honest opinions please

Has anyone had first hand experience of the well known lawyer who often writes on this forum and often gives open advise and legal tips.  I am looking for any impartial feedback I can find.  Having been stung twice before by Spanish lawyers and I am becoming paranoid about my sense of judgement.

Any help would be appreciated

Hi

I believe the person you are after is Maria de Castro  see website www.costaluzlawyers.es/  , her contact details can be found via that page.

I'm sorry, I had a quick  glance at your posting and thought you were asking for contact details. Maria has not represented me but I have pm'd her a few times and have found her helpful. 

On a personal level, I would be very much interested in making contact with the lawyer that won at least one case against Corvera, any help with this would be very much appreciated.

kev

This message was last edited by kev2 on 15/02/2010.

Hi Kev

Its me Eileen from the other forum! I was asking about Maria because I didn't want a frying pan fire situation!

Hi,

Does anyone else think we should be worried by this article by law firm Irwin Mitchell (see link below) - it's about the Polaris World situation but also mentions Corvera about three quarters of the way down...

http://www.irwinmitchell.com/news/Pages/Polaris-World-Seeks-To-Avoid-Bankruptcy.aspx

The problem is slightly different for buyers that have not yet completed as many Polaris buyers do not have the basic legal requirement a bank guarntee, unlike Corvera buyers

Some Polaris buyers, without BG´s, have decided to complete on properties on other resorts because without a valid BG you are just another creditor

The banks have also taken over a number of properties and are selling them at large discounts with 100% mortgages 

Apart from them both being developers and the effects of the credit crunch cannot really see why there is a comparison apart from perhaps generating business, fear uncertainty and doubt

Hi difi.

Although it may have some relevence to some people, It just looks like another law firm advert to me.

Ever heard of the term AMBULANCE CHASER.

I can see a pretty big comparisson and a whole lot of relevance. Spain is in an absolute mess and i guess there is going to be an even bigger flood of even cheaper properties hitting the market when the banks take hold of the developers "assets".

Isnt it common sense to assume that  if happening to Polaris then it could very well happen to Calidona?Comapny health check wasnt in great shape financial year 08 but i am guessing it probably got a lot worse last year. I dont think the article is  scaremongering just presenting facts.

anyway i am off to stick my head in the sand and pretend that none of its happening..

This is copied from a post by v.j. on the Roda forum.

If you have truly lost faith in the developer you may want to think extra hard before selecting your lawyer to take legal actions. V.J. paid his deposit on La Tercia Real, he had bank guarantees and the developer went bust. An open and shut case you may think?

Hi

I have been buying property in La Tercia Real for over 5 years.

only to have the builders stop building, i was fortunate to have bank gaurantee, so pursued the bank for my money.

This was paid to me relunctantly last year, after threatening them with court action.

But the interest on the money,i was advised to sue the developer (Peinsa)

Solicitors told me i would be able to sue for interest on the money,my initial deposit,court fees, and all my solicitors cost, plus any exspenses i would incure.

So i agreed.....well who wouldnt....solicitors took 5000 euros from my money which had been returned from the bank to pursue the lawsuit.

Well wouldnt you!!!! if solicitors tell you you are entitled to 20.000 to 25.000 euros.

I have won court case...with Peinsa...they had been issued 28 day to comply. this was back in November....

But nothing...apparantly they are hooked up to the hills in dept....with no assets morgage free.

But yet again..this week recieved letter from solicitors, that they had met with Peinsa solicitors and come to arrangment,

that they pay me ....and many others in the same situation....2000 euros...and any court fee left.

But Imont solicitors will have had there fee from cliants up front...so what court fee would be left.

Just feel that the solicitors acting for myself and many others in this situatio have sold us down the river.

Are they acting for us or for the developers solictors....as you know ...in spain ....they are all in bed together..

The spanish system Sucks!!!! and we brits are baring the brunt of these laws...and been ripped of all ways.

I feel sick in my stomach, and have lost all trust in the legal system in spain....my dream has been shattered.

I have over the last 5 years lost money , in solicitors fees, bank charges,valustion fees from banks with false promises of morgages. The banks charge for everything. and also gave me no interest on my money in spain for 18 months, this is the money returned to me from bank gaurantee.

Absolutely spot on again Steve. Sod it.......I was thinking of sueing for the return of my deposit but after reading your post I've changed my mind. It makes much more sense to complete on my property that's now worth the square root of #### all and pay sky high maintenance charges for the rest of my life to keep the building site tidy. What was I thinking of ?????

Dave

It wasn't meant like that Dave,

Just warning some not to jump at the first lawyer that promises them everthing they want to hear without discussing how and when they and  lawyer gets paid and how much.

 On the subject of spanish lawyers I have heard a rumour that Jonathan who was representing the class action group has done  a bunk with the £700 deposits from all 130 members - can anybody shine any light on this or is Steve pretty justified in saying that you should not jump at the first lawyer that comes along and promises the earth.

Could  this be why Maria and not Jonathon was at a meeting recently held in England or is this a different group action

Just a rumour at present so maybe someone from the group should knock it on the head straight away ?

I feel Fifer is perfectly entitled to ask this here. If an action broke down for genuine reasons or a lawyer did not pursue an action based on a genuine legal opinion, surely it is in everyone's interest to know that and the reasons - it might save a lot of people some time and money chasing a difficult cause? Likewise, if individuals have a grievance with a particular lawyer, surely that sort of information would be extremely valuable to someone else who had considered using that lawyer?

A lot of people were on here stating this Jonathan was the way forward. If he is not, tell us why?

Superhero

Information is crucial to all who may be wishing to take legal action or otherwise

This forum is to benefit all users, so if someone has had a bad experience with a particular lawyer would you not be willing to warn others ? and if there is nothing to be taken from the rumour why not just say so !

Ps I was an original member of the Corvera Owners Group who was unable to attend  the meeting with Jonathan Lambert in Birmingham on Jan 10th  2008 but still recieved the meeting notes from Lisa, however as the deadline for commiting to the legal action was then set at the 30th Jan I held off as I was still unsure what to do at that time, of course myself and others were then subsequently dumped from the group owners forum when Ash shut the door on us.