Letters from Mileniun to remove/change aestheticsof properties

Has anyone received a letter yet asking them to remove external light fittings/awnings/pergolas?  I have just had a quick look at the regulations published and if they think I'm about to replace my outside lighting - which was put up on completion two and a half years ago - they can go and sh**e.  This detailed info should have been handed to everyone in a letter immediately on completion.  I remember at the time everyone going around wondering what the heck they were supposed to do in terms of lighting etc and no-one having a clue so we all just put up what we thought were acceptable.  I am very much in favour of keeping the aesthetics of the resort to a very high standard but unless someone has put up something glaringly hideous then each apartment should be looked at on it's own merits.  Of course, one person's idea of what is nice and anothers is going to be very different but, please, cut us some slack in terms of what we have already paid good money for and have done to the best of our abilities given the absence of any clear guidelines thus far

Is there a restriction on awnings? Surely only on a colour basis only.

Have to say I quite enjoy having a look around the jardines and seeing how everyone has "fitted out" their garden area.  Gives you a few good ideas as to what can be done.

I remember when we completed they said the light fittings had to be a certain type but that they couldn't tell us what that was.  Think it was only on a later visit we got the details (we had no fittings until then).  I would say that anyone who had put the lights up before this should be able to keep them...or if they have to be changed then ML should foot the bill. 

I would hope that all the rules are enforced with a degree of commonsense. 

The light fittings are supposed to be white although there was no design identified. When we snagged with Snaggit Murcia in August 2008 their Rep happened to comment about the colour of the light fittings we should choose and that the 'community of owners' had the book of 'rules'. We knew nothing about this at the time and didnt think the community had even been set up by then. I raised this on the forum and several threads ran for a while about the contents of the rules, what could and couldnt be done. People may remember there were threads about SKY dishes etc. Eventually (I think by Dec 2008) a set of the rules were posted on the forum but they hadnt been specifically given to owners on those early completions, but RPM did post copies out on request. People variously downloaded them from the forum or emailed them between each other.

I think people may remember more about the addition to one of the properties that was called 'the cowshed'  (J7 Jardines maybe) and that prompted quite a lot of information about the content of the rules at the time. There was another thread that ran for a while about the colour of sun umberalla's (which apparently should be white)

I think the restriction on fitted awnings is that they should be the retractable style and white as should any plastic screens people have set up on their dividing walls. The rules are somewhere on the community website and were also on RPM's site when it existed. Our main problem is that RPM didnt overtly promote these things before their site became active and also didnt deal with changes people made so things have become established which makes it difficult to persuade people to alter things now.

I know this failure by RPM was queried with them and their response was that all owners know there would be community rules for this type of development and should therefore have requested a copy of the rules.

 All,

There has always been a set of "rules" on alterations to properties.  Everyone would of received a copy of the community statutes when they completed which has a section on this ( article 9 ).    Since the initial statutes were produced further guidelines were agreed and published in the 2008 AGM.  These are the current rules regarding property alterations.

See Jardines English and Penthouses ESPAÑOL

So there are clear guidelines on what is acceptable.

At the 2010 AGM it was agreed that these documents be updated and that until that had been carried out NO property alterations would be permitted.

A inspection was carried out in November and any owners that have made alterations against these rules will shortly receive an email informing them that the alterations should be removed. delays in removing them will face a possible fine from both the community and the council.

So Arlene, I wouldn't worry about lights ( as SMV states common sense should prevail ) and yes SMV retractable awnings are acceptable in shades of white. But fixed covering such as the cow shed are and always will be against the rules.

As Jann states these rules have been published for years in various places, and have always been on the community website ( and before that the RPM site ) 

The updated guidelines will be produced within the following month, but it will need to be ratified at the 2011 AGM, until then NO property alterations should be done without seeking permission from the administrators, but you should use the existing guidelines to see what is acceptable as under the HPA laws the community cannot make an alteration was was previously acceptable subsequently unacceptable, we can only issues further guidelines on what the community find acceptable as our interpretation of the statutes.

Hope that makes sense?

Just as a matter of interest-would the 'community statutes' have been with the deeds?

We know we weren't given anything at the actual completion other than a couple of signed documents/plans because we left that office thinking we'd signed on the dotted line and had very little to show for the process. Our deeds aren't to hand at the moment but I wondered if the statues are within that pack?

But, hopefully its only going to be something major that will be affected now.

Great to hear that the 'cow shed' and probably it's sibling futher down the jardines, the 'goat shack' will hopefully soon not be (dis)gracing the appearance of their respective jardine areas. I would think the neighbouring owners will hope the enforcement can't come too soon and the respective structures are re-located to the other side of the perimiter fence where they belong - in the farmers field .  Will be interested to see how things go and how the ownwers are made to comply.  Very pleased to see a semblence of organisation developing between the presidents & M.L.  Keep up the good work presidents.

OK, our lights are silver so if need be, I will spray white - sorted. Here's hoping that the lattice screening Kev put up for me on the rear patio complies with the rules ??? (otherwise down it comes & Jackie might have to lay off the naked sunbathing !! ).

Happy new year all.

Jann

When I completed i recieved at the Notary office a copy of the Level 1 Statutes, which include Art 9 that Phil mentioned, I later aquired the Level 2 and 3 Statutes. As we live hear we wanted to change  or add a lot of extras to our property but sought advice from the administration, We lived here for quite some time before the TV was working and internet became available and looked at fitting a Sat dish but i new then if i spent money on it that i would at some point be asked to remove it.

Whilst we all have our opinions and desires to change our property in to a home or be individual we are bound by "rules" and as Phil states the Guidlines document will be revised and put to the owners to agree at the next AGM. (last Saturday in May) Until then we are were we are.

Never had any problem with any of the rules whatsoever and in fact was aware that developments in Spain always have community rules as we had done much research before our purchase. We just didnt get any information about our community rules on completion and I know lots of other people have posted along the same lines. I have long been curious as to why that was and why it keeps being said that we all did get these documents- I've always though it was another of Polaris's weak moments. Just know we weren't given anything at the Notaries and in fact as Polaris paid for our Solicitors to do the final pieces for completion a week later- as with many owners- it came to me that maybe these documents are with the deeds as we've read them since, we haven't got them to hand to check. Our completion was the beginning of Sept 08 and along with many others we didnt get our deeds for some months after completion and had well fitted out the apartment by the time that happened. This would at least explain why many owners weren't aware of certain things when it came to fitting out their apartments in that 2008 period when completions first started, after that much information was at least available on the forums.

Anyway-  as ptan says hopefully common sense will prevail.

How can they insist that your external light fittings are white when the landing lights installed by the contractor at Naranjos are black?

And the outside lights fitted by Polaris on Jardine 12 are terracotta!!!

Like Jann when we completed in July 2008 and Polaris did not provide any community rules, also it was nearly a year leter we received the deeds via our soliicitor. Some months later prior to the administrators taking over I heard about the rules so I went to the Polaris Office and requested a copy. They did not have a copy on site and had to get a copy from headquarters for me needless to say our outside lights like many others are not white and we have no intention of changing them.

PaulS

Expect the light fittings are a minor issue and it'll be much bigger fixtures that are the focus.

Actually we all expected to have the terracota outside lights as in the show Jardin and for them to have been fitted by Polaris, it was only as completions started that it became clear PW weren't going ahead with that across the resort.

PS- thanks Paul- I knew we didnt receive the statutes on completion.

i believe the document to which you refer states, white light to the front of apartments it does not mention  the colour of light fittings

Ian

Well spotted, though generally interpreted to mean the fitment.

But its good to see that ML are active on the resort.

Way-hay..........here we go again!

I remember having some banter on this forum early last year with several owners about all the 'unofficial building work' and 'personalisation' being carryied out on properties; Cow sheds, goat sheds, entirely new entrances cut into rear walls, enclosure of open rear patios, 6" drain pipes fitted to deflect rain water run-offs, ground floor front patios being extended to the shrub line, 3ft screens being bolted on top of perimeter walls, etc.

I said "when the owners that have carried out fairly substantial modifications to thier properties are actually forced to comply with the rules and regs, that's when I will believe there is ANY kind of enforsable system of regulation".

To ask an obvious question, if a local or even Federal court DID order someone to remove a specific structure, who would enforce the order?

Here we are nearly 12 months later and those modifications I have listed above are STILL THERE.

Infact other people are still modifying thier properties.

I suggested back then that the solution to all the breaking of community/local council rules will be an insignificant fine and then retrospective planning consent applications will be submitted and passed with the payment of suitable 'fees'.

I think ML is a dog that barks a lot, but has no teeth to bite anyone and those owners that worry they will be 'forced' to change or alter thier outside light fittings should relax, have a glass of thier favorite tipple and enjoy thier little slice of heaven out there.

WW