Ryanair to start flying from London Stansted to Madrid

Do I sense some panic setting in with talk of generators and pylons?    It is far more likely to be just a small substation of the sort that is found on most urbanisations and usually well disguised.   The urban areas of the UK are full of small substations and most local residents don't even know they are there.      I would suggest that everyone invests in a wind up torch and radio though, as last time I stayed in the Hotel Dona Luisa, electricity was noticeably absent  until 4.30 am when all the room lights came on !!

i spoke to my lawyer elena today and whilst i was very negative explaining to her that i wasn't expecting completion until early next year now (at which point she could have agreed and got me off her back until then), she was adamant "no, no no, it will be october at the very latest and that is worst case scenario".  she said the investor when he sold his share took his builders with him and delay with builders has been appointing new ones.  it is very difficult to find full set of builders to start on your project immediately due to other commitments on sites etc but assured me that work on the water and electricity is occurring right now. licences obviously cannot be granted until site is liveable and until builders finish road and stuff then they won't grant tham but she said the development will not take months and months now.  the usual figure for compensation is around 4% on completion of original release price off plan and meetings are in place to secure this if necessary. i agree with jmt that some sort of substation, if done properly, should not post such a great deal. we are seeing great problems at every little piece of information at the moment. i know it is understandable after waiting so long but its not such a big deal i think. 

just passing on what i was told. i know we have heard it all before

suzanne

Surely,  the planning permission would not have been granted originally if they had to wait to build a 'transformer'/'generator'  to provide power until the last Phase?  The Town Hall have been pretty hot to date in making sure that the site will be habitable before granting the licences - that's one of the reasons why we are all still waiting.

My husband is an electrical engineer and has had some experience of the 'irregularities' of Spanish electrics since we moved here a year ago to build our own house.  His opinion is this:

There has been a lot of talk about a generator, distribution and switch gear. For the sake of confusion over all these terms I'll try to clarify what I can glean from the posts so far.

Electricity is distributed around a country at very high voltage - 1000's of volts. This is done for efficiency reasons. To enable this voltage to be usable by consumers it has to be reduced  ('transformed' ) down to the lower 240/220v domestic supply. Normally the supply company does this prior to entry onto a site or urbanization. But in some cases it's prudent to do this on-site, especially where housing densities are high - as in the Duquesa area. As an electrical engineer I would see a well specified transformer installation as an advantage as we will not be so affected by exterior problems on another development, for example.

Once the voltage is transformed down to a usable voltage, it needs to be safely distributed out to the individual apartment blocks - this will involve a substation - probably situated near the transformer to save cable costs etc. This substation will also receive the incoming cable from the supply company This is further sub-divided into each block;  between floors and individual apartments, much like the breaker panels we all see in our houses across Spain, only larger. It just a matter of gradually cascading down at each level until it reaches the apartment level.

As for noise, a good transformer installation should not make any disturbing noise.

I don't think any generator is involved here as that would only be for independent emergency power - and that's highly unusual in a apartment bock.

"Will this mean we will have no power until the substation is built?" No, not necessarily, as the site is probably on the "temporary builders supply" at the moment.

However, from a legal standpoint this will need clarification, as the supply company (ENDESA) will not connect you until the habitation licence etc is granted. So the appropriateness of any other supply at completion should be run past the lawyers - as, in the worst case if there are any issues/irregularities with the paperwork - and we know there are at the moment, then resale would be problematical and/or the temporary supply could (and probably will, as it was never designed to run the whole block - just the builder needs) be disconnected or trip out when all the AC is running etc!!  and I speak from experience!! Renters are very intolerant of this kind of thing and so am I.

It will probably look something like this (I don't know the Spanish distribution voltages for example, but thats not important for this discussion);

====Hi Volt Incoming supply====33000V??=====(transformer & substation  )====240v=== |blk A Panel|=====|indv appartments
                                                                           (                                    )====240V=== |blk B Panel|=====|indv appartments
                                                                                                                ) etc
 
=== is cable
                                                    


(Sorry if that's all a bit too technical, but I hope you get the gist of it)

Our Lawyer is also Elena, and although we seem to get more information via others on this site (thank you), we will be pushing to receive the 4% compensation - it will at least pay for the furnishings, even if it doesn't completely make up for all the sleepless nights!

Look everyone....... that light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter!

(ps.. Sorry  to loose you Suzanne, was looking forward to having a drink by the pool and giving these Spurs Guys a run for their money!)

what do you mean lose me CanCan?.i'll be there right along side you at the pool, i'm not going anywhere 

Oh, Sorry Suzanne, 

I meant Elaine!!  She posted earlier that they had started proceedings to get back their deposit and I thought it a great shame, although totally respect her reasons.

Glad to hear you're still going to be alongside in the pool - look forward to that G&T on the terrace.

Apologies once again. x

ha ha  i thought you were trying to tell me something then.  like everyone sick of me already!! .  no, its sad when people pull out but i'm hanging on in there for the moment

suzanne

Keep the Faith

Remember why we bought here in the first place :

1. Fabulous port and marina (although could now do with a pot of Dulux)

2. Great development situated right by a main road - easy access

3. Apartments finished to a luxury spec complete with underground car parking and lifts

4. Lovely gardens, pools and infrastructure.

I'm determined  to stay the course, but resentful of the way we have been dealt with, and while I respect why some people are bailing out, I just can't understand why they are picking now to do so.

 

Picking now to bail out because there is absolutely no sign of the licence issuing shortly which means the apartments will have been left idle gathering dust and becoming dishevelled for just too long on top of the softening in the Spanish market. and just not being able to take being strung along any more with load of lies. And who, one wonders will be around to deal with teething problems which are inevitable once people get possession.

We are getting out too.  Even though we purchased a top floor four years ago for Euro 170,000.  By the time we pay expenses it will be 190,000 and the market value is around 200,000 at the moment if you want to sell.  In a couple of years it may be worth more and we might have stuck with it but we do not trust the developer any more.  We have never understood why there is such a lack of information.  We cannot be sure how the development will be finished.  Phase one is complete but what about the other phases, roads, services etc.  The appliances have been in phase one for over a year now I believe.

We have another apartment being built in Alcaidesa by Ros y Falcon.  Excellent quality and they have kept us informed all along and have been a pleasure to deal with - so they are not all the same

Best of luck to all those that hand on.  It is a good location for the price but just cannot trust them any more

 

I believe people are deciding to bail out, because they can. 

I spend most of the week going from throwing the towel in to deciding to keep the place.  I think the bank are that sure of the product that they are happy to cancel contracts.  Once the licence is granted the whole place will be given a clean and looking great as they will be keen to sell the apartments that have now become available.  

In construction in any country there are problems and we feel that the problems experienced on this site are not that extreme.  However, The developer/bank have not helped the situation by remaining silent.  I agree with what has been mentioned here many times, are they so eager to give money back because they can re-sale at a higher price than what we paid back in 2003/2004?

It is all a gamble and at the moment I am still in the running.

Here is the dreaded pipe being worked on! http://www.manilvalife.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=800&p=42301#p42301

 

 

 

We are hanging on in there too! Thanks for all the info everyone. We have learnt more in the last 3 weeks from this site than we have over the last 3 and a half years!! There is definately a big bright light at the end of the tunnel and we are looking forward to that G & T by the pool with all of you!! Sue and Dave

Hi,

Is there anyone else who bought their appartment through Larionovo, and are using Michael in Greenfields as their solisitor?    Have you had any contact from these recently?

Peter

Everything is starting to look good, should be some bloody good xmas parties, even at Arenals expense?

Just a thought, have all the facilities in the public area been tested? For example pool and operating pumps, lifts, carpark gates etc., maybe I worry to much!!

Just received the following from MRI. 

I have pleasure in advising you of the following statement which I have received in relation to Arenal Duquesa.

 

The developers are still experiencing some problems with electricity and water pipes on phase one of this development. However we have been advised that within the first week of September a generator will be installed on site and the water problems will also be resolved during this period.

Following this and during the second week of September, the developers will start releasing units for completion.

The access road has now been approved by the Town Hall.

 

Please rest assured that as soon as I receive any further information, I will contact you immediately.

 

Kind regards,

 

Johanna Mooney

Regional Co ordinator

We then asked why a generator was required and received this: 

Many thanks for your email.

 

The generator is just temporary whilst they repair the faults, and following this you will have mains electricity.

 

Kind regards,

 

Johanna Mooney

Regional Co ordinator

We need to find out more about the 'electricity problems' as we not happy about completion before main electricity is on site.  Will post when we have more info.

Can Can

Thanks for the message - it's the first positive news for some time. I have been reading posts from some very disillusioned people (for good reason) since I returned from holiday.

I too am with MRI so it will be interesting to see if either myself or my brother have received the same news when I get home.

A friend who is on Phase 1 goes out at the end of August so we will see if it all starts to happen as stated.

I'm on Phase 4 ("what still" I hear you say!) and hoping that all will start up again soon so that I can be completing next Easter - who knows it may happen! I'm going out on 20 October so I should see something happening by then.

Once again - "thanks"

David

We have also recieved the MRI Email this morning.

I have to say its the first communication we have had from them unprovoked and that is not a reactive response to expressions of concern.  The optimist in me see's this as a positive sign.

Hasnt stopped us booking a couple of weeks in Dubai in October though! We always said that the minute we booked something else things would start to happen...Heres hoping and lets hope we are a good omen for you all.

We have just heard from our solicitor that the licence should be through by the end of Sept. and that completions will then begin in mid-October. We have also had the same information from our Estate Agents(Ocean Estates). Good news-yes?!? Sue

Hi i have purchased an apartment on phase 2 which was to be completed by july, has anyone been intouch direct to the insurers. I went over in the begining of june and the place looked like a bomb site they seem to have stopped building in one area and started in another then stopped there are uncompleted buildings everywhere i have  been informed that i will lose the 10% compensation has anyone a phone number or contact address