Car share from Manilva to La Line/Gibraltar

Anyone else had any smells in there apartments ,a neighbour who is next door to my apartment visited my place this morning & yesterday, knowing she was going over i asked them to check on our place,when they opened the door apparently there was a shocking smell of what smelt like a sewage smell,which is not in theirs and they are next door to me!Anyyone else had any problems with any sewage odour because according to our friends they said it was that bad ,no one could possibly stay in there at present. i have emailed Raul to find out if there is anything going on to cause this ..

Eltonia

Hi Eltonia,

What phase and apartment number are you on Manilva Beach?

We are going over to stay at our apartment at end of May.  I wonder what we will find?

Sue/Paul

Hi, I am on Phase 1 Block D, and when it was first furnished and we stayed there, we had the same problem.  At the time there was no-one to report it to so it was a case of lots of air fresheners and windows open. However it got worse to the point of choking us. Then I noticed the apartment that backs on to mine had its door open. It was unfurnished and dirty. I went in, and both loos were full of WELL YOU KNOW WHAT - all around the seats, floor and pan. I flushed them but there was no water. It had been like that for months. So I got buckets from my apartment and attempted to flush it through like that. Christ it made me heave. Then copious amounts of domestos.

Hey presto, the smell in my apartment had gone. All I can assume is the filthy builders used these loos whilst the apartments were being fitted out.

I have had a tenant in since then, and he has never reported sewage issues, so I presume that was my problem. Mine is an end apartment so the bathroom plumbing is back to back with the opposite one. Maybe worth you checking to see if your next apartments are occupied.  The smell seemed to be entering our place via the air conditioning ducting as well.

On a different note, I have been made aware that there are some drainage issues on MB phase 1, and also I know someone who replaced their shower base for a larger one and when they removed it there was no join on the pipe so the water was just collecting underneath it and stagnating.

I suggest, if you are over there, that you collar Raul on site and ask him to check out the adjacent apartments, and if that doesnt cure it, ask him to check the drainage (How, Im not sure).

Regards

Nigel

Hi Thanks Nige ,we had a feeling it could be something like that,as when we first went to our place,our toilets where how you described them.We are on Phase 1 block 1 facing the front.As far as we are aware one place to the side of us is empty but the other is part occupied by a couple who have just been over.they checked our apartment and said that the smell was that bad they had to rush in & out of our place.i haven't managed to hear of Raul yet although i have emailed him to let him know of the situation.Our neighbour also said there was the same smell although not as strong in the entrance hall and also the garage are.surely this must be a health issue with heat ,flies etc.also due to fact i am still waitin g for elec to be put on,we cant use air-con either.MASKS TO THE READY!!!!!!!!!!!

eltonia

I can only comment as a paying guest at Manilva Beach, but I definitely noticed sewerage smells when we stayed there for a week last month.  Our friends were staying in a different block and they also noticed the same smell in their block.  The smell wasn't in our apartment, just the corridor leading to the apartment.

Don't know if that helps or hinders!

Hel

I am in Phase 1 Block A 2nd floor middle apt overlooking pool. I have always had a slight smell in my shower room although I've never noticed it in the bathroom. I was out there few weeks ago and got to know someone from Manchester who is on Phase 2. They had a mysterious leak in their bathroom. Each  morning they woke up there would be a small puddle of water by the toilet. Having no faith in the on site builders they paid for a builder to come out and inspect it. Having lifted out the toilet he discovered that the toilet had been installed without a rubber seal costing about 1 euro! These seals apparently prevent the aforementioned odours. Needless to say they had the problem rectified and it's been fine since. Another problem I'm going to have to fork out money for.

With regard to Nigel's comment regarding "drainage issues" I have witnessed two horrific incidents. One couple from Ireland in Phase 2 came over couple months ago to find that their double bedroom ceiling had fallen in due to water leaking from pipes from the apt above them. If that wasn't bad enough Luigi told them that they would have to claim on their insurance to repair it!! Needless to say the owner told him in no uncertain terms that the developer was responsible as it had occured because of absymal plumbing work. Fortunately their apt wasn't furnished. If it had been the furniture would have been ruined. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the damage. The ceilings are packed with horse hair which is a Spanish practice apparently.

 When I was last  there a  couple weeks ago another owner's bathroom ceiling collapsed. The owner, Maureen, lives there permanently on Phase 2. A long term rent moved into the apt above her 3 months ago. She always said that whenever the guy took a shower she always found it strange how clearly  she could hear the water and would go into her bathroom to check her ceiling was ok. It was until 3 weeks ago! Obviously his shower waste pipe was leaking but it took 3 months for it to manifest itself. Fortunately the collapse was directly over the bath which kept other damage to her apt to a minimum. When she went up to see him he wasn't pleased being asked if he could stop using his shower! This guy is fed up at Manilva Beach and is looking to rent elsewhere saying there is a big problem with damp in his apt. Forgive me if I smile at this point when I tell you that his landlord is an employee of the agent we bought from. Schadnfreude indeed!!!!!

I have 2 major concerns. The first being that I will have no idea if the plumbing in my ceiling is ok until someone moves in above me and starts using water. Above me is an unoccupied and I think, an unfurnished, penthouse. If there is a problem I won't know until it's too late i.e. literally when the damage has been done.  I also have no idea if my using water is causing damage to the unoccupied apt below me!

My second concern is that the guy mentioned above was asked if he could use the shower room rather than the shower above the bath until Maureen's ceiling could be repaired. My air con unit, like everyone else who has air con fitted, is in the ceiling of the shower room. I can only hope and pray that the plumbing work above it has been installed correctly. However judging by the horrendous bodged jobs I've experieced from my own apt and witnessed those of others in their apts it will be a real worry.

When I completed in September 2006 initially my worry, whenever I returned to Manilva, was being  broken into during my absence. My main worry now is water damage!!! I already  have paint flaking off both my bedroom ceilings due to damp, rain coming thru, but I'd rather have that than have the ceiling collapse!! I have no idea who these guys were who "built" Manilva Beach but personally I wouldn't trust them with Lego bricks!!!!!!  I'm out again this Saturday with fingers crossed when I open the door.

Thanks everyone for you comments,it seems that we are going to have to get out there asap to try to see for ourselves if this smell in our place can be rectified,according to our neighbour she insists that people would not be able to stay there as it is with the smells at present.As i mentioned prevoiusly i have emailed Raul & Lawyers but have not yet heard ,but i will be phoning tommorrow,i have also spoken to o*p about this (claire halford) who said it is a matter for the developer to sort out.Is this also part of the snaggings that we have to try & sort out ourselves as well! anyhow thanks again everyone who has commented they are very much appreciated.

regards

eltonia

Pat / Paul , are you going to the AGM on 12th May ?

If not, and youre going out after then, I'm at the AGM and can check your apartment for you while I am there.

Let me know your plans,

Regards

Nigel