Driving to our new home

Hello All

Just returned from a visit to Roda and have found out lots & lots.  Mostly good but they admit to the fact that they are on a learning curb with phase one.  One issue we have is that whilst we expected the internal lights in the main rooms not to be included we did expect the halogen downlighters in the kitchens, bathrooms etc to be installed.  We have bought new properties before in the UK and this is the norm.  However at Roda we are told we will have pre-cut holes in the ceiling with wires hanging down in all areas where the halogens will be sited.  This seemed ridiculous to us and we went round the showhouse paranoid about what else was not included.  Apart from the 'extras' in the catalogue it seems the only things we missed were the fact we will have no lights at all (plus they are not offering a service or extra to install these downlighters!) and no shower screeens.  Is anyone else surprised by the lack of downlighters? It is not as if they are giving you a choice because everyone will have to have them if they have left the holes in the ceiling!

Mrs H

I was informed by my management company that I would have to put my own lights up in all rooms and that all there would be was holes in the ceiling, so was expecting this.  Have you now completed on your property? 

Regards Mandi

Hi Mandi

No we are in phase 3 but we visited the showhouse this week.  Apart from the obvious extras (white goods, alarm, air con, etc) I hope we have not missed any other fixtures and fittings not included.  Presumably wardrobe handles and door fittings are part of the package.  We were just surprised about the downlighters.  It would be nice to hear from people who have completed to find out the end results and how much snagging has been necessary?

Mrs H

Hello Mrs H,

Can you tell me what IS fitted as standard with regard to the alarm system and what you think we will have to supply. ( It appears we are getting less and less of what we thought we would be getting.   If this carries on we will end up with a virtual property.)

Shannon

Hi Shannon

It is my understanding that the properties are just prewired for the alarm.  This means we will need to install the whole system - control panel, keypad, sensors and siren.  I do not know what Roda are quoting for this but at least they are providing operatives to install for you if you want and this seems to be the norm in a lot of new property.  I just find it strange that for some reason they have not introduced a package for the downlighters.  I thought the whole idea was that we could just click from the UK and get the property finished via their aftersales - even though it is at a premium cost. It is quite funny that we can furnish, alarm, tv etc etc the whole property before we get there but do not arrive at night or we will not be able to see a thing in the kitchen, hall or bathrooms because there will just be the holes in the ceiling! Great business proposition for any electricians out there!?

Mrs H

Hi  All

We are completing in Phase 1 on November 7.  I have it in writing from Florina in Customer Services, in response to my query to them concerning this very issue and I quote "Sent: Tuesday, 8 August, 2006 8:45:04 AM

Sandra

Thanks for the update,   Roda have a section in the contract that might be of some use  (  21  Resolution of contentious issues  ) ....    It might be worth treating the downlighter  holes  as a defect  not within the spirit of the contract..  Then   refuse to complete until the property  is finished  to your satisfaction.. 

 On  sign off day, you will probably inspect the property in the morning   making out your defect list.  Roda will then expect you to pay up and complete at the notary in the afternoon.    The only way  to guarantee the work, must be to withhold part of the payment.  But they probably have that covered.      

 David Sanchez  seems to spend an inordinate  amount of time on vacation. 

Hi Sandra

I should certainly hang onto that e-mail if I were you!  It was David Sanchez who told us about the holes in the ceiling for the spotlights so it seems you were lucky he was on holiday!

Paul, I think you have a point about the 'contentious issues' particularly if we are not all being given the same information.  Phase one people should definitely start fighting for their downlighters and also finding out just exactly how the holes and wires are going to be left.  I may be showing my ignorance here but it is all very well leaving a ceiling rose with wires because that is safe and a DIY job but these downlighters require transformers and a qualified electrician.  How can they be giving us a choice when the ceiling is full of holes?!  If we did not want downlighters we could argue that this is a defect?  It is all worth a try and we all should certainly object.  Particularly if Sandra is the only one who will be able to see what she is doing on completion day!

Mrs H

I will be visiting Roda this Wed 26th along with a management company who will be doing the snagging on an completed apartment. I will of course check out the lighting situation and report back to the forum ASAP.

I will also take photos of the progress of all the phases along with the landscaping/ pools etc.

If any one needs any other issues raised then mail me B4  2.30pm today as we fly this pm.

Just got back from Roda today and the lights will need to be paid for separately, along with the shower screen for the bath and also the door to the shower cubicle.  We were told this is because everyone wants different.

We were also told that they hope to have a package for lights and screens for phase 3 and 4 but posssibly phase 2.

Stu

surley if the excuse is that everyone wants different lights and screens etc there should be a nominated amount of money set aside for the lights and screens provided and if anyone wants to change or upgrade then pay the extra.

this is a feeble excuse of making extra money out of us gullible brits, these spanish developers must think we are right mugs, where would you purchase a house in the uk with shower cubicals without doors or no light fitting, in truth you would not, so i keep asking myself why are we all excepting it in spain.

we need to make a fuss, or our agents should get invoved and voice our disgust, most of these properties are 150000+  people on phase one should unite and refuse to be fobbed off by these feeble excuses, i wonder what other extras they come up with prior to handing over.

there are no mention of all these extras in the glossy brochures or in the agents information packs, ( i wonder why )

they must think we are made of money with never ending pots of money to hand over at every new idea that they dream up.

heaven knows what the community charges will  be for the year

dave

Roda have also said that they are going to revise the furniture package as Phase 1 people have complained that it is far too much and aslo Roda are not happy with the quality.

They said they should have a new package available by December along with the figures for the service charge. 

Roda are also going to be offering mortgages, again the news will be the end of December.

An initial payment of around €600 will be required for Phase 1 places to get everything connected and then around €100 per month cummunity charge, possibly less.

I do feel sorry for the Phase 1 buyers as they seem to be the ones that have to sort out all the problems that are arising.  Hopefully these will all be ironed out by the time Phase 3 is ready, which i was told October 07 by the way.

Hope all this helps.

Stu

I spoke to my agent yesterday about this and he said that Roda's attitude would be they would be just as happy to give me back my money plus interest if I wouldn't complete without the lights that they have comitted to in writing.  I have wrote to David Sanchez in Customer Services saying that I had it in writing that lights were included and he said no, just the holes in the ceiling plus the wires!  I also told him that I expected to see the lights installed when I do my snagging in a couple of weeks.  I  have also put my lawyer on red alert on this and I think my agent was going to speak to Roda - so I am waiting to hear back from him.  I am utterly fed up with this and I agree with the previous comments about the whole exercise being a financial rip off because they think we are stupid and made of money!

Blow the shower and bath screens - I am using nice tasteful white shower curtains for both the shower and the bath for the time being!  There must be a supplier locally who will fit them for a fraction of the price that Roda are offering!    I will not buy Roda's furniture and have managed to put together a nice package of different items with the help of a local supplier.    Please email me if you want his details.

 However, the thing is no-one ever said it was going to be easy buying property in Spain and I suppose we should have expected something like this! 

Yours in utter frustration! 

Sandra

I mentioned that to them over the weekend, but was told if you want to make use of them looking after the rental for you, De Vere insist on using the furniture package as they want all rental places furnished the same.

Stu

Hi there

I don't think you'll get any joy out of Roda whatsoever.  I had a major dispute with them a couple of months ago and got nowhere.  On the positive side I had a chat with sugarmummy and his partner tonight (they are out in Spain) and they are very pleased with how the apartments are looking.  Although he wasn't able to go along to the snagging of a property he was able to look inside a finished one.  I'm sure he'll post an update upon his return.

Mandi

Hi Sandra

Well done for the action you are taking.  I have also written a letter of complaint about the lights. I actually found an old e-mail when I had asked sales about the light fittings before we paid our first payment and they too told me 'downlighters would be installed'.  It would be interesting to know what happens in other developments in Spain - certainly in the UK we would not buy a new property like this.  In fact I think it is illegal to leave an old property this way in the UK as if you remove lights you have to connect the wires to some sort of ceiling rose.

On the positive side I agree with Mandib.  We were very pleased with the standard of finish of the properties and despite our grievances over the lights left the site pleased with our purchase.  We all need to keep nagging about this light issue.  Roda are difficult to deal with but on mass I am sure we will all exhaust them eventually.  If everyone agreeing with this issue sends an e-mail of complaint then hopefully they will review this policy asap.

Mrs H

Can you remember what kind of lights are in the lounge? Downlighters, normal lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling or are they expecting us to put table lamps in there as well as the bedrooms?  I am also not happy about this, it is going to be very difficult to put ceiling lights in when I'm on the ground floor, I'm guessing I would need access to the first floor to do this?

Hello mandib

In the Showhouse the downlighters are in the kitchen, bathroom and also a row in the hallway which I seem to remember is open plan so these are above the half wall that seperates the hall from the lounge.  They then have lamps in the lounge and bedrooms.

I do not think you would need access to the floor above to install the downlighters but if you wanted a ceiling light in the lounge then I think I have read somewhere Roda's recommendation to chase the wires across the ceiling?  A lot of new property in the UK sell with the lamp scenario in the lounge and bedrooms but they tend to compensate with installed downlighters everywhere else!  It would be good to find out if other developers in Spain leave holes too.

Mrs H

Hello Mrs H

Did you notice the way Roda had run the wire across the ceiling for the lights in the show home?  It run along the ceiling and looked ridiculous and cheap.  It was a shame really as apart from that the showhome was very nice.  If thats what we had to do, I think I'll stick with the lamps.  If we could run the wires above the ceiling this would be different but I guess there would be a lot of redecorating to do otherwise I would of thought Roda would have done this in the show home.