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Any advice on how I should try and get my security deposit back from an agent in Duquesa who, despite providing me with a signed document promising to refund me, refuse to pay it back to me.
Is it worth taking legal action? Is this common practice in Spain?
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Hi Chippyb welcome to eos, the simple answer to both is yes take legal action (advice) and a certain yes this is common practice in spain they think they have a god given right to keep (fleece) your money.Pat.
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_______________________
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Thanks for your responses on this. I'll PM Maria and see how I get on.
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Don't seem to be able to PM at the moment so ive emailed Maria. My main problems are how much legal action is going to cost in comparision to what is a relativley small claim, how long it will take and, if i am succesful in court, how will the court decision be enforced.
Has anyone else had the same problem as me and managed to get their money back?
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I've heard of another case of this in Duquesa. The initials of the agent are D.R. Is this the same one?
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Momentum is building around Great Estates. Looks like they are keeping tenants, landlords and buyers money.
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I rented from Great Estates from April to September 2008, I put down 1600 Euro deposit, they have not refunded me this despite my emails telephone calls and threats of legal action.
Colin Smith the director lied to me about putting the money in my account, Carmen Gil one of the staff who I was emailing is telling me they cant get the money from the owner depite my contract with GE, Amy one of the Essex girls who took our deposit, (who moonlights at the Jolly Sailor in the port ) was no help at all.
I dont really know what to do next, I've emailed Maria de Castro at costa luz lawyers, so I will carry on and see what happens.
If it was a case of going around the corner and demanding my money from slippery Colin Smith, it would be OK, however the flights hotels etc for me to travel from UK would cost more than my deposit.
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We too have had problems with this particular agent in the past as owners . All our linen, towels bath mats etc ................all disappeared for around six months in addition to monies owed with no explanations.
Thankfully several months later everything did eventually get resolved only after making many calls, E-Mails personal visits to their office. It transpired that aledgedly the cleaners left our items at the cleaners ( bearing in mind this took around six months to reslove). We obviously terminated any further dealings with them.
You need to ascertain as to why the deposit is being held back if no valid reason is given I would personally call round and insist on a refund - that's what I would do personally as a first action.
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Apparently they have closed down the business and are setting up a new one.
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Send a representative round to see the director personally - if you don't have any success pm me and might have some other suggestions for you.
Regards
John
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Problem is, they are not there anymore....
They have pefromed the proverbial dissapearing act.....
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Chippy,
You mentioned earlier that they were closing down and re-opening a new business - any idea where the new business is and is it still a rentals business. Good chance that it will be the same directors I bet.
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No idea at this moment in time. However, I understand there are searches you can do on directors of companies as you can do in the UK.
As soon as i establish which company it is, i'll be takining legal action again them, as advised by my Abogado..
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Hi to all you frustrated by that A**hole that ran Great Estates in the port. The guy is a total shit and never intended to pay anyone - including his staff. The girls worked there under duress on the promise of being paid - as long as they stayed there and fended off customers on his behalf because he was too scared to talk to them. They were not at fault and as it remains, have had to denounce him and also take legal action to try to retrieve some income - they were not paid properly since May 08 but if they left, it meant they would lose everything.
The guy is a bully and a thief. He shut GE down and went bankrupt. He is allegedly running a place in Gibraltar doing the same thing and was also (so he apparently told his staff) planning to open under a new name in Sabinillas.
If you are owed money, my advice would be to seek a lawyer. My understanding is that you will not get anything out of him. I have it on good authority that he has been at this for a long time and was previously over-valuing properties, helping obtain massive overfunding for them then splitting the difference with clients. Ordinarily I would not be inclined to write what could be viewed as libelous or slanderous information but under the circumstances I don't feel too concerned about any response from a certain person.
There are a lot of VERY VERY UNHAPPY people in the vicinity of the port that would be extremely happy to see him. If I was him I would be sh*tting myself.... I'm sure it won't be too long before he is no more.... ;-) Sorry if you had dealings with him. There are some good agents around, like GB properties and Barringtons but if you are renting or buying, be cautious... Ironically, in these times, it would seem that prospective tennants should be getting a financial reference on their landlords to see if a) the money will be getting to them as it should and b) is the property you are about to rent secure? Sad times
This message was last edited by Duquesa 7 on 2/4/2009.
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When you say 'him' do you mean the tall skinny camp one?
Did you work for him?
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Not sure he was tall or skinny - fat and grey with glasses.... nope, didn't work for him, just some unfortunate friends did
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Dare i say it but how did they survive for so long without getting paid? I know if i didnt get paid i'd be seeking new employment...
To be honest, i find it hard to be sympathetic to people how were complicit in defrauding many people of many thousands of pounds. Fortunatlley i can afford my loss. However, i know of older people who were stitched up for there life savings because of these scumbags.
How could your friends continueworking for people they knew were committing mass fraud?
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** EDITED - Offensive language **
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