Phase Two will noty be ready by March

We have today received notification from our spanish lawyer that the building is now complete.  Apparently the developers will allow us to visit our apartments between 12th and16th March when they have appointed an independent company to assist us with the snagging.  They will begin signing the deeds to complete at the beginning of April after which final snagging will take place!

 

Caroline

Hi Caroline,
Thanks for the update. Are you on phase 2a or 2b? I should certainly beware of any independent company appointed by MENA to assist with snagging.  They are hardly going to bite the hand that feeds them. I would rather spend a few euros and get a truly independant assessment. And what do you think they mean by 'final snagging'? Seems to me that once contracts have been signed, any further fixes required from MENA will be a matter of goodwill - or painful chasing on our part. I understand that even now, phase 1 owners are still suffering from problems. remainiing unfixed.

MENA have been putting right many things that were wrong in phase 1. My main criticism of MENA was the lack of communication with the buyers of phase 1, they did not initially seem to believe that there could be so many problems. The builder, VERA, must take a lot of the blame for shoddy workmanship. There are still MENA employed personnel on site, and if one takes a reasonable approach rather an aggressive one things do eventually get done. It does take time though. Problems that manifest themselves only a few times a year, when we have heavy rains, are someimes repaired but still leak when it rains again, and I think it is fair to say that the MENA workmen have become quite expert at tracing back where the water is coming from. Another problem is the empty apartments. Some have only just been occupied because the owners never intended to use them and they have now sold them on. Any problem with the plumbing will not manifest itself until the apartment is used.

Hi,

We are a duplex penthouse in block 14 apartment number 56 - cant find anything on the paperwork to inicate whether thisis phase 2a or b though!! 

I would certainly agree with what you say about the "independent" company emplyed to snag!  We are going to go over ourselves anyway and snag anything remotely below quality.  We have been led to believe that after the problems in phase 1 the builders were changed - and hopefully there should be less problems.  I'm not quite sure how the snagging after completion works but we've heard of it quite a few times- Im a lawyer andhave worked in property over here where it certainly wouldn't be permitted.  I would think there must be something written into our contract at completion whereby they have to honour any snags found.  Obviously the worry wouldbe how long things could go on after completion if we  actually want to get on and use the apartment!!

On a totally different note we are looking to rent the aparmtent but beingnew to the game we are reluctant to pay to go on the many websites and agents that offer services. Has anyone any contacts that they could reccomend!  Alternatively anyone with an existing apartment who is taking a large group of family or friends out and needs additional accomodation please let us know - we will be happy to rent out at a good price!!!

That's phase 2a, Caroline. It was meant to be delivered about a year ago, I think, but was delayed because of the change of builders, who by all accounts are doing a grand job.. Phase 2b is on time and I think will be released very shortly. Sorry, I have never let a property in Spain but I have rented from C2Sky in La Mairena and they were good people to deal with.

Caroline, if you are interested in renting or renting out your apartment in El Soto, there is a topic amongst owners wanting to let out apts to each other: 

El Soto Community link: elsotocommunity.com/index.php

Thank you for the advice on renting!  - I will look into this!  We too have rented through Sky2and found them very good so I will contact them.  Hopefully we will get a chance to meet everyone eventually!

Has anyone seen the latest posts onthe el soto community website?? We haven't heard anything at all but word seems to be that completion will not be until July because there is a new mayor and government in!  Does anyone know any more????

Yes, it's all on the community site, Spain had local elections on 27th May, and there is a new administration at Ojén, nothing unusual about that. The licence is expected, note the work expected, to be issued around 20th June, with occupation early July. We have heard nothing for ages, but all of a sudden many of us have had e-mails from our lawyers, mostly all saying different things, but at least something is now happening. Watch this space.

Hi All,

Here's a message, partly covered by Dave's here on the same day (6 June), that I posted on the Las Lomas/El Soto community forum yesterday.  I think the clouds are beginning to clear!

... Just back (Wed. a.m.) from 2 weeks in the area. After several fruitless calls and visits to the site sales office ("Sorry, no further news ...." etc.), on Monday we walked in and Ruth was all smiles: 5 minutes earlier she had received an email from her bosses at MENA which was on her screen. The gist is that the security problem/dispute is resolved (don't know how), the site is now open (... sesame, several gates were open, we walked around), keys will be available in a few days to get into apartments to measure up etc.). Info in posts above re the licence is more or less accurate -- the local government in Ojen changed colour in the recent elections, and nothing will happen until after their first general meeting (when? Don't know).

We also visited our lawyers for several things and they had just rung the town hall, who had indicated that there is no reason why there should be any problem in issuing the licence (but when ... ah, well...).

So things are progressing, but final completion is still a guess. Ruth said that MENA will be telling all lawyers that completion (Escritura?) could be done before the licence is issued, but it will be up to individuals to decide (obviously MENA want their money a.s.a.p.). Our lawyers should advise on the wisdom of doing that, but it seems pretty risky to me for the reasons outlined in earlier posts.

Re the gardens etc. -- the gardners are working, grass is coming through and it all looks "nearly there". However, there are still pipes and cables strung about, the pools are still full of muck and there is still a way to go. But the apartment blocks look great, the window boxes are blooming, so personally if legal completion happens in time for us to have the holiday we have planned for late July and August we'll go for it -- if the pools and gardens can't be used properly, the beaches at Elviria are only 10 minutes away!

And as someone else said above, the lunch in the Club House is really excellent at 10 euros for 3 courses on the terrace overlooking the golf course and our new abodes, so let's hope we can all be there in the summer. 

       Phil 

Just to confirm earlier points in this thread, I have received the following message from our lawyers:

"However, I am afraid that the current situation about the occupancy licence is, as you have been informed, paralysed until the new government takes possession of every department.

We have been informed, though, that the report from the technician of the Town Hall has been issued and it is favourable to the complex. This report has to be finally signed by the mayor and then we can proceed with completion.

Although we have not been contacted yet by MENA regarding the possibility of completion without having the occupancy licence, the policy of Lawyers of Spain in this respect is not to proceed in this way in any purchase."

Phil

Has any one heard any more formthe lawyers?  I spoke to ours this morning - same old story - they keep phoning the town hall but have nonews yet!

We are having a nightmare - we have just had our second booking enquiry for the end of July - 6 weeks away but we just dont know if we dare accept it!

Hi Caroline,

It's frustrating isn't it! I am in a similar position to you, we had a 10 day booking for end of July, but had to give it up as we did not feel it was realistic to go ahead and take the booking, and not fair to the guest as even if we complete this week (fat chance) then furniture will take 4 weeks, and utilities etc need to be sorted. Perhaps you could take your guests details for the future, as I have done, this is the 3rd booking I have had to give up, but I do have one in place for end of October which fingers crossed will go ahead! Elections have further delayed the situation, but our lawyer seems to think we should only be looking at a few more weeks, let's hope so.

Amanda

   

Hi All!

 

We received an e-mail fromlawyers yeaterday- they have spoken to the developer and have been advised that thecertificate of habitation will probably be received next week with completion very quickly thereafter!  We can all hope!!!!!

 

Caroline and Chris

For those who haven't been on the community website today - there are some postings which seem to indicate that the Licence of Habitation was issued today!  Fingers crossed if this is the case we should now be able to proceed to completion!