 2891150, fax 656 853406 with your feelings and opinions.

I've just had an email from the administrators stating that there will be a translator for non-spanish speakers at the next meeting on the 23rd July.

Thanks Orda for keeping us up to date.
I met with the vice-president this week. His name is Carlos. He speaks English so maybe he is to be our translator?
Apparently the ex vice-president (the one who took an axe to the pool area!) is in jail, and so Carlos was voted in at the last meeting. I asked where the next meeting will be held but that is still yet to be decided. I will post any further info as and when I receive it. 
I think the more people that attend is obviously better, however, I understand that residents have other commitments (i.e.work!) and so not everyone can be attendance at all meetings.
I will therefore suggest that NO rules are made without the agreement of all residents who are paying their community fees.
I think suggestions and/or objections could be made at any meeting, and then residents should be provided with the minutes of the meeting along with a questionnaire regarding any new suggestions. We can then vote, give our own opinions i.e. agree to/object to any suggestons, and, hopefully, we can then decide what is best for us as a whole, as well as listen to/understand individual needs.
As this is a new development there are obviously lots of issues to primarily sort out, and, if this is done correclty, we could end up with a lovely community. I really hope that we can all work together to achieve this.

Excellent Buzylizzie that was a great post.  I'm so glad that I now know we can get something done as a group.  I think the President is doing a good job but he is one man alone.  I had to chuckle at the fate of our ex Vice President as the last time I saw him was about 9 months ago as he was standing fully clothed under the pool showers at 9am one Sunday morning in an obvious attempt to sober up.  I agree with you that once the initial problems are dealt with, and the 3 little brats that are causing mayhem are locked up forever(!) then the urbanisation will be the idyllic place we all dreamed of.  Hope to see you on the 23rd.

Hi Orda
Would you be able to provide contact details for the management company who runds the comples? My director is buying a property at Manilva Heights and would like to find out some information about service charges etc.

Kind Regards
Emma

Hi Emma
The details for the management company who run this complex are listed by Orda further down in this thread - they are called gaemsu.
Hope this helps


This message was last edited by buzylizzie on 8/13/2008.

Sorry I haven't replied but I've been off work for 5 weeks nursing my wife who is very ill.
I attended the last community meeting and there was an interpreter present and he translated for me when he was allowed to get a word in by the ignoramus's who shouted over his translation all the time, but he tried his best.  I believe the yobs responsible for the vandalism have been spoken to as the the subject wasn't brought up at the meeting by anyone and they have been behaving themselves lately.  All the unpaid fees have been collected apart from one house which has apparently been repossessed by the bank and we now have money in the urbanisation's account.  Permission was refused for people to build on the top terrace but they can cover over the bottom terrace with glass and steel framework.  The small pool has been drained as the pump can't cope with all the dust so they have to look in to an alternative means of keeping it clean.  The President and Vice-President were re-elected.  A party was planned around the pool for all the residents with outside caterers amd music.  It was a great night and they will be having another.  One idiot proposed that the pool should be closed every day from 2pm until 5pm so that he could have his daily siesta.  He was sent packing!  The site is to be made private by closing up the entrances and making them only accessible using the same remote control devices that we use to open the garage doors.  Still no telephones available.

Sorry I haven't posted much on this section but my wife is very ill with cancer.

The next community meeting is 18th November in Sabinillas.  The topics to be covered are the Rates payable to the Manilva council (IBI or IBE, not sure which), we've just paid ours €381's  They were doubled due the fraud by the previous mayor who left the council potless and in debt.  They owe the water board €3.5 million.

Also to be covered are the Plus Valia payments.  This is the bill passed on to us by the developer for HIS Capital Gains Tax.  Apparently it is the custom out here for the purchaser to pay it.  I have already had €419's taken out of my bank account without being informed first and they tried to keep taking other amounts of €419's every 2 weeks until I stopped it.  There seems to be some dispute over whether we should pay it or not.  My solicitor is telling me I have to pay it but my Gibraltarian neighbour's lawyers say they are not to pay it.

The security gates have now been fitted all round the urbanisation but we are still waiting for the remote lock to be fitted.  The illegal squatters are making so many alterations to the houses they are in that they don't even look like they are part of the urbanisation anymore.

The IBI needs to be paid by late December and make sure you only pay the one for 2008.  Surprise, surprise the developer hasn't paid any rates for the previous years so if you receive any demands for other periods just return them marked "refer to developer".

The Plus Valia is the developer's Capital Gains Tax bill and he is trying to palm it off on to all the purchasers.  DON'T PAY IT, IT IS HIS BILL, AND HIS ALONE.  But, if your lawyer is stupid enough, like mine, to give them your bank details then they will just lift it out of your bank account.  If you have a Spanish Bank Account you can get the money back as long as you spot it within 30 days so check your account at least every month.  If they have taken the money then close your account and re-open another as they can still keep trying to claim it even if you have cancelled the standing order.  This is nothing short of theft and has been standard practice between the banks, lawyers and developers.for a few years.  A nice little scam.  I have made my solicitor get the money back as it is his fault, so be warned.

The administrators handed out keys for the new exterior security gates.  Anyone who wasn't there will have to pick them up from their office and sign for them as they won't allow others to pick them up for them.  You will need new remote controls also and the old ones have to be handed in to the admistrators who will give you a new one but you will have to pay for it.  Allegedly you will be reimbursed when the developer settles everything.  DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH !

Many thanks for this update - unfortunately I didn't manage to make the meeting.

I went to the Gaemsu offices yesterday to be told that the new key fobs were not available - they hadn't yet been dropped off by the president!  Hopefully we will be able to get one today.... fingers crossed!

We haven't received any IBI bill as yet -has anyone else?

 And thanks for the advice re the plus-valia tax - we had been advised not to pay it but we're not quite sure if this was correct ...

 

This message was last edited by buzylizzie on 11/25/2008.

For the IBI it might be safer for you to go round to the council office and pick it up.  The office is situated next door to the new Local Policia station opposite the new Post Office.  You can pick up the bill there but you have to pay it at one of the banks along the main road in Sabinillas.  All bills have to be paid before the 22nd December I believe.

Many thanks Orda - very much appreciated - I'll try and make it in there tomorrow morning .... yet another outlay just before xmas we could do without!