A different flyng question

Hi, thank you kindly for your welcome.  Strangely we dont know what the street number is. Martin had to work last weekend when I viewed so all I can say is looking out of the front door the shops are three Avenue's up.  Looking from the Office you would turn left, down the outside perimeter then third avenue down. Its a Jazmin No 14 (show house currently) in the mustard colour! 

We are very much hoping to get the keys in March, as we are getting married on the 1st May and coming out for two weeks gardening and furniture hunting!

Has anyone any thoughts on best places to go for beds/furniture and sundries in the area?  Chris from Solseekers has recommended a resident who is marvellous with electrical work and is finding his number for us.  But if anyone can help with useful contacts, we would be delighted to have some handy names.

Also, as my Uncle and mother will be using the property (probably more than us at the moment), they are in their early 70's and would love to know if there is a bus service/taxi service from the end of the road into Fortuna???

Lots and lots of little questions to ask, sorry.

kind regards

Sally and Martin

Looking at my site plan it looks like you will be in the Vulcano phase - they are all key ready properties down on that part of the Urbanisation, not too far from the third communal pool.

As far as furniture etc goes the town of Fortuna could be a possible source but I would recommend the Thader and Neuva Condominia complexes on the northern edge of Murcia. There is a IKEA there also.

There is an 'hourly' bus service into Fortuna and the on to Murcia centre from the edge of the Urbanisation.

There are several builders/electricians living and working on site. I'll dig out some numbers and PM you with them, It's best to get several quotes as the customer has the upper hand at the moment.

Never be afraid to ask - we've all been there and still have the "T" shirt!!

Hi Dennis, thanks so much for that.  Vulcano sounds about right with the explosive journey we have had to find a property (long boring story of over 4 years waiting for another Developer to build out house - now in Administration with all our money).  Any help and guidance is very much appreciated as would a PM be with 'options'. 

Ive got so many questions such as communal ,charges average water bills, electricity etc  (our laywer is on holiday again). but I'll try and stagger them out so as not to bore you.

Your very kind

Sally

These are easy ones to answer:

Community Charge; As we are not yet a formal community a budget has not been set. I imagine it will be well into the year before that happens.

Water; We are still on builders supply so water is free at the moment. We have been told several times that we will be going onto metered supply, but it has'nt happened yet.

Electricity; Yes we do have to pay for that! Obviously the cost will depend on usage. Our last bill was nearly 300 euros for two of the coldest months.

Dear Sally,

I would seriously consider buying your furniture etc in the UK we found all household goods more expensive in Spain  We brought  some furniture with us and topped of the rest in Spain, if I were to do it again, I would have brought the lot.

All the best. Derek

This message was last edited by chelseadel on 2/10/2009.

i would agree with Chelseadel i bought most of mine over last year beds were a good deal in Spain but the headboards were not also electrical lights etc better deal in Uk

Just make sure that these ´Builders and Electricians ´who live on site are legally registered in Spain.

If the electrician is not certified here and you have to make an insurance claim at any time your insurance is void.A properley registered electrician here will give you a certificate at the end of the works so you are fully covered.

Also check if the buiders are legally registered and paying tax!!! and of course who they are paying commission to!!!

This is really helpful information, thanks so much each.  Im now pressuming that the British lighting (wiring) is the same as the Spanish, so that may be an excellent idea (even if we counted up the number of downlights just to make sure we had those in situ.  I know Ive heard of ' van space for hire'  from the uk as we will only be able to use this as a holiday home for a few years.  so I,ll look into that (unless anyone knows any companies??) we are based in worcestershire in the UK. 

We are really grateful for the info.

Sally and Martin

Just a word of warning - we brought some lights with us from the UK and have problems finding the bayonet type of bulbs, so look for the screw thread type.

Being an electrician and having to pay alot on courses and updates for European Regs in England. I asked for a certificate from Procumasa and the electricians they use do not provide them, when i snagged my property i found that alot of the sockets never had earth and also some of the wires were not European standard quality this was put to Procumasa without any success i ended up putting it right myself

So if you intend to do an insurance claim on electrics on a Procumasa Villa basically you are ****** because of non registered electricians that they use so you have no worries getting help locally because the local spanish electricians tend not to provide a certificate either.

Please note that an item which is worthwhile in Spain is an updated main switch of approx 40 amp `which is th emax you can use with the cable that feeds the property Procumasa foreman who is not an electrician usually fits a 20/25 Amp one.

Hi folk, thanks very much for the info.  Ive just emailed GAP with an enquiry as to a smallish van for beds, garden table and an assortment  of furniture cheaper here in the UK.

Very grateful.

Sally and Martin

There has been a spate of opportunist break-ins on site in the last few days.

With the return of the sun and people on site for half term breaks there seems to be a lapse in home security.

Our house was burgled last week.  We do not know whether it was opportune or calculated because at the time the electricity had gone down on the whole urbanisation and we were not in.

The burglars pulled up the shutters on the patio doors a short way as they  automatically became taut, crow barred the steel gratings open and then crowbarred the patio door open.

They took most of our electrical type goods and also the safe that was bolted to the floor!

My dog that was left in the house at the time was found wandering four streets away.

It has been a devestating experience but I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our neighbours who have helped out and also to the police who have been more than helpful.

Thankfully we are insured but at the end of the day its the thought that someone has been in your home.

 It begs the question should the security be heightened within the urbanisation itself by bringing back the security patrols - but then if its not happened to you?

We have always been very security conscious especially where home security is concerned but if theres a will theres a way.

Rog and Caroline

** EDITED - Removed at poster's request **

So sorry to hear that some of my neighbours have been victims of burglary seven break ins in a short period of time is a lot of break ins.

Unfotunately this is a common problem with any new urbanisation, when my mother in law moved in to quesda 5 years ago we where burgled on the third day, went out for an hour, came back they had hopped over two balconies and got in without any sign of forced entry.

Just make sure you have changed all your locks, and if possible fit extra locks inside on the windows and your grills, but what ever you do, dont let them get the better of you, because believe me eventually they move on to the next new develepment.

Just enjoy your new home, because we carried on and my mother- in- law is happy where she is.

Kind Regard

Mark & Jackie

My family and i stayed at las kalendas for a week in february.I must say i was impressed by the place,and the very friendly nature of everyone i came in contact with, even the few spanish men who where in the bar in the evening made us feel welcome. I did find the burgularies upsetting,and it must of been sad for the people it happened to .Unfortunatly it seems to be happening everywhere at the moment. We went to las kalendas in hope of buying there in the future, heard many of stories good and bad .It has not put me off,but still need to have another look in the summer. I have children of school age so i need to get it right.