11 Jun 2012 12:05 PM:

 I think that to find an area in Spain without dog barking is a high order indeed!  Most will agree with me that the Spanish do not hear noise the same way we Brits hear noise and that is something one has to come to terms with.

My neighbour has two big ugly (to me) monstrous dogs whose boundary fence is closer to my house than theirs, consequently, I get all the barking during the night in the campo when wild creatures start their nocturnal wandering.  My solution is to make the boundary fence area very unpleasant to their dogs by hanging on the fence the gadgets which emit a high pitch whine which is unpleasant to canine ears.  I also have a huge pump action water gun capable of squirting liquid (cleaning vinegar) a long distance, which I take every opportunity to fire away at them to include a 3am outdoor raid on them during one of their barking frenzies. I am then able to get up close and very personal.  The result is they hear/smell me and depart the unpleasant area; they hear the pumping action of the water gun and run for it and I have avoided any confrontation with my actual nice neighbours over their beloved dogs.  I have also improved my aim considerably as well as a bit of sport. 

My girlfriend who has a B&B goes one further:  their  "neighbour" who has a small plot of citrus trees leaves his poor spaniel there 24/7 and it barks continuously at night, which is not the best environment for guests.  When night falls, she goes down to the poor dog and gives it a sausage with a low dose sleeping pill.  The dog gets a night off from barking out of loneliness and everyone enjoys a good sleep.

 The above two methods work for us! 

Thread: Are there any quiet areas?

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03 Jun 2012 2:09 PM:

 In October 2010 we bought a house outside Gandia and during the contract negotiations, the seller's solicitor specifically noted that the FOL was not included.  When I read the contract, I alerted my solicitor of this clause being specifically omitted and he didn't pay it much attention.  The house had been built by the owner who had lived there for over 10 yrs.  I said without the FOL the sale was not possible as I would not sign.  

Going back to the law quoted on FOL; "  3.- The buyer can cancel the contract ( even after the signing of the deeds), with full devolution of amounts, interests and compensation of damages if after the completion date, either  the deeds having been signed or not, the building does not have the FOL." 

I find it amazing that both set of solicitors thought nothing of it!  Anyway, the seller trotted back to the Town Hall and had it issued and I am in possession of it; the sale went through and we are very very happy with our holiday home.  My solicitor, who is very well respected in the area, said; "this is the first time I have ever completed a contract with an FOL ."  I wonder if that only applied to property being sold to non-Spanish?

As always, buyer be aware!

LadyleCamps

Thread: Occupation Licence

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12 May 2011 12:34 PM:

 I have recently brought a property in Spain (near Gandia) and although it is not in a community, my neighbours have two huge ugly dogs which bark a lot and particularly at night if they hear something in the nearby orange groves.  I have two of those bark stoppers (not the same as from Primrose London, but will look into them as well) and I can't say that mine work as well as I would like.  However, and I own four dogs myself and I came up with another solution on my last visit.  Every time the neighbour's dogs see me they will bark, so in the late evening when it starts to get dark, I walk up the slope to their gate, kick it and of course, the dogs fly at me.  I have a huge pump action water gun filled with half water and half vingegar and let them have it in their eyes and noses.  After a handful of days they stopped barking at me and actually depart from my vision, which is what I want.  I drove one of those spiky umbrella holders in the gound next to the chain link fence which separates our two properties, stuck a long pipe in it and when I go back to the house in June, I will attach a dancing flower water thingie and when they start barking at night I will reach my hand outside my bedroom window and turn on the tap.  The dogs will depart the area near the shared fence and go back down their compound and they can then bark at their owners windows.  This is the best I can do without going to the police, recording everything that happens and to "denounce" my neighbours.   I have not hurt the dogs in any truely harmful way, but they will govern themselves as they now look at me as someone who can and will control them even from a distance.  They now give me respect.  I realise the Spanish do not hear noise in the same way we do and I would never let my own dogs disturb my neighbours, so I feel for me, this is a good way forward.

Thread: Neighbours barking dogs at 2am

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