Hallo

Are you sure you don't work for Peninsula, Seagull?!?

No.

But I have been to the site to see with my own eyes, and I do talk with Peninisula.

If  you have as well, then fine, if you haven't........well, I'm not really sure what you can add  other than hearsay!

But as I keep saying, I am only passing on what I am told....... can you tell us  what they have told YOU, and what you thought of the site  the last time you visited?

 Well lets hope that 2010 is a more positive year in moving forward with the development.

The good news so far is that last week Steve Hindley confirmed that gas is finally connected to our appt, 1 year and 5 days after completion!! Yippee hot water next time I visit.

The mortgage rate also reduced to 3.25% from 6.75% so at least outgoing payments are reducing, but €21,300 in mortgage payments with not a penny(or cent) of income has been a tough burden.

I think anybody who has completed (on ME23) or soon to complete(Fairways) knows that they are in for the long haul before this development becomes what we all envisaged in terms of facilities and income potential but hopefully we (and Peninsula) will be around to see it happen, certainly in my opinion to late to jump ship now!

Just a reminder that there is a ME23 forum on EoS and it would be useful for current owners to post there rather than this site which is becoming a generic site for the whole development and i have certainly lost track in the postings as to who owns what where or is a potential owner.

SJH

For those who are  interested, my wife and I visited the site today and met with Steve Hindley as arranged.

Steve said that Gaspar Lino was also coming and wanted to meet and chat with us.We didn't ask Gaspar to do this, we didn't even know he was there until we arrived, but he said he was keen to meet  buyers to explain how Peninsula were now (hopefully) putting right some of the problems that have occurred, and how they see the future. 

I can almost hear some of  you already shouting "We don't believe you!" in response to anything he says.That is your choice, but whatever you may feel about Peninsula, you cannot claim , in all fairness,  that he is hiding away or refusing to face his clients.

I am not going to attempt to cover all the points he made, I merely repeat that the only way you will hear their side of the story properly is if you take the trouble to CONTACT them direct.

Many buyers have done this.......many on the forum haven't, which, he says, irritates him greatly.

He has even put his MOBILE number on the Pen web-site for any buyer wanting to discuss their problems with him.! 

He speaks perfect English.

Our visit wasn't as long as we'd hoped as we were delayed on route, and with the weather rather bleak, didn't see as much as anticipated.

So all I'll do for now is pass on what we were told, and what we saw for ourselves.

Work on the lifts starts on Monday.

The clubhouse is open , as I've said previously, and is excellent.

There is now a reception area in Medina 23.It is open with  Jose(who else) permanently on site.There will be an internet area.

The indoor pool  at  Medina 23 is OPEN and available to M23 owners.So is the SAUNA.

There are residents at M23, including the owner of the club house restaurant.

Fairways is  virtually finished and awaiting the occupation licence.The apartments are ready apart from kitchen installation.Work has started on various landscape areas, and the swimming pool is  now complete.The shops under Fairways by the pool have been constructed ready for use once the licence is through.

Medina Golf is virtually finished and they expect to apply for the occupation licence very soon, they said.We couldn't see inside, but outside looked pretty much ready from what we could tell.

Tee 17 is some way behind schedule.They still aim to complete in two chunks, and part one(A to E) could be ready in a "few months"......the  second block in about a year. Again, we were not allowed inside, but least the pergolas had been built on quite a number in the first section.

Didn't have time to look for the riding school I'm afraid, but the international school has been up and running for some time.

According to Gaspar/Steve, work on the commercial centre will start once they have the occupation licences etc and rentals kick in.The sports centre will follow, then the hotel.

Ah yes, you say, the rentals!

Well, all I will say is that they do indeed, as others have reported, claim to have tour companies tied up and  ready to go once the correct tourism certificate is in place.They  say they will provide a VARIABLE and GUARANTEED scheme, and are confident  that because the tour operators want lots of apartments, there will be no shortage of rental opportunites and therefore income.

The furniture packages will definitely be cheaper than with the previous rental company.Letters outlining the schemes will be sent out to all buyers shortly.......they have a big meeting in Madrid this week  at which they hope to have everything rubber-stamped.

I put many questions to them regarding the previously non-existant  rental scheme and building delays and misunderstandings etc, missing furniture packages, lifts, gas, sewerage("sorted "they insist with the town hall)......... but rather than try to put their arguments and explanations over for them, I really do suggest you ask them yourselves.

I have to say that Gaspar made no attempt to shirk any of the issues, and came across as someone well aware of the problems and setbacks, but also as someone with genuine belief that the project will in time be a huge success.Either that  or he's an extremely good actor.

If they are about to pull the plug as has been suggested on here, it's hard to understand why they are going to all this trouble to improve their PR and actually get things moving.He is very disappointed that more buyers haven't been out to see the devlopment for themselves, and ,interestingly I thought,  said that not ONE single lawyer wanting to represent disgruntled buyers had been anywhere near the site.He says he understands why buyers are upset over certain issues,  including the lack of rentals, and will answer any individual queries or complaints if you ring him direct,as many buyers apparently have done.

Now, before you all say I'm just a mouthpiece for Peninsula(a suggestion that caused him great amusement , by the way, since he'd never met me before), I AM NOT OFFERING ANY OPINION  OR DRAWING ANY CONCLUSIONS ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, JUST REPORTING BACK ON WHAT I SAW AND HEARD TODAY.

I told him what I've said on here....the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.......

There was lots more, but I'll leave it there........no pictures this time, I'm afraid, but I will be going again very shortly.....or Steve says he will happily take some if you ask him to.

Cheers

Seagull ( Tee 17 or Fairways tbc) 

Just to let you know, I was at the site in the autumn. It was deserted apart from about 3 workmen and one set of golfers. Nobody around Medina 23 or the lovely pool that was finished. It was a ghost town. The clubhouse was not operational apart from being furnished and able to walk inside it (in other words you couldn't sit down and order a drink or food). No lifts working. Many open areas were not landscaped and were bare soil. Sewage/water problems were not made aware to me by Peninsula. Not happy with the massive electricity pylon situated next to Medina Golf.

Views from around the site and from Medina Fairways were great but that is one of the reasons I purchased in the first place. Even with such great views I would not have purchased without a Guaranteed Rental. I had given up asking for certain important rental information off Margaret after more than a year of being given the run around. And you must remember that although Margaret is being blamed for many things, her hands must have been tied to a great degree by Peninsula who now seem to be making her the scapegoat for the mis-selling of a Guaranteed rental scheme which isn't guaranteed at all.

I have been willing to keep to my end of the bargain but Peninsula have not fulfilled their's. Unfortunately I do not trust them anymore. Give me a proper GUARANTEED rental scheme that pays me rent from the day I pay the mortgage whether the apartment is occupied or not. Not some vague promise that I may get paid 6 months in arrears with some clause that states 'only if the site is ready' and then doesn't ever have to pay anytrhing because the site isn't ready (no landscaping, no shops, no restaurant, etc, etc).

Well at least you know that  some progress has been made since your visit, Jetdog, in that the club house and restaurant ARE open and operational.They are catering, we were told, for evening parties as well as daytime meals, with a fabulous terrace outside,and pool below.

As you knew from previous posts on here,  the club house, restaurant and cafe area have been open for some time since you went there., so not quite sure how, if you don't mind me saying,  what it was like months ago would be relevant?

Surely it's what's there now that matters?

This, with all due  respect, is my point about people's perception of the site.

 If buyers haven't been, and refuse to contact Peninsula,  your only source of information is posts on here, which are obviously not  always up to date.

I'm not  criticising anyone for not going, I know people can't just fly off to Granada at the drop of a hat. But sometimes it can be misleading if you  don't have updated information (sewerage problem "resolved", shops built under Fairways,landscaping now started , for instance).

The provision of a new and operating reception area in Medina 23, and opening  of the indoor pool and sauna, neither of which has been mentioned before, are also steps in the right  direction.

As is the confirmation yesterday (sorry, forgot to mention) that each apartment will have a telephone installed.

Totally agree about the ugly pylon, but hopefully this might only be temporary, as was the one at the site where our main Spanish home was, before being removed. I'll ask Steve about that one!

Your points regarding the rental scheme, or rather lack of it, are completely valid,of course, and although I'm not sure we'll ever establish quite how the blame should be apportioned, we can only hope they have finally sorted it out.

That is certainly the impression they gave me yesterday, but then, as we all know, we've been hearing this for some time.

If buyers are relying on rental............which, according to Gaspar Lino,  is far from being  everybody, by the way,..........then they are obviously fully entitled to expect an income from their investment

To me, the fact that  the lifts should soon be operational at Medina 23, is a key factor in the whole issue.

For all the arguments as to who did what regarding the previous scheme, the point is surely  that the apartments couldn't be rented out by a major tour company if there were no lifts! 

Steve assures me "100 per cent" that  work on the lifts "starts on Monday" , so we can only trust he is right!

The lifts in Fairways and Medina Golf  are ready and will be commissioned, they say, as soon as they have the occupation licence.

So all this begs the question that many of you, I think, have already answered for yourselves.

If, if, the lifts are working...........If, if,  the rental scheme is proven to be successfully  and quickly revamped, and  finally delivering. as promised to M23 owners.......are buyers in Fairways and Medina Golf prepared to give it a go when the occupation licence comes through?

Or do you believe, as it would seem many do, that the whole project has gone pear-shaped , refuse to believe a word they're saying, or even speak to them,and are  prepared for a court battle to try to get  your deposit back?

There's no doubt that  it will be some time, years indeed,  before Medina Elvira is finished.

But Gaspar points to the site's potential and says he has yet to hear anyone who has actually been to the site  disagree.

So,It's up to you, guys........as ever, I'm just reporting what I see when I visit. 

Seagull,

Thanks for that my old fruit.  The fact that you failed to deliver on the simple evidence of PHOTOs indicates to me that even you are not convinced by all of this.  The fact that ME23 is still not complete over a year from being issued it's licence of occupation leaves me to dread how long fairways and Golf will drag on, especially as you weren't even allowed inside the building so thanks for confirmation there.

Thanks for all the replies reference court action guys.  I will PM everyone now and let you know who to contact in an effort to get more of us working together.

I did explain to you, Mr Looney, that I was not able to take a camera with me on this occasion.

I  also explained that  YOU could complete the equally "simple " task of telephoning Steve  H and he would readily take photos for you!

Indeed,he will do this for ANYONE who asks him to.

You can  even stay in M23 if you want to, he says, while checking on the development.

M23, as far as we could see, IS finished , including  landscaping, and two pools,.plus the one indoors, reception area.........apart from individual snaggings  with furniture etc we've all heard about ,and , of course, the all-important lifts, which, as I have tried to explain two or three  times now, are due to to be operating from Monday, according to Steve.

Please ring and ask him if you don't believe me!

I didn't say I wasn't allowed in Fairways or Medina 23.  I WAS.

 I  said I wasn't allowed inside Medina Golf  apartments , as I am not buying in that development and there are still workmen on site. You can't just wander in.

I was allowed to look round Fairways in the form of the show house, and the same with Medina 23, in which, again as I said yesterday, people were living and staying in apartments.

No-one denies there are still problems to resolve, we all know that, but I'm really not going to bother going through them all again.

I have merely reported back what I saw and I was told.

If you have decided not to talk to Peninsula or go and have a look for yourself, that is every buyer's own choice, of course, and I fully respect that.

 But, if that is the case, I don't think really there's any point now in  me trying to discuss this any further. .

I have tried to be of assistance  by providing  up to date information, but  I don't  think now it's worth the effort.

Good luck everyone with whatever decision you make.

Guys,

Seagull, I have nothing against you at all.  It's nice to have an optimist here and obviously you must be a very rich man already.  Personally I dont think I will be able to afford the mortgage without the rental so this is a no boner really. 

So the question I have to ask myself is not wether progress is being made as I believe you that it is, but rather am I going to get any income from this and if so then will it be enough to cover what I cant afford on the mortgage as was originally planned.

Now I put myself in a clients place.  Would I want to holiday here?

For that I think I would need a supermarket - as I would be self catering.  Oh, that's right there isn't one, we'll have to drive to the nearest town instead - that will go down well in the brochure.

Perhaps I will have a meal out tonight with my mistress, hmmm, no restaurant, bugger, how much is a taxi to the nearest town again.

I know, how about a change of bedding in my apartment - bugger, no management services.

What about a day on that lake, that's right, it's not being developed any more.

No worries, we'll have a drink at the hotel - that's right - there isn't one.

Never mind, send the wife shopping in the commercial centre whilst I hit the gym.  Opps, they aren't being built either.

I'm not sure if anyone can follow this here but there is a pattern Mr Seagull.  You see, in the grand scheme of things it's great, yes that the lifts are going to be fixed a year after people have completed on ME23 and that the gardens are being worked on too - awesome.  But this place is simply not rentable without the facilities.  We have been kept in the dark by the powers that be there.  No letters of apoligy, no compensation, most of the time no response (Sharon, nadasol, the bank reference guarantees, Gasper) and when they do respond then their promises ie bank guarantees never come.  They should be kissing our asses right now and offering complimentary packages over there to reassure us that our investments are safe.  A letter at least perhaps.  For all I know Medina Golf will also receieve its' licence despite the same or more problems occuring than in ME23.  

No one has answered our question about the aircon and why we were misled in the marketing about it's fitting except to say this is normal practice.  Normal practice to me would have been to say - there is no aircon but it can be fitted for £2k!  Surely that should now be included in a compensation package as well as the expected rental income for the past year or at least the interest as if the deposits had been in a bank.

So am I pissed - yes.  This amount of money is clearly a lot more important to me than it is to you.

And now a sweepstake. 

Let's take bets shall we. I bet a lemon popsickle that Trinitron and reds don't receieve a months rent on ME23 before July 2011.  That's probably a generous estimate too.  I also bet a sherbet dip that they ask Fairwyas and Golf clients to complete before the above receieve any rent on ME23.  We will then all be whinning on her whilst TEE 17 clients are being worked on by their staff to complete with promises of the rental being in the pipeline.

As I say, there really isn't any point me reporting on here any more.

I'm  not going to get into an argument with you, Mr Looney, you obviously know all there is to know about the project.

Just for the record, though, as curiously you still  seem to have missed it, I repeat "there is a RESTAURANT with BAR operating on site, with CAFE area,and "SHOPS have been built under Fairways."

"There is also a large restaurant by the lake, FIVE minutes away.There IS a management service with an on-site RECEPTION area.

You are stating things that simply aren't true, as you would know  if you'd  been there.

IF YOU RING STEVE HINDLEY HE WILL ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AS HE IS DOING FOR EVERY BUYER WHO TAKES THE TROUBLE.

If the major tour companies don't think the site is rentable, then obviously they won't sign up.According to Steve/Gaspar, they already have. So let's see.

If the scheme they say they are on the verge of introducing works, and I do emphasise "if", then you will get an income.

You  have, of course, many valid points about all the problems so far and I have always said this right from the start.

However, if you are not going to even listen to someone who HAS been there, and who HAS talked with Peninsula....and I am certainly not the only one who has done this...........what is the point of me writing on here?

You will be pleased to know I will  not be doing so any more!

.

I have spent a long time trying to get information out of both the rental company and Peninsula, the end result of which was nothing.  I was given the run around and all Peninsula were interested in was how they were going to get their money when I completed on Fairways.  If it was not for this forum I could be blindly completing on something that bears a large resemblance to a financial black hole.  Interestingly, Peninsula's attitude changed when they ran out of time and are effectively in breach of contract due to not delivering on time.  Now we are back to "valued clients" and they are being forced to take some positive action to put things right.  I hope they do, it obviously has potential to be an excellent development which is why we all bought in the first place, but now it is all about damage limitation for Peninsula and purchasers.  Between a choice of completing on something that would leave me with negative equity, large mortgage repayments, no immediate sign of any rental income and a developer who has shown scant regard for clients to date (just look at those who have completed on ME 23), and cancelling the contract its a simple decision.  I'm with the looney! The legal costs for cancelling the contract will be less than the mortgage payments and other costs I would expect to pay before any potential rental income kicks in, and the timescales will probably be similar anyway.  Good luck to those who do decide to complete, it will be needed based on the track record so far.

Seagull

Please post again 

when you come back from ME and upload lots and lots of photos to prove your speil is true

but no you are going to look at your apartment in a foreign land  WITHOUT A CAMERA  

 why would you possibly do this

cameras cost almost nothing

look for me if you go there and don't upload photos then F##k off and don't post anymore

or upload photos and gain credibility

by by

I do wish people would actually read what's in front of them.

I WAS NOT TRAVELLING TO "A FOREIGN  LAND".......as I have said many times, I LIVE IN SPAIN.

I told you I was not going from my home, which is about an hour and half from Granada.

I am staying instead for a short while near Malaga, which is near the hospital my wife is attending at the moment.

I did not bring a camera with me. What right have you to tell me I should have done?

Go and take some photos yourself, for heaven's sake, if it's that important to you.

Or do what other buyers have done, and  ask Steve at Peninsula to take them for you.

I am just telling you what I saw......it's not up to me to convince you of anything. I  am not answerable to you, and couldn't care less what you think.

Take your problems up with Peninsula please, not with me.

T here is certainly no need to be abusive  to someone who was just trying  to provide some information.

Have we descended into using obscenities now?

Just to add, we are now withdrawing our membership of Eye on Spain and will be passing on to them Highlander's very offensive, if incoherent, post.

My wife, whose camera we normally use, has now seen his rant and is extremely distressed and shocked  that someone we have never met, or even spoken to, has told us to "F off", just because we wouldn't take some photos for him.It's quite unbelievable and totally unacceptable.

She is currently  undergoing hospital treatment for a serious medical condition, and we really, really don't need this kind of aggravation.

Whatever people's opinions and thoughts may be, this is supposed to be a forum for discussion and information sharing, not stooping to personal abuse.

It is totally out of order, as I believe all reasonable people on here would agree.

Imagine how any of you would feel if a similar post was aimed at you and your partner.

sorry

What did I say about your partner.

Its a bit embarasing for you to try to get one up by using your sad situation with your partner in this discussion

you have posted 90 times on this forum bigging up ME when asked to provide back up for all the sucking up to penninsula

you failed pure and simple

you threatened to leave this forum before when questioned!

I think you are working for them otherwise you would shut up or provide proof

how can it be that your the only one who (knows whats happening)

see ya

I'd like to throw another consideration into the pot here - I for one have learnt (amongst other things), not to be so blindly accepting of anything Peninsula promises; I think one of the biggest coups they pulled off in this whole affair was to get a reputable UK based agent selling their apartments for them.

If Peninsula are going to provide a management service for this guaranteed rental scheme, has anyone heard if there will be any assurances in the form of a written agreement or bonded undertaking that this will actually continue on past the point at which everyone completes?

Remember how easy it was for Peninsula to dump Margaret Corley? How much more does Peninsula owe us than they did her?

I think everyone on this development is owed nothing less than a cast iron assurance that despite Peninsula's future fortunes or policy decisions, everyone will continue to receive "guaranteed" income. Let's see what they say... over to you Peninsula.

By the way, Highlander, I think you just said what everyone else is thinking.

I am an owner already paying mortgage and have posted several photographs on the ME forum from our last visit - 19th June 2009, if anyone wants to see evidence of what it looks like.  Most of the photos are of the interior of our apartment with furniture.  I can post photos of the pool etc. if anyone is interested.  Whilst we share all the concerns re whether the project will ever be completed, what we could see we were very happy with and was what we expected on a large development still in build.  Having completed we are now in it for the long haul and committed to getting something out of our investment.  We've visited the site several times and hope to visit again within the next few months and always take photos - it just takes forever to load them up on here but anyone who wants to see more send me a pm and I'll send a link. 

Hi,

I've just uploaded some pictures of Tee 17, which a friend took for me on 7/2/10. 

This is the same building which Peninsula assures us will be completed VERY soon.  Just compare it with Peninsula's website's photos of the same building to realise what difference it makes to take the pics from one angle or another!!

They must be going for the rustic look.  Still, it beats the 600ft pilon in front of Medina Golf.