Hello folks,
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
I have just sat and typed out a very detailed submission for your consideration but for some reason, just as I was checking through it, the blasted computer dumped it and it had taken me the best part of two hours to compile VERY carefully.
I simply cannot face having to do all that again so please forgive me but here are the salient points without all the supporting good English text:
1) My Abogada insists that there is
NO walking away. I will be pursued and even if I die of worry, the wife will be similarly pursued until the developer recovers their contractual/financial dues.
2) The developer can extend for another three or four months after the expiry of the 18 month build period..... Oh Yes!
3) The developer knows that we are all concerned and that rumours abound but they NEVER come out with a regular (bi-monthly) update, nor do they offer an avenue by which such rumours can be addressed openly and in full. The resounding silence borders upon a form of conceit at least.
4) I have noted all the comments from individuals about contacting their Solicitors for advice, including the ever-popular "running away" scenario. Has not the time come where we should
ALL be thinking of enlisting the services of a reputable and reliable and most importantly, INDEPENDENT (if costly) Solicitor/Barrister to represent us formally and with immediate effect?
How do we manage this and ensure that everyone pays their fair share? Well, that's always going to be a problem as there will always be folks who will sit quietly by and let others do the work and foot the bills but we MUST do something effective ASAP. It'll just have to be an honour system.
There are over one thousand homes sold on Phase 1 and 2, which means a similar number of owners. If we employ a synergistic approach, rather than this awful self-destructive and fragmented worrying all the time, we can bring the developer to the table and into public account.
My own Corvera representative has earlier assured me that all of the rumours ARE just that, RUMOURS.... but within that statement, there is no denial that perhaps some FACTS, which are perceived to be rumours are glossed over.
She asked me to pass on that anyone with any problems either perceived or real, should contact the office directly and I have passed that message on in an earlier posting. She does a very good job and is very helpful BUT when she tells me that EVERYTHING is going according to the original plans and timescales, only a saint would not draw a deep breath of reflection on what we see and hear.
Anita advises us not to panic and, as I have similarly urged in the past, I agree BUT we now have only a very short time to go before legal Completion of the first properties and our TWO are among that number.
I am not panicking when I urge you all to become a cohesive group right away, "The Corvera Owners Group" or whatever and to begin direct contact with the management of Corvera and Calidona, preferably via our newly appointed Solicitor with open discussions and results published on this forum or perhaps by e-mail listing.
Our legal advisor should be fully conversant with and able to advise upon "running away", be similarly able to advise on possible apparent breaches of contract or whatever else it is which keeps generating such concerns. Unlike our local Conveyancing Solicitors/Abogadas, he/she needs to be someone who is independent of the property market and who is not influenced by vested interests or, dare I say, closed, elitist "clubs".
5) A visitor to the Corvera Internet website today, will
still be offered all of the originally specified amenities and services which we all signed up for. My Abogada advises me that although we are all undoubtedly lured by the promise of such facilities etc, our actual individual contracts are simply to facilitate the sale/purchase of the property. Other items such as hotels, swimming pools, riding stables do NOT constitute a part of our contract but I submit that even under Spanish law, there are very definite implications that our decision to purchase is based in large part, in addition to our selected properties, the "lifestyle" resources promised and that we have therefore more than a right of reasonable expectation that once we have committed, these facilities WILL be provided as outlined AND within the timescale defined at the time?
6) Would our newly appointed Legal Eagle be able to gain access to a detailed list of all owners by means of which he/she can thus contact ALL owners and draw us all into one cohesive group at the earliest opportunity because despite being urged not to panic,
which we are not, the time will fly past, especially when we consider that we have Christmas and the New year to contend with too?
7) Rather than "Panic", these suggestions represent a cool, clear and constructive anti-panic measure and should lead to all of us being able to question, probe and clarify in good time, rather than being treated in accordance with the old mushroom analogy, where "You leave them (us) to stand in the dark and every now and then, you just shovel in a few spades full of %&^$# ". We need to get in control of this mess.
8) Our so-called regular updates and newsletters tell us NOTHING and do not address the issues of concern on open forum. All I learned form the last one was that our favourite golfer (no, I do not even play golf!) has got a sore back!!!! Oh PLEASE!!!!
As a direct result of the collapse of the Spanish housing market and earlier heavy financial losses brought about by the Fat Cats who are again wreaking their havoc today, plus the apparent failure of Corvera to evolve in accordance with the promised plan at the time of purchase, (along with the heavily anticipated re-sale potential/rental options) my wife and I have today been forced to place our new home in Australia on the depressed housing market as this is the ONLY way in which we might be able to deliver most of our Corvera funding.
I am aged 65 and cannot qualify for a mortgage, and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to afford it! If anyone needs to run away, it is I !
Although I would enthusiastically support the appointment of our much-needed legal advisor AND pay my dues in that respect immediately (which should not be done at a budget price as we need top quality advice), I very much regret that am unable to tackle any of the related administrative tasks involved, which could all be dealt with by our agent anyway, as we are now involved in all the hated nausea of yet another house move and back into rented accommodation after having built this home of ours in Australia.
Please also believe me when I advise that trying to get hold of good reliable information on such matters as overseas investment advice, tax regimes etc outside of Australia, is just the same as asking a Texan if there is anything outside Dallas or Houston! Forget it.
SYNERGY and COHESIVE, SWIFT ACTION.....NOW, is what is needed.
Thank you for considering all the foregoing. With best regards, Fizzler. Yes, I've pretty much written it all out again anyway!
(Apologies for the use of underlining and bold print, which are not to be interpreted as "shouting" as is perpetrated by the computer nerds, but good old English language application for emphasis).