flax horse bedding

This update relates to my experience on phase 1 , but it could potentially effect us all !   Although I completed my purchase in August '06 the snagging, furniture, aircon etc was not completed until July '07. Already out of pocket I naively thought that I could make a go of it by letting the property out for holiday lets ignoring advise to take a long term let.  Well another 8 months on and with only a few weeks of income under my belt  I am rapidly going down and only have enough money to cover the mortgage for another 2-3 months then it's all over !  The only option I thought, was to sell at a big loss and I'm quite serious.  Infact just to get out of this nightmare I would sell at a figure well below what I paid, evening taking into account the extra money that I have lost on aircon and furniture.  You must be mad I hear you say but I really am that desperate !!

Well it's not as easy ( obviously nothing ever is) as I am advised that the developer never registered the development  with Manilva Council and in their eyes the properties do not exist.  This has recently come to light as a local Letting agent has attempted to obtain the " Castastral " value,  ( similar to a rateable value ) for some Spanish tenants that she has in an apartment on phase 1.  Well needless to say if the property doesn't exist there are surely going to be some big problems with resell and backdated rates in the future.

Has anyone else been alerted to this problem and can anyone shed any light non the situation ?

I think that if there is an update we need it now or we will have to start some action to have it put in place asap.

Is this true ?

"the developer never registered the development  with Manilva Council and in their eyes the properties do not exist. "

Has anyone been able to clarify it ?

Nigel

My lawyer has confirmed that this is not true.

Nigel

Has anyone received any mail at their apartment. I was told that there were no deliveries to the site as the address is not recognised due to not being properly registered. If someone has received some mail then that will disprove that theory. I was under the impression that mail was not being received e.g. utility bills etc. Correct me if I am wrong!!!

By the way you wouldn't believe the maount of typo's in my first attempt on this reply. Every time I try and post something on here I seem to suffer from silly finger syndrome

I have had no mail - however, my rental agents had issues getting the utilities companies to 'find' my details - even though I was being charged electricity, I never received a bill, it was deducted from my bank account directly.

My solicitors were only Conveyancing UK/Spain at the initial purchase. My spanish Lawyers upon completion were a spanish company that OVP recommended.

Cheers

Nigel

Hi Peter,

This is what I got from Condominuim Services when I posed the question about a community of owners meeting in Sept last year:-

• With regard calling a first meeting, this is entirely up to the President/at this moment, the developer/Jetplus. This is very normal and in time, when they instruct us to call a meeting, we should have all the management contracts in place with a view to formally asking the owners to move forward.

Contact Lawrence Jordan at Condominium Services [info@condominium-net.com] and ask the question and see what the state of play is now.

I agree entirely. I complained about the security then - looks like there are issues not being attended to which is great for over a grand a year. Email and complain about them and let us know the response.

Ps - for a new functional kitchen you are likely to get more rent than the standard caravan like abortion. Myself and a few other owners have found the refit well worth the money.

Regards

Nigel

I own a property on phase 1. I have been trying now for several weeks to get an answer about the Community of Owners and when there is going to be an AGM. Condominium Services answer my emails roughly 2 weeks after I send them which has made research very difficult. I too am very concerned about the number of Satellite dishes at the site. Condominium have told me that individual Satellite dishes are illegal on Community developments and that the owners under Spanish law have the power to enforce their removal. Condominium have said that this is an issue for the Community and that this must be addressed at the owners AGM which is arranged by the President. The problem is that no-one can tell me who the President is. He/she is listed as Jet Plus (the developer) with no individual contact details. I have asked Raul (a contact from the developer) to help but have yet to hear from him. I can fully understand why people would want a Satellite dish but surely it is better to act as a group on such matters. Individuals should really respect other owners. Its going to be really easy to arrange a dish on the top of each block. Only when we elect our own President can we move the site forward and arrange Satellite for everyone who wants it (me included). We can then have a say on a lot more things including security. This way we can avoid it looking like "council flats" and put our input into improving the site. But everyone, it is not going to happen unless you make an effort and stop expecting others to do it for you. I urge all owners on phase 1 to contact Condominium Services and Jet Plus (if you have a number because I don't) and ask who is the President and when is the AGM. If anyone knows more than I have been able to find out please let me know.

Come on owners, get involved !!!!!!

What is the point in getting involved if I can't even get my furniture installed for nearly 3 years even though we paid £18000 for it?

We are all in a position we dont want to be in with these properties, however, the onus is us and us only to make things happen.

Believe me, if we don't - nothing will get done. The only good and positive things that have happened on this site are down to us applying pressure. Forget the 'Cradle to the Grave' that OVP talked about. Its all hands to the pump now to get this site off the ground and working for us. Bitter as that is to swallow, it is the truth, and I want to protect my investment (in "")  as much as possible.

Have you tried the legal approach to get a refund. 3 years is not acceptable - especially on top of the extra wait for the actual completion.

Nige

we are sick and tired of all the lies we've been fed and the lack of truth from everyone to do with our property.

we are now trying the maximum publicity route - lets see how they react when asked questions by real investigative journalists who know the libel rules and who can't be gagged

 Where do I start.

Completed on  development invested nearly £100k I have nothing to show for it.

Was taken on a tour with ovp with Adam Sargent , John Kenyon Smith also met a few footballers who are something to do with ovp. they all looked after me all week end.

When Sunday came all three of them sat me down.I had stayed in a good hotel, had a good evening meal with them no one talked shop.

Saturday morning was an early start of to look at some new developments. The plans all looked great and as they said I could not loose on investing on of plan developments. They told me they would go up by 30% when finished.

We went to lunch, food was great sat talking to Adam Sargent nice guy I thought. He was explainig the merits of buying two properties. He said I could buy two, sell one of my properties before completion making a nice profit and use the profit  to reduce my mortgage on the other property I would be completing on sounded great.

After lunch went  to see a couple of show apartments. I was told all the furniture in the property would be the same in my properties. They were trying to create the same look in all there properties good idea I thought.

At last back at the hotel I was shattered. Was told down stairs in bar for drinks before we go out for dinner

I had about an hour to my self. Fell asleep in bath was woken up by call on room phone.

Went out for dinner I must admit what a night  I was wined and dined. We all went to dinner great food there were about 20 clients and about 12 ovp representatives

They took use to loads of bars. I think it was about 3am when they got me back to my room. One thing I did notice not many of them were drinking and a few of them slipped of early but not john I think he had as good a time as me. I must admit I realy like John Kenyon Smith how wrong was I.

Sunday morning early wake up call must be down stairs to descuss developments. I had breakfast and before I new it I had three of them around me with contract in hand.

 before I new what was going on I had signed and paid my deposit and was on a flight home a few hours later. When I got home I was not sure what realy had happend.

Hi Raymond

So sorry to hear your story and can tell you that you are just one of many hundreds

Everything you say is true and I witnessed it many times

What development are you on as I can give you the info on it .

Glad you didnt  go for the two properties (called Piggy Back by O.V.P) as this was how the investment was sold( witnessed some going for 5 at a time)

Buy 2 and help pay for the mortgage out of spinning the contract before completion and up to 5  properties and the profits would mean you would get yours free

Not that it  mattered as the mortgage payments would be covered by 12 weeks rent so plenty to spare 

You are joining so many in the same situation on this forum and hopefully this will help ease the pain

Dan

hi raymond

i will keep you up to date about my court case with ovp i am in the same position as u.  what site are u on

will send u a private message

cheers steve

In response to Truthteller

What is the point in getting involved if I can't even get my furniture installed for nearly 3 years even though we paid £18000 for it?

I was referring to owners on phase 1, if you are on phase 1 and have waited 3 years for your furniture then this is truly appalling and wish you every luck in trying to get this done. Not everyone on this development has gone down the furniture package/rental scheme route with OVP. I arranged my furniture, AC and kitchen and rent long term. I am interested in this for the long term so am therefore very interested in having a say on its upkeep. The President of our Community (and presumably on the other phases) is currently the developer Jet Plus which is not healthy for us owners. So, my request was for any owners on phase 1 to hassle Condominium Services for the name of the President so we can call an AGM and elect our own.

Nigie

Thanks for the response.

I have emailed "Con". Services as you suggest and will await a reply.

Dont hold your breath!

Raymond

It sounds like a recording, that is exactly what happened to most of us. I did manage to escape the late night out as I wanted to keep a clear head, by jumping into a taxi with a few others whilst OVP were not looking at about midnight. But nevertheless still signed on the dotted line next morning! ....Bugger!

For what it is worth I think that your money is not lost as long as you can do something about your own situation yourself. Dont rely on anybody else who you may have had dealings with before on this. Not sure why your apartment is not finished but we had good help from Raul the site guy, I have found Villapac are ok when you talk to them. If your intentions are to let the property find a good local agent as we did and they will help with some of the issues for you.

Good luck and dont let the b...... get you down.

Peter

I too went on an 'investment tour' with this company (thought we weren't supposed to be naming them ?).

Think you may all be being a bit disingenuous.

Yes well looked after. Yes wined and dined. Yes early start after very very late night.

Yes signed reservation form and paid cheque for 5 grand......maybe not at the best time to do so sitting in the sun with a thick head.

But oh look - 21 days to change my mind. Did so on day 10 (ish). 5 grand returned about 3 or 4 weeks later.

What....did your hangovers last a full 3 weeks??

When I decided that I wanted a house in spain so in my later life I could spend 6 months here and 6 months in the Uk.

Was I going to use a Spanish company or a British company. I thought I would use a British I could trust them to look after my investment. HOW WRONG WAS I

You say I had time to council If I could only find someone to talk to then but I had no problem. I had five yes five IFAS telling me what a good investment it was and how they all had purchased property in spain. So they all were looking after my interest and my money IFAS have to.

So I went ahead and bought on MANILVA BEACH.

No water.

No electric.

No bathroom or shower.

No second fit has been done oh sorry they call it snagging.

Locks that do not work.

An an apartment that is smallet then the plans that I was given.

Just concrete floors and walls.

Im not stupid I do not believe any of us are I trusted ovp  and there ifas,that was my down fall.

Raymond

     No  occcupancy licence

      Doupt over the legality of the development

     Price paid way over the market price so the Franchisees/I.F.As/Sales Staff /O.V.P /its directors could all have a slice of the cake.

     All this for putting your trust in an I.F.A promoted investment

Dan

Matt H was very lucky. The rest of us weren't stupid as we were all sold to by IFA's and to be honest, we believed them, I've only just found out that they were paid around 3% commission so it wasn't the independant advice we thought we were getting. On any other product and IFA sells commission has to be disclosed, special rules though for THEY WHO CANT BE NAMED

No Matt H, we weren't hungover for three weeks. I didn't pay a reservation fee in Spain, I went to see the IFA in question in Edgebaston a couple on months later where he went through all the growth, income projections again. Now he's trying to say that this WASN'T investment advice!

They told us they would sell it before completion for a small profit, and they told us they found a couple of buyers, both of which fell through so we were stuck with having to complete. £1000 upfront fee to arrange a mortgage (not the non-status one we were sold at the ouitset) and we were told that if we withdrew before completion we would lose all of our deposit £60,000

We were stuffed, well and truly done