28 Aug 2009 21:54:

Many thanks for the info. Just surprised it didn't show on the Solbank wesite!

Regards

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28 August 2009:

Hi

I'm trying to close our Solbank Spanish account, but live in the UK. I've just talked to my Spanish branch, who tell me to contact Solbank London. Looked at the Solbank website and also I've googled, but drawn a blank - any body help?

Is there a London branch, if so a phone number would be appreciated. My Spanish Solbank is on siesta time, so no reply to my ringing!

Thanks

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Tuesday, February 03, 2009:

We are buying an off-plan property, which will be completed by the end of 2009.

We have used our life savings to make the stage payments and were relying on the equity in our UK house to pay the balance on our Spanish property.

In view of the grave problems UK house sellers face, we have to be realistic and assume that it's unlikely that our UK house will sell.

This means NO funding for the Spanish property. Being semi-retired i.e. over 60 and on a part-time very small wage, our income is too small for a mortgage, even if we could get one.

This means we have to think of something else, may be to negotiate a 'Rent to Buy' with our builders. i.e. rent your new build for a few years until the crunch improves and buy when you can sell your UK property in a few years time.

Something along the lines of this

http://www.eyeonspain.com/Secure/articles/article.aspx?article=/recession-option-buy.aspx

Has anybody tried to do this with their purchase?

Any advice or comments as to how we approach the builder with this proposal appreciated.

I can't help thinking that this could be a way forward for so many off-planners facing a similar dilema to us.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2008:

We are hoping to move to Spain next year, it will 4 years before I'm 65 and can collect my full pension. At the moment am in receipt of a small early retirement pension, could have just about survived on it before the collapse of pound v euro.

In view of this, we will need to supplement our income. Wondered about running a small market stall and going from village to village on market days. Just wondered if anyone else was doing this successfully? What's involved - do you need licences etc?

We've not done anything like this in the UK, but hope to make use of my photographic/ computing skills and would have a stall selling CDs, DVDs, computer spares, printer inks, photo paper, tourist pictures etc, hopefully in the Murcia/ Torrevjeca area.

Comments as to the viability/ what to do or not to do appreciated.

Finally, if the worst comes to worst and we can't earn any money, is possible to claim unemployment benefit if living and resident in Spain?

Thanks



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Friday, October 17, 2008:

Hi 

After threatening to cancel my purchase, I've finally been given a bank guarantee on my off-plan development - a year after making my last stage payment.  

I asked my solicitor for a copy of the original and a translation into English. The translation was refused  as my solicitor tells me they don't do translations, but had an email saying that my BG came from a responsible builder and that everything was in order. I've had a go using Google Translator to translate the BG, as far as I can see the BG stipulates an expiry date BEFORE the likely completion date and also the amount guaranteed is exactly for my payments - no 6% interest is added! 

When I've contacted my solicitor about this, I've asked to have interest added and for the BG NOT to have an expiry date - just to say that it is valid until the building is completed.

The reply from my solicitor says that it is impossible to change the BG, so NO INTEREST and to apply for another BG when this one expires next year.

I'm not happy with the service I'm getting - firstly it took a lot of badgering and threats to eventually get a BG - the solicitor put the lack of one to 'an administrative oversight' on their part. Secondly, how come I don't get a translated BG. And when it does come, it contains clauses that are prejudicial to me the purchaser. Am I really likely to get another BG when this expires in a year's time? Why don't I qualify for interest on my money that the developer has had for nearly 18 months , is this accetable?

Any comments on how I'm being treated by my solicitor and what to do about it all. I'm tempted to cancel my purchase, if I do, do I have a case for the return of my interim payments.

Thanks in advance


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