Long term rental, villa wanted in Chiclana, must have ADSL

Hi there

I know the site you are refering to as I read it too.   Unfortunately we will not be out until third week of June, but it would be interesting to see a sample of one of their accounts to see how they administer the community accounts and the costings for comparison.    As Riquelme is still in its infancy, it will be difficult to get a substantial amount of owners out at the same time to get enough voices, but the suggestion was to put flyers through the doors so that all owners were made aware that it is necessary to set up local communities.     I can do this for my block - if I can get through the main entrances - and, if other owners can do the same in theirs, we may be able to get the proverbial ball rolling.   Alternatively, the call centre is still holding onto post so we can deliver indiviual memos using that avenue.

All other suggestions most welcome...........

 

Linda,
The call centre no longer hold the post.  It has become too much for them to handle and you now have to go to the post office in Sucina.  Its just by the traffic lights and has restricted opening hours. 

If anyone knows what they are, perhaps they could post them - pun intended!

Many thanks for the info Harry and Helen.  Sounds like the post office will need an extension at that rate.

 

Best wishes

Linda

It looks as though the designated community make-up at HR is that each block is designated as one mini-community. This is similar to La Torre where there about 80 mini-communities. There look to be in the region of about 78 blocks on HR so the number will be about the same. This make-up still needs final clarification from Resortalia.

This will require, at some point, that about 80 mini-AGM's to be held where elections for the 'representative' of that mini-community will take place. Owners can be there in person or vote by proxy via forms to be supplied for purpose. The important thing is that we have an Owner standing for election at every mini-AGM....so we are going to need about 80 people up for election...so people should start considering if they would want to stand for election as a local 'representative' so that when the time comes they can be nominated.

These local elected representatives will then elect the actual HR Community Committee from those nominated representatives for the following year at a Super-AGM. There is not an 80 person Community Comittee....probably about 10 officers, who can form their own working groups. All representatives and the HR Community Committee are elected for an annual tenture on each occasion.

The local representatives will have about 25 properties in their block as their community to communicate with. They become the local point of contact for issues that these owners have for the Community Committe from their mini-community or information fed back from the Community Committee.

Taken from another forum today.

"Called in at the new offices of Resortalia this morning and spoke to Pepa.

She is in the process of drawing up necessary details and will shortly be calling the AGMs for Hacienda. They will be held in the second half of June - so not much notice. The first meeting is on 16 June. There will be one meeting for each phase - so 7 meetings. Each building - so Ajedrea 4 for me - will vote to elect a President.

If you cannot attend it is very important that you complete a proxy form and return it. These form part of the invitation to the meeting. …"

  16th June is far too short notice for some of us..  Communication doesn't seem to be their forte does it.

Elaine

Same here - we aren't going out until 23rd June, so let's see what the turnout will be.

Lin

Hi everyone

We also met Pepa a couple of days ago. She's very helpful and is going to find out for us whether we can block off a small part of our terrace to make a cupboard to store deckchairs etc. She also told us that it may be possible to install a roller shutter on the living room window and maybe black rejas (grilles) on the kitchen and side window of the living room. Since we are on the ground floor, we thought this was quite important.

Regarding the post office, it is open from 8.30am to 10.30am. It's only a tiny room and the poor guy that's in charge is a bit stressed! I can't say I blame him. However, you should be aware that they only keep post for 15 days and then it gets returned to sender! All they have is a box for each street and you have to sort through it yourself to find your own mail. It's a nightmare. I was looking for my gas bills and it took me 15 minutes to realise that they'd already been returned to the gas company. I told Pepa that it wasn't good enough (politely!) and apparently we will eventually get postboxes in HR but she couldn't tell me when.

We went to the cafe/bar at the weekend. It was very pleasant but expensive. 9€ for a sub/bocadillo/sandwich! If you go to the little bar in Sucina (on the right opposite the church) you can get a three-course lunch for about the same price. Salad, first course of soup or noodles or lentils, second course of meat or chicken and chips, pudding, coffee and wine or beer! OK there's not much choice and you might have to stretch your little bit of Spanish a bit but it's good plain cooking and you'll be so full when you come out that you won't need much supper!

Anyway, looking forward to seeing some of you folks on Saturday, especially meeting you Lennie. Let's hope we don't get bitten by too many mosquitos! Pepa says they will spray soon to kill them off but was also interested in my suggestion of fish in the lakes. Apparently this is something we can discuss at our residents' meetings.

Hasta luego

Sally

This thread is a bit quieter than it should be as these are important meetings that are coming up.  Its good that Resortalia are trying to get the community involved at an early stage and that is commendable.  It is now vital is that volunteers are forthcoming to stand as presidents of their block.

Not sure how the procedure works but as a lot of the meetings will have minimal attendance, if anyone wants to stand I suggest the email ‘Rosortalia’ and put their names down for their block.

Can I ask that if anyone attends the meetings, please post the details of the outcome with a brief guide as to what happened?

All very interesting guys - like most of you it's a bit short notice to get over to HR to get involved - does anyone else think that 100 Euro a month for a resort with no real central facilities (cafe bar may be open but is not up the standards of the Olivio etc) and no working pools is a bit steep? Last time I was there the lift was not working, and gas was off for a day.

I can't help thinking we are getting taxed a little early in the day especially considering the delays in delivery and the central services??

Views and any ideas on how to protest appreciated

Claire

The Central facilities (Temp Bar etc) and the Golf course areas are all Polaris World private property and do not belong to the Community.... none of the Community Charges go towards them...so whether they are there or not it doesnt affect your Community Charge amounts.  The Community Charges are for things like Community Administration, Security, Communal and Apartment area gardening, Rubbish Collection, Apartment corridor/stairs cleaning, lighting in apartment corridors and garages...and will include Pool running and maintenance....plus a few others.  All these services, except the pools, have been costing since the resort took its first completions. It does not matter if anyone is there, these services have still have to be provided and have been costing the community and will continue to do so. PW facilities have nothing to do with the Community nor does the fact that utilities etc had not been connected. There are still bills to pay..

The 100E is actually cheaper than other PW resorts will be, but it is simply a 'budget' figure for this first year of operation based on expected expenses. Once the Community Administrators  have recieved the actual invoices and have been studied for next year it will certainly change. ...and its anyones guess as to which way! There is also a contingency fund to be accumulated which all Communities have to have by law.

€1200 per year for a resort the standard of HR when up and running will be very good value. 

As to the present situation, two questions you must ask yourself.

If all the facilities as promised by PW were up and running prior to you taking over your apartment, would you be objecting to €100 per month for the community charges? I suspect the answer is no.

Taking into account the fact that utilities connection, the town centre and associated facilities, the golf course and clubhouse, the sports area, etc. are nothing to do with the community and therefore are not relevant in this case, does that alter your opinion? If it does, why?

To expand on what is relevant, I'll ask Colin to repost from another forum.  He provided a really good explanation as to what is involved in the community.


Looks like Colin was typing the same time as me!!!

This message was last edited by HarrynHelen on 6/8/2008.

Duly done Harry...although a bit of duplication from my last post...

I would like to just clear a few things about the HR Resort and the HR Community....
Firstly..The golf course and the town centre facilities have nothing whatsoever to do with the HR Community or the Community charges. The Golf Course and all its facilities and TC are the private property of PolarisWorld and their responsibility....and always will be. They are not owned by the HR Community...none of the Community charges go to support these....and are not the HR Community responsibility but reamin a large presence on the Resort. Both the HR Community (The shortly to be elected HR Committee and Resortalia) together in partnership with Polaris World will run the Hacienda Riquelme Resort. The HR Community does not administer or run the whole Resort...only a portion of it....but requires to work with PW for the betterment of our Resort.

Secondly....Community Charges are purely for the 'residential' areas of the HR resort....i.e Resort Administration, Gardening, Security, Rubbish collection, Apartment areas, inside and out, Apartment communal areas cleaning and Apartment/Carpark cleaning and lighting bills, Pools and surrounding areas etc.
All these, apart from Pools, have been in operation from day one, to some degree, irrespective of whether you have been using your properties or not for whatever the reason. If you are not using them now, because you are in the UK, do you still feel you should not pay any Community bills?.
Since legal Completion, you have been part of the Community, thats what you signed for. You are legally bound by the laws of a Community. A Community in Spain is a very powerful legal body and is enshrined heavily in Spanish Law.

These bills are Community bills, not PW bills, and need to be paid by the Community, of which everyone is part of. The apportionment of the arrears , based on completion dates, looks to be based on the premise that those who completed earlier have 'used' more of the Services that the Community is responsible for (e.g Administartion, Security, Gardening, Cleaning etc as opposed to those who have completed only a few months ago.
To say that you are not paying because you could not use your apartment due to utilities not being connected or facilities not provided is irrelevant. It may be unpopular or unpleasant to swallow, but irrelevant in relation to those Community costs that have been incurred since day one. Using reasons that there are no TC facilities or Golf course dont standup as none of your fees contribute to those.

For those who seem to have grievances with PW (and we all have had some) but especially to those who dont seem to be able to get over these and move on...and think that with-holding Community payments will in some way 'pay back Polaris' are totally mistaken. It doesn't affect PW one iota, nor should it, but merely serves to put enormous strains on the HR Community and its attempt to provide and better improve those services for which it is responsible. I am sure that is what the vast majority of us owners want.

The 100 Euro /month rate has been provided by Resortalia as a budget figure, based on expected costs. As with all budgetted figures, they are only estimates for the coming year. Without a year of full operational costs behind them it will be impossible to get more accurate figures. But one thing is for sure, if people do not pay their Community Charges then it will certainly rise as bills need to be paid whatever.!!

It will be a fact that there will be payment defaulters for whatever reason....some people who weren't going to pay anyway, corporate multi-buys unable to resell etc. But just a word of warning though...the debt does not go way from your poperty just because you dont pay it stays on record....and the Community, under its powerful position in Spanish Law, does have the legal capability to recover unpaid fees through the courts and an ultimate sanction through confiscation and re-sellng of defaulters property.


FYI

If you want a good and simple overview of the Spanish Community Model and all the important aspects then there is an article which outlines very well the main principles... http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/spanish_property_communidad/

We are in Phase 4 Jara  1 and our meeting is on 19 June!

I am planning to go to the meeting and will report back any issues. Is anyone else going to this meeting? If so please get in touch as i am not expecting many people to attend. it would be good to meet up prior to the meeting. This can be done on the golf course, if open my then 
 Also thinking of joining the committee, but work full time, so depends on time involved.

Neil

We are in Phase 2 Jengbire 2. Our meeting is on Monday 16th June.
Short notice, so of course we will not be there. Anyone from Phase 2 going to meeting??. Please let us know. Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I would like to start by saying a big thankyou to Harry and Colin for the information they have provided
with regards to the community charges,and for the web site that explains the setting up, and the duties
of the community committe.The committe is where I have most concerns.

I think we have a big problem, because I get the feeling through comments made by people who wont be 
attending the meetings, that they think there are a lot of residents out here.

Which I can assure you is not the case, its not a Ghost town but its not far short of one,I would not be exagerating 
if I was to say the Polaris staff outnumber the residents.

It has been stated that one committe member per block is required,My appartment is one of four surrounding a
swimming pool,as you know I have been here 5 weeks and at no time have there been more 3 other residents
stayinging in the blocks.

I am not standing as a committe member just because I'm here,It also seems a shame that people will vote by 
proxy for someone they have never met, for such a responsible position.because they cannot attend a meeting.

We are now in the 2nd week of June with the first meeting a week away,we need residents who are not just willing
to do the job,but residents who really want to do the job.Where are they? I do not know the answer.I wish I did. 
At least now people who read Colns latest post will be fully aware as to the responsibility of each resident.

Bye for now  Lennie

Dear all,

Whilst I agree that our community charges are a necessary expense to be borne by the residents, I have to defend Claire in that I am disappointed to say the least that we (all of us) have been effectively railroaded into completing when the resort is not fully operational. 

I will be discussing this at length with my solicitor before I complete myself as the resort facilities make a big difference when you are in the resort full time like Lennie, or indeed looking to maximise rental potential like myself. Perhaps PW should have taken on and completed one resort at a time, rather than trying to juggle and sell multiple resorts simultaneously. 

I wish I could attend the residents meetings and would gladly offer myself up to the comittee as a member on behalf of my block, but I do not think I will be around enough to make it worthwhile. Having said that please feel free to run any concerns past me as I am an accomplished researcher and diplomat, and love nothing more than to do battle for the greater good.

I am also concerned that many of those who purchased on HR did so as a short term investment and now the Spanish property market has taken a hit, some may now be struggling to sell or are being forced to complete when they cannot really afford to take a mortgage, assuming they can get one. This may also explain the lack of residents around the place.

I hate to be pessimistic, but I think we should prepare for a rough ride for at least the next couple of years. What we cannot allow to happen is a situation where there are only a few dedicated 'living in' residents busting their gut to make the community work.

I have no doubt that there are other residents out there who have not yet come across EOS. Is there a local notice board in resort where we could recruit the other residents? We just need to stick together, especially through these initial stages so the HR establishes itself with the quality of reputaion it deserves. 

I will always post on the HR forum when I am coming over and will help out where I can whilst there and back here in the UK. It would be a step in the right direction for the community if we could all offer the same support. It will be worth it in the end as I have no doubt that when it is fully etablished the HR will wipe the floor with the other resorts.

If anyone needs anything let me know.

Chin up,

Ken.

I would be over at HR for the meeting and get involved/ voice by concerns etc, but as I am a teacher I can not drop everything and dash over to Spain at the drop of a hat.
It would really have made more sense to have these meeting at th end of July/August when probably there are going to be more people at HR and theerfore a higher attendence of the meetings.

In the block that I am in I know of only 5 apartments that have actually moved in/occupied. I know one chap is living there, but I have not heard from him on this site. Dont know if he is going to meeting.
Some of you that are out there may know him. Think his name is Terry/ Tony?? Out with his wife 
Jengibre 2, Phase 2. Aparment 2nd floor, far right as you look at apartments from golf coursel  If you see him, could you ask if he is attending the meeting.
Many Thanks

Ken,

Thanks for your balanced viewpoint.

Colin, I understand the need and "power" of a community that "works" and appreciate that whilst we are not full time residents it does not lessen our obligation toward the community; a community that we expect to be of a certain standard when we are in residence. My point is based around the fact that the "standard" is not yet in evidence.

The central services may not be part of the charge but they were part of the lure of the resort and so whilst some may have "got over" the issues with Polaris, my point remains. However, accepting there is nothing postive to be gained through this line of argument I will highlight the point you seem happy to skip over. The pools are a focal point of the resort, they add to the overall aesthetic as well as provide a meeting place for those people living or staying on the resort - something which is badly required from the posts concerning the lack of residents and interaction. I also believe it would attract more interest in selling the final properties and make this a more attractive option to visit thereby adding to the resort in general

I would be pleased to pay the tariff and to accept an increase, if I felt that the "community" was finished, and frankly consulted - patently it is not.

If gardening is accepted as a part of the community charge then perhaps I should point to the bamboo cane still at the top of all the palm trees, the multitude of bare and dead/dying grass, the loose man-hole covers, and  the children's parks with uncovered 6ft deep holes dug next to them, half removed slide covers and rock solid sand upon which to land. 

If people feel this is acceptable to be paying a full community charge then sorry (in my humble opinion) we have some rather rose tinted glasses on. I do however appreciate that withholding funds will make the situation worse not better - I believe that the issues mentioned above should not be part of owning a 5* apartment, they should taken for granted as a completion standard to be maintained, rather than paid for (again) by the owners.

I do not wish to drag the community down through this posting; merely express an opinion that whilst HR will be stunning when complete, it is still very much a will be - not is.

Good luck to those who will take the time effort and energy to drag the community to an acceptable condition.

Hello to you all

firstly I am coming in to this discussion a bit late but i have read all your comments and I wish to give my view on this subject.
I have purchased on the Hacienda, and as alot of you may know my father Lennie is living on site. There is still much work to do, but also alot of progress has happened in the last eight months.

Firstly I live in an apartment in London which I bought off plan next to the Stratford Olympic site. I pay a service charge on a 32 apartment block of just under nine hundred pounds a year. This includes water charges, cleaners, and building insurance. I have been here nearly two years. My ground rent is five hundred pounds a year. We have just been notified that our charge will be going down as it has now been calculated that there is too much money in the kitty to cover the annual costs. So 1400 hundred pounds a year on a apartment block of 32 sounds quite steep in comparison to what what we may have to pay on a site as large as the Hacienda.

My best mate owns an apartment in Andratx Majorca. The complex is made up of four blocks of 25 apartments each paying 150 euros a month with one pool. They have a committee of only five and meet once a year to discuss any issues with residents and cover any arising problems.

Rather than having one person as a candidate for each block, if it is not possible I would suggest one person for each community dwelling. For instance my apartment is in a horse shoe figuration of four. I would be happy to represent all four and liase if needed by e mail with all apartments. This would be alot simpler.  That way you may end up with a commitee of say 30-40 with an elite committee of maybe only ten. Who can be on site regularly. I think the commitee need only meet twice a year to discuss and look at issues that arise on site.


We have to meet this criteria and think the more we can all look at it with a positive outlook the better for all of us. My situation maybe different to others as I did not but to sell on or to rent. I want the site to be a thriving community enjoyed by all. I think this can easily be achieved having visited other polaris resorts.

kind regards

Nic