Hi Lo and Steve,
We purchased Dream Hills II in Oct 05 and were due to complete in Jan. 07. What fun and games it has been, NOT!
On Dec. 23rd we received an e-mail to say that we need to have an NIE number (new law from Dec. 1st, 06), have a valuation carried out and also a mortgage offer in place, we also needed to contact their office and have everything in place by the 8th Jan. 07, oh, and by the way, they were shut until 8th Jan. 07.
We did nothing, how could we. We were bombarded with e-mails demanding we obtain the NIE number, have a valuation carried out and a mtg offer in place.
An after sales care adviser contacted us and informed us that our property was now complete. I asked if it would be OK to book our flights to travel to Spain to complete, we were told yes, of course. Flights were booked for 11th March 07 - 25th March 07. In mid Jan. 07 we went to Manchester to apply for our NIE numbers and were told they would take approximately 3 months. Aaaahh, the numbers might not have arrived in Spain by then. We phoned our solicitors and were informed that the NIE numbers usually take around 5-6 weeks to arrive so there would be no problem.
The representative we had originally used in England was also advising us. He didn't think we needed the NIE number and spoke to a colleague in Spain who agreed with him.
Dead excited, flights paid for, cat booked in, airport carpark booked and paid for, not long now!
Oh how wrong we were........ The after sales adviser phoned us in a panic to say that we had booked our flights far too soon and the property would not be ready. After lots of long e-mails and telephone conversations, (we had kept copies of all e-mails sent and had proof of what we were originally advised), we were told if we had a valuation carried out (by a Bank that they suggested), a mtg offer in place and the solicitors had received the NIE numbers, then the builder was prepared to rush through the paperwork and we could go ahead with our trip. We did as we were told, even accepting a mortgage that wasn't what we realy wanted. They would keep us informed.
Going bald rapidly, we tried to contact the original rep from the UK. He proved to be worse than anyone. We had to resort to using other people's phones to contact him as he refused to answer his phone when he saw our number. Once he knew what we were up to, he would just hang us when he knew it was us on the other end of the phone. He has paperwork belonging to us and we have now wrote to him asking for this back, no reply two weeks later.
By Friday the 9th March 07 we hadn't heard anything. We cancelled our flights, carpark, etc. sent an e-mail to the company to advise them. They phoned us back immediately, saying that they should have the NIE numbers by the 15th March 07as they were in Madrid. Unfortunately, we had lost our flight money and to save a little, we had to cancel the carpark. What was the point of travelling if they didn't have the paperwork in order and couldn't say for definite that it would arrive in time.
We asked the company to contact us when everything was in order and we could travel to Spain to complete, and asked that they do not contact us until they actually have all the paperwork for us to complete. Also, we asked them to cancel the mortgage offer on our behalf as it wasn't what we realy wanted and we would find a suitable mortgage through a broker.
Surprise, Surprise!!!!!!!! On Mon 12th March 07 (the day after we were due to fly), we received an e-mail to say that they had received our NIE numbers and we had 1 month to complete and they had not cancelled our mortgage as we could now travel.
I don't think so. Advised them that we would travel to Spain when we had a new mortgage offer of our own choice in order and could they inform us when EVERYTHING had been completed, all paperwork, etc. They advised us that all paperwork was in order and we could still use the originial mortgage offer from the bank that they had suggested. I DON'T THINK THEY ARE LISTENING!!
We found a mortgage broker who has found us the mortgage we require. I advised the company of this and asked when it would be convenient for us to travel to Spain. Guess what, they will have to get back to me on that one. I was asked to contact them again when our new mortgage offer is in place and then they would advise us when to go. What's going on. I can only assume that the paperwork was not ready when they said it was.
The customer service has been appalling, infact non existent. They tried to push us into their after sales package, 300 euros, that would provide a collection and drop off at the airport, travel to our premises, their office and the solicitors. I advised them that we would be hiring a car and could they give me directions to these places. The answer was NO, I would have to pay or find them my self; which is exactly what I intend to do.
I am not prepared to hand over any money to the builder until any snagging defects have been replaced, fixed, etc. and I will be contacting my solicitors.
I must say, our inspection trip was fantastic, nothing was any trouble, ate at the best restaurants. I wonder, as you do, if the 300 euros after sales package is to pay for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will get there in the end. I have found information on these forums invaluable. I read the message boards on a daily basis. The shared photos are excellent. Well done to EOS.
The company we used was KEYSOL.
This message was last edited by hudsey on 3/25/2007.
This message was last edited by hudsey on 3/25/2007.This message was last edited by hudsey on 3/25/2007.