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Hello All. I hope this finds you well.

I have read through some of your comments to see if I was being over sensitive about the finish on my apartment and it appears I am not alone!

I am due to complete in Nov for my apartment 2 F in Block 1,

Firstl,y when I bought the property in January 2004 I was told it was 18 months to completion when it has in actual fact been nearly 3 years. I had previously viewed one of the original apartments in Panoramic Park and was very impressed. When I decided to buy at La Entrada I was told that this devlopment would be better than the first so I went to the show flat. I liked what I saw except for the batroom which had a different colour marble around the sink compared to the floor. I was assured by Gomendio that they were chaging the spec and the bathrooms would be nicer and on a par with the first phase at Punta Prima. The bathroom I viewed had fitted units them. The kitchen was also fully fitted and of a high standard. So off the back of the show flat and the La Entrada brochure and the sucess of their first development I bought at La Entrada.

Nearly 3 years later I went to view the apartment whilst in Spain to do my NIe number and was massively disapointed to find a very basic kitchen not fitted and without units. I have been told I will need tio pay 3,400 eiros for Gomendio to finish it - out rageous!This is not what I expect from a luxury apartment. Furthermore I was disapointed to see that the main bedroom that has the en suite does not have access to the terrace- just small windwos. From the brochure I picked design 3 which is supposed to have both bedrooms and the lounge with access to the terrace- this design is only available in blocks 1 & 5. The layout if my flat is indentical to the one in the brochure except with a much smaller teraace. I am now told by Gomendio that no flats in block 1 & 5 have the terrace with acess from all three rooms. Has anyone else had this problem?

Furthermore I was put under considerable pressure from the solicitors to take the builders mortgage and they wanted me to give them power of attorney- for which I have done neither as the builders mortgage is only 15 years and I dont want costly bills from the solicitor when they are cleary on the side of the builder.

I was also told a marina was being built at Punta Prima along with a new golf course- neither of which I see any evidence of.

I hate to sound so un enthuiastic but I expected much better from Gomendio. I have seen alt of apartments in Spain and it is rare for the kitchen not to be fitted even on lower budget developments.

Please let me  know your views and advice. I am in two minds wether to complete and sign for the property until they able to sort out these matters and if so do I even stand a chance?

I would love to her from you either in this forum or by email sukihumby1@hotmail.com

Thanks Suki

Hi, I'm afraid I recognise everything that you've said, ie pressure from solicitor, change in spec from builder, delays and no evidence of plans. The only thing that I would say is now months down the line, I'm relatively happy with my apartment. I had many snags, but they are now nearly all complete.   You might want to reconsider completing though as the property market has  really slowed down and there may be better bargains to be had:)

Hello

Thank you for your response Louisen and also a thank you to the people who emailed me.

I am trying work out what is the best option for me. And would like feedback from anyone who has the time.

I have searched through the brochures and various articles on La Entrada and also my contract. It does not state anywhere that there is an extra fee for the kitchen to be fitted. It is advertised as a luxury development where one would assume a fitted kitchen comes as standard! Although it does state it in the brochure for La Recoletta (the new phases at Punta Prima).

I know most have now completed and either paid the extra amount for the kitchen or have put up with a sub standard one but I wondered if it worth us all getting together and collectively putting pressure on Gomedio? Im sure they would not want bad press as it will affect future sales.

Perhaps we should all write to Gomedio. those who have paid extra for the kitchen should demand a refund and those who have an incomplete kitchen should demand a finished one. I suspect that as each of has compeleted they have been able to put the pressure on but if we get togther on it they may feel the pressure more?

Is there any members here that were aware there would be an extra charge for the kitchen?
Does anyone else have a much smaller terrace to the one they anticipated- specifically in block 1 & 5? Did they expect all three rooms to open onto the terrace as per the floor layout in the La Entrada brochure and in the following link: http://www.runiga.com/ingles/home.php?pageid=51

The article above also states that the heated pool would be heated for year round use.

Do any of you have cabinets in your bathroom under the sink. It was confirmed back in january this year that they would be fitted?

Did anyone manage to find out who the supplier of the kitchen is to obtain matching units?

What kind of snags did you notify the compny of and how sucessful have you been in ghaving them fixed?

Any info any of you can give me would be greatly appreciated as I intend to not complete until things are clearer.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Suki Humby

We complete our apartment in block 2 in November and it is absolutely outrageous that the kitchen does not come complete given that it is advertised as a luxury development. The Building Specification section of my sale contract says " Kitchen cupboards in wood with preformed counter ". It does not say anywhere that the kitchen is incomplete and that to complete it would incur an additional cost. I faxed a copy of  the Building Specification to my estate agent who has forwarded it to my lawyer to deal with. We bought the apartment after seeing the show flat which had a complete kitchen. Nowhere did it say in the show flat that there would be an extra charge for the upper kitchen units. Perhaps there is a Spanish law somewhere that protects purchasers/consumers from this kind of blatant misrepresentation? We would be interested in collectively puting pressure on Gomendio.         

We completed on our property in February for Block 5 - it was not until a few weeks before that we found out that the kitchen wall units were not included.  The price that we were subsequently given at the notaries on the day of completion was a ridicluous amount of money.  We have since had wall units added, replacements for all the floor units and drawer fronts and a complete extra floor cupboard for less money than Gomendio quoted (spanish independent company).  It was impossible to find the correct Corte Ingles store that supplies the kitchen units - we went to Alicante, they rang Murcia, we e-mailed Madrid all to no avail .

We were always aware that only our lounge would have access to our terrace (not any of the bedrooms) because of the apartment that we bought.  Were you not able to see the plans or get a copy when you initially signed - perhaps we received copies because we bought off plan. 

At the moment Block 5 - 8 are looking after, and paying for, all the garden and pool maintenenance for the whole complex,  because it would seem that Gomendio would not open any of the other pools for the summer months,  if the community did not take this on.

Problem with the middle pool seems quite hard to rectify as it has been going on since early August - as is the areas of grass dying (was due to irrigation system sowe were told because it was flooding and therefore was turned off).   We also thought that the pool was to be heated for all year - though having swum in it in August - you would not need it to be heated then.

Sukhum - As far as we are aware there was never any cabinets under the sinks in these bathrooms. 

We actually stayed in our apartment for the first time in August even though we completed in February - due to snagging that we felt necessary to have done before we could stay there.  We still have 2 -3 items that need to be finished. 

Be wary of not completing on the given date - check with your solicitor first.

Going back in two weeks time so perhaps the grass areas etc may have been rectified and we can actually have a holiday (read books etc).

 

It seems we are all very disapointed with Gomendio. I will continue to put as much pressure on them as possible. At the very least they should be able to provide us with the supplier of the units so we can arrange to have them installed ourselves. I have an email address for a representative at Gomendio. His name is Juan Carlos juancarlos@gomendio.es I will write an email to him today asking for a full explanation and what they plan to do about it.

Has anyone else contacted Gomendio about the kitchens directly or did you all go via your solicitor?

I would like to start an online petition from as many owners at La Entrada as possible so we can collectively target them.

Another phase is due to be released in about two weeks time and im sure they will not want bad press for sales for the new pahse being released. Obviously I dont want to affect the value of my own property but I think it can be done in a way to show them we just wont put up with it.

I will let you know how I get on with Gomendio.

 

Thanks Suki

Sorry. One last question. When I had a quick look last month I didn't checking out the underground parking storage area. Is everyone satisfiied with what they have been given? Please can you confirm what is there? Is it a garage or lock up and roughly what size/

Thanks in advance and I look forward to meeting you all eventually!

Suki

Suki - The garage is just a vast empty space which in the case of Blocks 1 and 5 goes under both blocks.  It is set out like a shop car park with lines indicating the space with a number.  The car parks all go under two blocks therefore 6/7 share a car park as will 4 & 8 etc etc.

The lifts are spaced around the car park in small what can only be described as little corridors/rooms.

The storage areas are in one of the lift areas depending on which block you are in. Inside your storage area there are no power points - just a light - which to us seems ridiculous.  

The spaces are quite tight and narrow to get in and out of in some parts of the car park especially if you have one of the pillars.

The automatic doors take a bit of getting used to with regards to timing of the opening and shutting.

Juan Carlos is actually new having only started working for Gomendio in late July/August - he is very nice but has to agree everything with another person. Recently we have been trying to contact him to see if the final items on our snagging list have been completed but to no avail. We will see hime in two weeks time.

Even with all these problems that we have encountered over the last 8 months - we really do like our apartment and are so glad we bought in Punta Prima instead of some of the other places we were shown - ie Quesada in Rojales, Villa Martin (the very back part). Being near to the sea is definetely better we feel.

 

Hi, one other thing to make you scream!  You may be asked for €1000 for your water, electricity to be connected in time for when you complete. I never got my head around this.

Louisen

I have checked out the 1000euro charge for the water and electricity and it appears to be high compared to other developments. Don't know if anything can be done about it. Seems to me to be easy money for them for the flick of a switch and the turn of a tap. Another rip off.  

Another thing about the 1000 Euro charge for connecting the electricity and water is that it had to be cash.  Then when you get the actual contracts from the relevant companies their actual fee is significantly smaller.

We have been told that the builders for La Entrada are not the same builders as for the original Panorama Park.