legalalising holiday lets

Recently discovered this website..I have every sympathy for those of you in Phase 2. I bought in Phase 1 May 2003 and completed in August 2006. I  am not participating in Ocean View's rental programme and have furnished the apartment myself. Stayed in apartment last 2 weeks in Oct 2006 until end nov 2006. Absolutely no one on site on  Phase 1 whilst there. Returned 28 Dec 2006 until 4 Jan 2007. Once again Phase 1 deserted apart from a gardener pottering about. I see that OVP Travel have featured Manilva Beach  Phase 1 in their 2007 brochure. They are an optimistic lot down there in Longdon Hall. They featured Manilva Beach in their 2006 brochure with a glowing description of the complex's luxurious fitted kitchens.What a joke. OVP are seeking quotes from builders to remedy the lack of kitchen cupboards. So aswell as having yet to do the snagging, clean the properties, install the air conditioning and furnish the 120 or so apartments there is also the small matter of  redesigning the kitchen layout. Summer 2007. You'll be lucky. Given OVP's track record  I'd  say  Summer 2008.

hi steve, do you really think it will be so long before phase 2 can be occupied

Hi Stewart.My earlier message related to Phase 1 i.e. I can not see the complex being up and running by summer 2007 given the lack of activity I have seen since Oct 2006. Consequently I would be greatly surprised if Phase 2 were to be ready for Summer 2007 as Phase 1 is more advanced in its construction.

Hi Ged and thanks for your mesage. I sent you a reply via your e mail address. Wondering if you got it because there are certain things you need to do before going over to Manilva next month. If  you don't do what I advised  your journey  will be a waste of time. Regards Steven. 

Hi Karen. Thanks for your message and my apologises for this delayed reply. As I said in my earlier message my comments related to Phase 1. With regard to the 'fitted kitchens' I too saw the show apt on Phase 1 when I was in Manilva  in March  2006. Like yourself I also was absolutely aghast  on being shown the 'fitted kitchen'. On my return to the UK  I  rang OVP and spoke to Joe Barker, who incidentally has left OVP ( I wouldn't at all be surprised if  OVP is second  only to McDonalds with regard to staff tunover!)  He suggested that I write to J K-Smith which I did do. As to the response click on to Estepona Beach and Country Club  where I have posted a message. As I've mentioned in earlier messages I have furnished the apt myself  and currently my 'fitted kitchen'  consists of cardboard boxes  on the floor where  I have to keep pots and pans, ovenware etc. The top of my fridge houses crockery and cutlery. My storage cupboard downstairs is effectively my pantry where I have to store bottles of water, tinned food, dry food stuff etc. If  you would like a copy of the letter I sent to JKS I'll be more than happy to e mail it to you.  I also have a copy of a letter from another Manilva buyer  (Phase 1)  who is taking  legal action vis a vis the 22K euros he has paid for furniture etc. Money he paid to OVP  in Jan 2006 ( 4290.00 euros) and then the remaining 17K euros paid to them Aug 2006.  I last saw his  apt a few weeks ago and its empty and filthy.  He'd been told in Oct 2006 that his apt  would be ready at the end of December. I dare say OVP's argument will be ' Erm, yes we did say  December but we didn't actually say  December 2006!!!!!!'  I have my friend's permission to forward his letter onto anyone who is interested. I see on the Estepona Beach message board OVP have issued a statement / threat. Oh how they must rue the day that Charles Babbage was born !!!!!  Regards Steven.

I have bought an apartment in phase 1 in Block B I think they are calling it now. I have visited the site a few times now but not since Setember 06. I have tried unsuccessfully to find out about the snagging completion from Ocean Useless and still dont know today. I have accepted that in order to have a decent kitchen I have had to organise this myself. Later this month I am having builders open up the kitchen wall to allow for more space and having additional cupboards fitted. I concluded that Ocean Useless have wiped their hands of us all and if you want it doing do it yourself. Would be interested to know what to expect upon arrival at the development ?

Hi Joe.  Do not arrange  to have your kitchen redesigned at your own expense. That was my intention  when I saw the show apt  in 2006  and my intention when I was there furnishing the apt in Oct 2006. Whilst I was there i.e. last 2 weeks Oct 2006 until 30 Nov 2006. I met a family from Birmingham who were wandering around the complex. I invited them up to my apt and we discussed Manilva Beach. Much to my regret I did not take their tele no. They have bought in Block D. However I also spoke to another couple who had been living in the UK when they bought off plan in Manilva Beach but who now have re located to Estepona and are buying in MB. They  too are in Block D. The guy, who I obviously can not name without his permission had told me that he had gone ballistic with Stuart  whatever his surname is re the 'fitted' kitchens who 'promised' him  that they would provide him with wall mounted cupboards etc. The fact that this guy happened to work in television and had worked with an ex franchisee of OVP's Bath office who happens to present  BBC1's  'Homes under the Hammer' has I am certain absolultely nothing to do with OVP's promise to this guy whose contact details I did get.  So if they can 'promise' one owner they can bloody well 'promise' the rest of us!!!  I am doing nothing to my kitchen until I see what transpires.  I will also say to you Joe not to upset those at OVP by descibing them as 'useless'.  I had a letter from Jamie Lucas bemoaning the fact that I had referred to him as 'clueless' and asking me to remove the adjective from the board. Adjective being my word not his as he probably does not understand the meaning of the word. For your benefit Jamie adjective is a descibing word e.g the girl is pretty, the boy is clueless, the company selling properties in Spain is appalling etc. He's told me that OVP are 'monitoring'  this site. Well monitor that!!  I shall reply to your letter Mr Lucas in due course. He did want to discuss matters over the 'phone but as I told him I want all, absolutely all correspondance  with OVP to be in writing. No more 'we'll do this', 'we'll do that' over the 'phone.Hence his letter to me. In the words of  a fellow buyer I was talking to last night ' their word is worthless.'  As I said Joe I advise you to do nothing with the kitchen and hold out. But it's your decision ultimately.

Thanks for this Steven. I appreciate your advice but I have waited long enough and in my opinion any 'promise' from OV will take as long to appear as it has to build this development. As it happens I have found Jamie Lucas very efficient and he always responds to my emails very quickly. He just doesnt seem to have the information or is being very diplomatic with it. I dont like the design of the kitchen or the very cheap units that are currently in it and in my opinion neither will potential renters / buyers, so I am having it changed. I guessed it is better to do it now while its empty. I know a couple of builders who live in Spain and they are helping me out with it (and for not a lot of euros either). I am having the floor tiles in the bathrooms re-done also if I could only find out the name and make of the cream marble floor tiles that are in the rest of the apartment ??? Thanks again Steven. 

Hugh I have sent you a note privately via your e mail address.  Thanks for your note Joe. We obviously have had different experiences with Jamie Lucas. Hope you sort out the kitchen to your liking but think it is absolutely scandalous that you are having to do this after all this time and money. Good Luck  and perhaps our paths will cross when MB is finally up and running. I am going over next Thursday 15 Feb 'til 27 Feb staying in my apt so will be able to feedback onto message board on my return. Altho' I strongly suspect that there will not be much to say as I've spoken to another Eye member who was about to complete on MB Phase 1 but he was there last  week and was shocked at what he saw or rather at what he did not see i.e. a complex almost finished. It is no where near finished at least where the apts are concerned. He's consulting a soliciter and in the words of yet another Eye member '...am cutting my losses and have no intention of completing.' 

Steven, I have sent you a private message. Your right it is scandalous but my experience of a lot of things is that if you want something doing, do it yourself. This lot have had our money and have now moved on to the next lot. I'm still convinced that given some TLC this development could be really nice in years to come. I can understand some people not completing but only if they can get some of the deposit back and I doubt that very much. Just a thought but has the subject of a Solicitor to represent us all been considered ?

Steven, have sent your a private message. I would be very interested to know what solicitors advise. We completed on an apartment in Block A in September and are hoping to go out in May. Fingers crossed.....but not hopeful!

You guys should also be watching the 'Estepona Golf and Country Club' thread. I was about to invest with Oceanview but my niggly little doubts have been confirmed. I wish you all the very best of luck, Laura B

Just returned from a long stay at Manilva Beach and was surprised to find that the majority of apartments were still as they were back in February,  ie. uncleaned/unfurnished.  Wondering how many people have actually completed/ how many are waiting for Ocean View/OVP travel to clean and furnish the apartment ... in other words... what's causing the delay???  The development now has water and elec. connected and is looking really good .... even when it's pouring down with rain as has been the case for the last week!!  Looking forward to hearing from some other owners - send a PM if you prefer.

Carrie, look at the estapona beach and country club forum as there are people on there who have bought on Manilva beach and vistas de la Rocas plus Estapona! Would make sense to make it one great big Ocean View thread!

Regards

KaLe

Hi

our apartment was to be Angel de Miraflores, but otherwise similar problems to you on here. A coincidence?, i don't think so, i just copied my thread to claire and brief explanarion of that post over for anyone interested. I think many of us have been well and truly screwed.

in june 2002 we put our deposit down on a two bed-two bath apartment at Angel de Miraflores. It was a huge mistake as it's turned out for us. We have been let down by Aifos, Oceanview and GVA from the word go.  I realise not everyone is in our situation, so to those who are happy, and got what was written in their contract, (apart from the hideous build time!) good luck and all the best.  As for us, we are going to court to get our deposit back on the advice of lawyers who post on here and on the other main site, that feel we have a very strong case. I thought the post explaining the details that i put on another site might be of interest to some.

Claire,

my development was to be Angel de Miraflores in Mijas. For those not familiar with it, nice location, poor build quality, over 4 year build time instead of promised 18 months! reported local stream problem, sewage problem, drainage problem, so still no LFO. Never had a BG from developer. More appartments crammed in to same area, so looks nothing like our original plans etc etc.

I think some problems above are, or have been sorted, but just to cap it all, our appartment size in our contract was 100m2. After nearly 4 years the developer said they had made a mistake and sold our appartment, but we could have a replacement one in another block, not much more than half the size, with no discount!!!!!!

Many have completed on this site, and some i understand are happy, and i assume got the specification in their contract? Others were ''advised'' to complete on the threat, that if they don't they may lose their deposit and apartment, as the developer may go bust while trying to sort it out. Others, due to the almost unbelievable build time, stress, strain, sleepless nights, worry, have completed out of desperation, and are 'making the best of it'

From our point it's just a bloody big con, from the start, by a bunch of sharks, and judging by the PM's i've had, it's a similar story in many areas of the CDS.

Anyone wanting a balanced opinion, needs to include the above, we are not alone!!!

 

 

We have just returned from a week at MB. The complex is looking really good. The  grounds and pools are well maintained and apart from the noise from the building sites all around it was quite a relaxing stay.  I have been promised that our furniture and air con will be installed by the end of May so I will post an update if this does actually happen (it will be the first time something OVP has promised will have come true but here's hoping!!).

The kitchen cupboard situation is ridiculous - just one under the sink so unless anyone else has managed to get OVP to get the developers to provide any more I think it will be a case of if you want something doing.....

I have come to the conclusion that I just want to be free of OVP once and for all so we will make all the necessary changes to our apartment ourselves. I know we shouldn't have to after all the time and money spent but again if we don't do it I don't think anyone else will!!!!

An update: I have just been informed today that our air con and furniture pack has been installed. Hooray!!!!  At long last the end is in sight!  (MB Phase 1 Block A).