How much to sue a builder?

I'm visiting the area next week and want to gain access to my apartment in order to carry out the snagging, ready to complete on 24th January. What are other people's recent experiences of gaining access to their apartments? What is the best way to contact the developer (either phone numbers or e-mail address)?

Hi Colinf

Regarding access to your apartment we where over there a few weeks before Christmas and gained entry to our apartment in Block 5 , all we done was to call at the sales office and talk to a girl called  ( Maria Luz Astorga Quiros ) she can speak a little english. It will probally be the next day that you can go aftere seeing here  or you could try e/mailing the sales office fj.martinez@quermes.com  to let them now you are coming ,  This mail will go  to (Francisco   Javier  Martinez Lopez ) he works in the sale office with Maria he does not speak english, hope this has been of some help,

When your are on site could you please check Block 5 pool to see if the repairs have been carried out as last time we where there they had just started them, also how is the site looking in general.

Enjoy your time out there .

Robbie

We gained access to our apartment on Wednesday afternoon after speaking to Mari.  She was extremely helpful and we were impressed with her.  ( By the way she is the one who is the spitting image of the model Jodie Marsh).  I will get round to uploading some photos and getting a write up of what we found tomorrow.

The biggest disappointment was the state of the gardens.

I have uploaded some photos, I think.  Here are a few of the problems we found.

Boiler casing starting to rust.

Wall either side of patio flower box starting to split.

Some floor tiles chipped and badly filled.

Some floor tiles don't match.

Wiring channel for lighting shows on ceiling.

Leak under sink.

Kitchen door doesn't shut.

Handprints on paint work.

Just a few minor things really and we have decided to get the property snagged professionally.  All in all the place is fantastic, especially as this is the first time we have been into our apartment.  I think the gardens are a bit of a mess due to some severe weather prior to Christmas.

when do you complete pdrich?

If you hear of a good snagging company, can you pass it along to me please? I have contacted Hola Life and I quite like what they say. Recommendation is always less risky though.

We complete on the 17th.

yes, i'm worried about that too margo.  I would like to get somebody to do it before i complete on 23rd but not looking likely now and my lawyer says you can just do it after completion. I did pay for lifetime aftersales with MRI who would do it all for us but this has just ran out and i am reluctant to renew it and give them more of our money when we don't seem to have had or probably won't get any service from them.  I'm not sure i'm happy with doing it after completion though as, given everything in the past, i have visions of all sorts of things being wrong and not being able to get hold of people to do it straight away.  We are hoping to stay in iour apt from day one when we arrive on 24th and have arranged furniture for that day. Although we are half expecting to have to book into a hotel.  It is funny though seeing me trying to squeeze everything i have bought to take over into four suitcases (i guess we'll have to travel in all our clothes for the week!).  we'll be coming back with empty suitcases. I am finally starting to generate some exitement again, having been so disappointed these last six months.

suzanne

Suzanne I would ask MRI as an act of courtesy to carry out the snagging for you. After all you took out the after sales option in good faith that you would complete when you were told. Also it would be good PR for them and God knows they need it, I haven't heard a thing from them in months!
Alan

Alan, I have said this over and over but my other half says he refuses to go cap in hand to them and give them the satisfaction of saying no.  Says he is not asking them for favours after the poor service we have received.  I might make the call myself and see what sort of response i get.  Elena told me to do exactly what you said too.  I just don't want to give them more of my money for a weeks worth of service just seeing us through to completion.  As you say, you don't hear from them for months and months (apart from the rentals team ringing me every couple of weeks to try and get money that is!) and i don't think i will be renting it out anyway now.  will just keep it for us and close friends/family

suzanne

Suzanne I really don't believe it is going cap in hand, I wouldn't do that either. The fact is you have paid for a year's service that you haven't had and don't forget they sold you the apartment under the understanding that you would be completing by a certain date and you have not.
They should be giving you a full year's service from this month.
Alan

Hear hear Alan! You've got some rights here Suzanne (possibly not in law - but certainly morally). They DO owe you a whole year's service. You just paid in advance, that's all. I suggest you request it - and then let ALL of us on this forum know what their response was. We will await with interest..............

Did as you told me... Got a reply today.  They are going to see us through to completion!.  Restored some of my faith in the company.  Although they didn't say anything about the full year of aftersales

suzanne

That's OK., but they still owe you a bit more I reckon..........still, it's better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick! (as the saying goes). Good on yer for not giving up.

That's good Suzanne, push for the year's service they owe you and we are all watching to see that you get it!
Alan

Suzanne,

Whilst I can almost feel the excitement you are feeling at the thought of finally staying in your own apartment after all this time, I would check with your solicitor re the connecting of  water and electricity and when you might expect that.  Just a warning since when we completed at Casares we couldn't take up contracts for either until we had been to the Notary and then it took between 7 and 10 days for them to be connected.  It may be as well to have a hotel in mind just in case.
Regards

i know.  we do think we might have to go into a hotel but the lawyers have said that, if builders supply is our connection for now, as the developers are saying, then it shouldn't be a problem.  I'm hoping this will be the case.  If not they say it takes only 2-3 days to get them on.  Obviously, you have been through the process yourself so you know better.  Thanks for the warning tho

suzanne

It will be good if it is a builders supply because it will save a bit of dosh in the short term.

We managed to get into our apartment in Block 7 on Wednesday and were favourably impressed with its appearance. We took our snagging specialist who wanted at least an hour to do his work but we only managed to get a 30 minute chaperoned visit. Maria was clearly under instruction to keep viewing times to a minimum. The gardens were well grassed but in need of a good weeding.

I strongly recommend you use a professional to carry out the snagging and would be very happy to recommend the guy I use, who I know on a personal as well as professional basis. Send me a private message and I will forward his details.

Our Spanish lawyer strongly recommends that we should not sign until mains utilities can be provided. There seem to be two schools of thought on using the developer's supply; the worst case being that they can disconnect power or water on a whim without any prior notice; the best case being that you avoid some costs.

My snagger says she will take 4-6 hours to do the job, but this is after completion has taken place.  This is costing 3-400 euros.  When are you due to complete Colin.  Also when Maria showed us our apartment last week, she just left us to it.  We were there over an hour and wandered freely round the grounds.  In fact when it was time to leave we struggled to get ou because the gate we came in through was shut and we fortunately found another gate that was open.  We are not being advised to do anything but complete, which is a week after the solicitor signs all the paperwork at the town hall.  I will check on this next week.