"Pain in Spain" programme ..

Hi All. 

I have come up with Question 21....well, you knew I would eventually.

Is it my imagination or did I read somewhere that to combat  'holiday home syndrome'  the spanish levy a tax on empty property?  I have some idea of it being something astronomic like 7 euros per day.  Boy, could that add up for any of us who just want a property for long and lazy holidays!  Of course, I could have dreamt this.........

Terry 19b

ps   Can anyone tell me where to find the euro symbol cos my ol' keyboard doesn't oblige and my hunt through "special characters" has not turned up trumps yet either?

 

 

Hi Terry,

if you go into the message boards and click on spanish taxes and then click on annual spanish taxes then scroll through the messages you should find what you need.

on my keyboard the euro sign is on the same button as the 4 and $ signs,to type i have to press the ctrl and alt buttons,or you can always type euro.

 

cheers  Dave.

Thanks Dave.  I read through all those posts and learnt a lot about wealth and income tax but there was no mention of this empty property tax.  Perhaps it was just a bad dream.

Salud

Terry 19b

€ - Control, Alt and 4 on my keyboard.

Wish all our questions could be answered as easily .

Going out on Sat to Weds, have arranged with BMS to view Monday, so update & photos next Thursday.

 

Ali 11a

 

 

€ € € € € € € € €  I found it!!! 

Swapped my ol' keyboard with a friend and now I am all euro literate.

Cheers...Terry 19b

As I have not seen our property since Jan 06 when we signed up for it, I have viewed everyones photos with delight.  Seeing Don's recent photos has been especially good as it has allowed us a clear view of our own apartment below his.  But it has also thrown up a big question in my mind because, for the first time, I can see that there is a pool with a high surrounding wall built on the land by No1 and adjacent to us in No19.  I had believed that these 4 triangular plots of land at the ends of each row were communal areas that would be planted up.  The photos seem to show that the land is actually owned  by the end apartments.  In which case, I ask, who exactly owns these plots?  Is it the outer ground apartment in each case?  Perhaps Pat & John, Maura & Dave, Dave & Ailsa or Sal & Craig who have all bought in the end blocks can answer that for me.  What is happening on the other 3 plots of land?  Do they all have these walls around them?   This is not a problem so much as a point of interest.  After all, if the land is owned by someone then it is up to them what they do with it.  Only it is now looking quite different from the plans and diagrams supplied originally from BMS and I am a little surprised at this late stage to find that my outlook will not be as I had anticpated from those plans.  Come to that, when was it decided to put that small pool in the centre garden?  It may not be a bad thing for children to paddle in but I just don't recall any word of it until it started to appear on peoples photos. 

Terry 19b

Hi Terry,

As you know I bought 19A very early on in the builders plans March 2005. I was told that the upstairs appartments had a sun terrace, and the down stairs ones had a small garden.

I have not yet had a reply from BMS.

Regards

Don

One for Hayden and Judy again I am afraid.  You mentioned you had insured with the same company we are looking at.  does your quote include buildings and if so how much did you insure the building for?

Best wishes, Linda and Brian

Another in the long list of questions!!!!!

We would like to hire a handyman for a day to fit lights inside & out, mirrors with lights to bathrooms, locks on 1 wardrobe and lots of other things we haven't thought of yet!

Can anyone help with names & numbers - as local as possible? We're looking at probably Sunday 6th May,

Thanks.

 

Ali & Ken 11a

 

Ok, have sorted out a handyman and Larry the locksmith (thanks Pam!).

Our solicitors are completing for us on Weds and we will be in 1st thing Friday..... hopefully......

Some more questions......

Water - I have been told by solicitors we will be on builders gas & electric but can't find out about water. Can anyone advise? And if needed can someone please supply a telephone number to have water connected?

I assume all the 'stuff' - e.g. furniture, bedding & plates etc is in?

BTW we used easycover for insurance, €187 for buildings (€85,000) and contents (€30,000 standard). Done over the phone after initial email, really easy.  

See you all soon

 

Ali & Ken

 

Hi Ali & Ken,
Some answers :
Water - we are still on builders supply - not sure for how long but possibly until everyone's in - you just need to ask for Antonio, the site foreman, and ask him to connect you to the builders supply and someone will connect a spur off the builders pipe onto your connector - the pressure isn't great and sometimes fails but is ok to use.

Furniture and white-goods were already in ours a day before completion - and they brought round the crockery/plates/cutlery etc. the day after (don't expect too much from the latter - the quality is ok for rental use but you may want to get better stuff).

Lights : there's a couple of English guys installing fittings in several apartments (they are also installing mosquito screens) - you could get their numbers from Haydn & Judy or maybe Linda and Rob in 31A ?
One of the builders said that he would fit all of our lights (I counted 16 in total) for 120 euros - that's Gregorio - 663 453256 - you'll need to speak in Spanish though (mention that he gave this quote to us in 2A).

We used Easycover too - very easy to set up - we only quoted for 12000 euros cover for contents so our premium is less (130).

Hope the completion goes ok.

Dave & Ailsa, 2A




This message was last edited by DaveAilsa on 4/28/2007.

Hi to all,

I have a couple of questions if anybody could help.

Haydon has had his side gate extended and a wrought iron panel fitted to the side for security and looks good. I have had a price from a local builder for mine and was wondering what the quote was for yours Haydon and who ?

Mosquito nets, Does anybody have numbers so as to obtain a price or two ?

If anybody would like there locks changed, I would be happy to do that for the fair exchange of a beer plus the supply of the locks. They are readily available from any local hardware store and have different security levels as to the amount you want to spend. I am back over for a week in mid May.

Best regards

Drew & Karen 10 Alto

 

Hi Drew,
Thanks for the offer of changing locks for a beer and supply of locks - we are definitely interested - hopefully we can meet up when we're both next there (we are there 18th to 21st May inclusive - will you be there then ?).

I have posted details of quotes and prices in a new thread as you will see. Hopefully that answers some of your questions - and will get prompt some feedback.

On the subject of rejas, I agree Haydn's side panel and extended gate looks good - especially with the plants growing up through the panel - this will deter some burglars - however, it would be quite easy to climb up and around the side, by holding on to the grill and walking on the wall (I haven't tried this - honest !). But at least it would make it harder to remove large items like TVs (although sophisticated burglars would be able to lower it by rope if they were that organised).
An alternative would be to fit a rejas on the patio door - like the one Ivan and Ann have in 21A.

Hope to see you and Karen in a few weeks.

Dave & Ailsa, 2A

Hi Dave,

sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I have been so busy with one thing or another. Anyway, I am subject to work getting in the way hoping to go out on either Friday or Sunday 18th or 20th.

If so I will be happy to help out and change your locks for you.

For the gate, front door and traestro (roof door) you will need Cylinder locks 65mm in length available at all locksmiths in the uk or in the hardware store in Spain. They come as a standard key type or are available as a "punched" key. The latter is a more secure type and is saw and drill resistant. I have made mine all key matched so I only have one key to open all three locks. (saves on fumbelling about in the dark when too many sangria's have had an effect)

For the patio doors, sliding windows and roller shutters, you will need "patio door push pin locks (14mm depression type) your locksmith will also provide these as key matched. Allowing for two on each sliding window & sliding doors and two on each shutter, I have counted 22 in total for an Alto apartment. The ground floor may be different.

Anyway, I have all the required things to fit these if you can obtain them, either taking them with you or purchasing them while in Spain. 

Best regards and look forward to meeting you and a few more people if out when we are

Drew 10a

This message was last edited by drew turrell on 5/4/2007.

Is anyone changing there sofa? If so could you let us know how much you would like for it, we are thinking of getting rid of the table and chairs to make room for another sofa,also we are loooking for another blind for along the hall way

 

Hi Noel & Deb,

 

We have arranged for a company to come and look at our sofa, table/ chairs and our double bed as we are changing it,. so YES we are getting rid of the old one.

With regards to a new blind in the hall, you might be in luck as it happens as I have made and fitted window blinds for the last 20 years. You can look us up on the web if you like

Regards

 

Drew 10 Alto

 

Hi all. Just arrived back in U.K..We drove back & apart from Judy being "nicked " by Gendarmes near Paris for speeding & fined 90 E,we had a good journey & are back on Los Olivos in a weeks time 20th.May i use this thread to comment on the latest various threads.

An update on progress---banisters in on upper appts--all street lamps up & lit including the ones to water feature--picket fencing being done between lower appt patios &parking spaces-----staircases now being cleaned-----numerouscircles marked & being dug out ready for planting trees &shrubs in communal area---areas surrounding L.O.being cleared & bulldozed.Pool rumoured to be ready in3weeks.

Dave & Ailsa,s initial suggestions for Community rules seem more than acceptable for living together reasonably & considerately.

Janice,s comment about dogs i totally agree with. As to present we have been the only ones with dogs on L.O.&always take nappy bags on walks, but have been appalled at the amount of faeces left by dog walkers mainly from our neighbours lower down.Ihave seen peoplestand watch then walk away leaving the dirt on the footpath.

Regarding various security ,mosquito quotes this is what we did---

gate highered in same design--similar design between near posts----attractive concertina mosquito nettingto all sliding windows(4) & both doors plus pull down netting with magnetic catchon opening windows (3).---all this was2000 Euros with Mike

wrecker at kitchen window 200 Euros---Mike

folding white wrecker with lock outsidemaster bedroom --300E---Mike

frontdoor lock 50E----security bolts through sliding doors 25E ---safe in floor 120 E---all supplied &fitted by Lee

carpentry work shelves etc----Kevin

lights & electrical work --- Gregorio (onsite plumber!) & Kevin.

lights &lampsmainly Vera Luz plus a shop in Mojacar Commercial Centre

bathroom fittings & shower cabinetsfitted--Vera Commerciale -also B.B Q & george Foreman grill

exchanged all furniture & bedsfor 1000 E against furniture & curtainswith Homes & Beyond in Garrucha.

Hope this is some help.Would be pleased to answer any queries preferably in person so that we can introduce each other.Its cold & raining here in Wales but rang Ivan at 20a &it was 37*inthe sun this morning.All the best Haydn & Judy

P.S.hello to all thelovely people who have been & gone home

 

 

I know this sounds silly but ... At the end of the last message from Hayjud it mentions Ivan and Ann as being at 20A. There have been other references to Ivan and Ann at 20A and when we were out in Los Olivos recently there was confusion with someone we contacted who had done some work for Ivan and Ann when we said we were 20B. We are next door to Terry at 19B. We don't know who will be above us in 20A. Ivan and Ann are in the block round the corner presumably 21A. I do hope they are not in the wrong apartment!! Said it would sound silly!!

As far as I know Ivan and Ann are not using the Internet out there yet so won't see this. If anyone knows them perhaps they could resolve the confusion. Eddie (definetely 20B).

Hi Su/Eddie,
The "definitive" (and at the moment, less than 50% complete) list of who's where is in the Who's Where thread - scroll down a few posts and you'll see a diagram.

Ivan & Ann are definitely in 21A !!

Dave 2A

Thanks Dave for your reply and the pointer to the chart of who's where - very useful. Ivan and Ann are certainly where the chart says at 21A. Odd that they keep being referred to as being at 20!

Another and perhaps more serious question - Does anyone know about fire extinguishers? I am particularly concerned about the possibility of a fire in one of our kitchens. The design with a door at one end could be dangerous if there was say a pan fire and the only person was at the window end of the kitchen - Particularly those of us who are putting grills across the kitchen window. I have looked on the Internet and it seems that a fire blanket and Class B CO2 fire extinguisher at both ends of the kitchen would be wise.  Does anyone know better?

Eddie 20B