Mangagement Companies

Hi All

Is anyone using a management company here for there property on Corvera. I have been using Universal Management and as i have no time to visit my property i rely solely on them to achieve anything. At first i paid for the snagging and was happy as they seemed quite effecient and gave me a list of problems and chased Corvera to fix them up. I was happy to see the list get smaller and smaller pretty quickly. Now recently after using a furniture company to install everything i was surprised when there was a hitch installing the diswasher as there seems to be a cupboard in the way. I was notified and asked if i would like quotes to get the cupboard removed and the dishwasher finally installed. I agreed and was expecting a quote in the next few days. Then i was told that the guy who was looking after me has resigned, although i was disappointed as he was doing a pretty good job. This was approximately 5 weeks ago. Since then i have not been contacted by anyone from Universal Hospitality, and no progress has been made installing my dish washer. I'm worried on 2 counts as i have paid for there service for 12 monthsand dont seem to be getting any and the other reason is i can't get my apartment finally completed and ready to be inhabited. I know rentals will be almost impossible to come by but i expect these things to be finalised at least then i can let family and friends use the place. I have also been waiting for the same amount of time for either them, or the rental agency who suggested Universal Hospitality to me, to take photos and get the place advertised.

I have found the whole scenario very frustrating as i'm currently located on the other side of the world and the whole reason i paid for this service was not to encounter these problems.

Any advise would be appreciated is anyone using a better company or having similar problems?

Regards

Iain

Hi Iain as as your quite rightly say Chris who was doing the snagging and other services has left the company but he is still very much around onsite, but really focusing on the rental and maintainance side under a new name and I actually received a referial for snagging yesterday who now claimed to be recommended by Universal

I understand that there is a lady now doing the snagging checks  but I have not seen much of her ye when Chirs was around most of the time but there wasnt anybody based on site

I am happy to help you if you want as the diswasher thing as is very easy and inexpenive to resolve, and is an advisory on all of our reports.  

The cupboard has to be removed and a support fitted to hold up the work top, very improtant as sometimes they just leave it sittiing on top of the dishwasher and it drops. The plumbing. depending on the type of property, normally connects to the plumbing under the sink and there should be a socket behind the cupboard, providing of course they are trying to fit the dishwasher in the right place.

If you are looking for alternative rental organisations or help please PM me rather than me quoting people on the forum, same agian if you want help with dressing the property and photographs

Hi Iain,

You might get somewhere with Stuart Thomas whos number used to be 0034 968 193 806 who was the original founder of Calidona property management which changed to Universal hospitalities, as it happens we ended up not deciding to renew our contract with them when they changed management for various reason.

Stuart however will bend over backwards to help you I am sure, as he always did with us, hopefully hes still in a position at universal hospitalities to get to the bottom of your problems, however we have not been with them now for about 5 months but presuming he is still with them.

Cheers Rory.

I do see  today that the Universal website is down, not sure about their email but I know that Chris and Robbie are members of the forum and they may be able to help

I believe that Calida International still exist

Dear All

I have recently bought a Menta property on Corvera and have also signed up to Universal Hospitality. I am aware that there has been a change over of staff but i have not been affected as i have still received all the information i have been waiting for and my snagging list, although extensive, is reducing now.

I hope that you have an improved service from Universal in line with mine,

Tina

There is a problem getting the snagging done onsite which is normal when a development has limited new building works being done

The developer, not just Calidona, will quote 30 working days however this is rarely achieved plus with now way of checking the utilities, untill after they are connected, things like leaking radiators or plumbing are very common

Rememeber youy should ALWAYS make sure that the snagging list is an exhibit when you complete at The Notary and becomes part of the contract process in case there is a dispute

As many of my customers can testify to, when the developer says the works are done, they will not be, and often new defects can be created by the works, again very normal for Spain.

Also defects not created by Corvera can happen when the furniture is fitted, they mark a wall, drill a hole in the wrong place, or sometimes furniture is damaged to the checking process is actually quite lengthy

Typically we end up having to check the property 8-9 times before the works are done which  is why a snagging service has  to offer unlimited visits

After meeting a few frustrated people onsite, and not a normal service for us, we started to provide a service where, even if a person has done their own inspection, we manage the repair process for them, visit the property and provide regular reports,make sure the boiler and AC is working when they arrive, normally viistng tjhe property weekly

Calidona do eventually carry out the repairs to a reasonable standard, but you do have to push them hard and typically visiting the property every week checking progress and we can omly do this because of the large number of customers that we have on this site

If anybody needs them, and because walls do get marked, I have the paint codes for internal and external areas on all properties plus the boiler manual in English  

If anyone is thinking of using a professional snagger, I strongly recommend Roy. I completed at the end of March and Corvera have still not addressed all the snagging. The most notable being the commissioning of the boiler. You really have to keep on pushing Corvera and it is really a case of "he who shouts loudest". Roy has done a very professional job and if it wasn't for his persistance I would not have noticed a gas leak which I was informed countless times by Corvera had been fixed. Roy's persitance and trusty gas detector ensured that Corvera finally fixed the leak which required external gas pipes to be dug out and replaced.

Jag

Hi Jag and thank you for your comments as we do obviously have to work very hard to get items done but we don´t give up easily

Is is worrying however when it comes to things like gas, as we have now found 5 leaks in boilers so far with leaks, typically from the soldered joints and they have all been repaired by Corvera, re-tested, and found to be OK

Our standard check is to check the pipework for leaks plus the vent for Carbon Monoxide 

In your case if was more diffucult as the lak was coming into the property from the adjoining property but you could still smell the gas so if anybody smells gas please report this immediately or if you are unsure I am happy to helo anybody with a check  

Hi Roy,

I've noticed you are active on the Roda Golf and Beach Resort forum also so I was wondering would you have the paint codes for  the internal and external walls of a Phase 4 villa  on Roda(our external walls are the pale cream colour and not the darker coffee sort of colour)or be able to tell me how I would be able to get them myself and where's best to get the paint ?

Thanks.

I will get them for you and PM you but it will take me a week as Roman is away

Thanks for your help Roy.Look forward to hearing from you.

Hi Roy, could you also please ask Roman if he has paint codes for the internal and external walls for the Olmo villas at Corvera (in case we need to do any future touch-up paint jobs).

Thanks very much, Christine

As many people have been looking for keyholders etc I thought I would post that I have just found out that Roy Howitt has started up a new Property Management business called Corvera Services.  Roy has an on-site representative based at Corvera for meet and greet, deliveries etc.  Corvera Services will also carry out all the standard Property Management services; cleaning, gardening etc. and their prices are extremely competitive.   I think it is a fantastic idea to have someone based directly at Corvera for keyholding as you never know when you may need access to your property.  Their Property Management fee also includes a Property Guide providing information on the resort and local amenities, restaurants, shopping centres etc, this will be great for both owners and renters alike.  This does not mean that Roy will not be carrying out snagging any more - this is in addition to that side of things being run by staff taken on by Roy and his wife, Lorraine.  His website address is http://www.corveraservices.com/index.html .  Hope this helps.

Anita

 Good on you Roy. I had just heard last weekend that you are renting a property on Corvera so assumed that you would be offering some services in addition to your other business interests.

Key holding and cleaning was wide open for anyone with an interest in basing themselves there so well done and look forward to passing on your information as I have been asked about this by several neighbours both on and off the golf course there.

It is good to see that someone like Roy who spends a lot of time in Corvera has the confidence to rent there and move in. Hopefully it augurs well for the development. 

Good luck with your new enterprise. 

Don

 I would like to make a recommendation for any Corvera owners who want their property looked after. Roy and Lorraine Howitt have set up a company on site to help owners who want a full management or key holding service.
I think they are very professional and thorough in their business and I am so happy to have them on site looking after my apartment. The cost is very low compared to other companies, only 240 euros for a 2/3 bed property. 
Roy and Lorraine have been brilliant in helping me set up my apartment as I have been struggling with furniture and fittings and deep cleaning--the builders clean was laughable!
They have been shopping for all the little extras that were not included in the furniture pack, having taken a very comprehensive inventory of the apartment.
They have taken alot of the stress out of completing (with their snagging business, inspectahome) and setting up and are even taking photos of the finished apartment.
Thank you Roy and lorraine.

Thanks for the responses and positive feedback

We were doing most of this work for clients anyway and we have only started the service because of the requests from snagging customers and their unhappyness with some of the established providers, both their service levels and pricing

I have been working on this for a while but I was only willing to provide the service if I actually has a real person based onsite that I could trust and had purchased all of the necessary equipment and insurances to operate legally

There are actually providers that will offer the same level of service to me but want €600-€800 per annum, just for keyholding and  fortnightly checks

One of the other unique elements of the service is the comprehnsive property and local guide for each property, www.ourpropertyguide.com covering information on the local area, beaches, day trips, golf, health & safety, shòpping plus how the apartment works, boiler AC etc

I have also registered a number of rental sites and will be staring work to look for long term and holiday renters but I cannot make any guarntees on rentals as the best way to rent remains friends & family or the big rental sites like Holiday Rentals

What we will not be providing is airport runs as this is not legal and anybody that is not using a legal registered carrier is at risk as they will not be insured

I would like to reiterate the comments of Rosemary Taylor with regard to the new Management Company Corvera Services set up by Roy and Lorraine Howitt.

Their costs for their management services for our two bedroomed apartment is also 240 euros and the service provided for this amount is exceptional.

Roy and Lorraine have been absolutely fantastic in not only our snagging works but also furniture advice and shopping facility whilst we were in spain.   On our return to the UK Roy and Lorraine continued to support us in our completion by collecting and arranging delivery of further items of furniture and arranging for additional works to be carried out within our property i.e curtain poles, shower cubicles, lighting etc.

They are certainly very professional and prompt  in everything they have carried out on our behalf and I would certainly have no hesitation in recommending them to others.