Trading on Spainish Markets

Further to our complaints about Condominium Services and community of Owners, I have received this:- Comments welcome please

Thank you for your email. We very much appreciate your concern.

Firstly, I must point out a number of potentially “confusing” issues for new owners who have purchased a property in Spain:

• A “management company” in English terms is distinctly different from the Spanish style “administration de fincas”. Management here is decided by owners who then in their General Meeting delegate the responsibilities to their elected President and Board. The President and Board then in turn delegate to the appointed administrator to manage contracting services and accounting issues. I am attaching for your ease and reference an article which explains this – namely, “The role of the Administrator”.

• I am also attaching a further article entitled “The role of the President” for your information.

• We note the “behaviour” of the lifeguard and will deal with this via a financial retention of the respective company we will however require photographic evidence or double testimony. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

• The “security” company is the one nominated by the developer/President which our administration was obliged to contract.  However, we do remain sympathetic to your feedback regarding this issue but it is important to take into account that security guards are  arguably the lowest paid profession in the western world.  Other companies have higher service levels and meet the objectives and procedures which our administration expects.

• A complex’s fees (costs) begin the day after the architect extends the building’s work certificate.  The developer/ President then absorbs most costs until the complex receives its first occupancy license. Prior to May 1^st essential maintenance has been being carried out in order to preserve gardens, swimming pools etc. The cost of these must be met by the community of owners. On May 1^st charges or the first fees were levied to cover all the obligatory services in place in communal areas such as electrics, water, lifts, maintenance of pools and gardens, night security, administration, buildings insurance and other general services and maintenance.

• The developer/ President is making required repairs to identified snaggings as per our detection but perhaps is not such a timely fashion as owners would expect. It would be our proposal to the Developer/ President, as is normal procedure for him, to call a General Meeting when all deeding of properties of the other two phases/communities are completed. At that point in time the Community would transfer into the hands of the owners. Likewise  at this point in time with 280 properties contributing to services such as security, general maintenance, certain synergies and scale of economies can be made.

• We have reviewed part of the ongoing forum and note certain misunderstandings as to roles and responsibilities. We also note that there are some proactive concerned owners that should, between themselves start to make the appropriate filtering system to select a President, Vice President and Board Members, so that the process of handover from Developer to owners in managed in a planned and constructive manner.

I hope that the above comments clarify some issues. If there remain other outstanding issues, please do not hesitate to contact our accounts, communications or supervision department.

Your Sincerely

Lawrence Jordan

Managing Director.