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I don’t want to start a discussion about the past or present behaviour of the developer. I’m almost sorry I revealed the fact that his children will live there. I mentioned it with the best of intentions: to inform you as best as I could and to state facts which are relevant for the future of the community.
My attitude towards these things is that they are just part of reality and that we have to work within this reality. If his children live there it is a family interest to keep the community organized and well kept. That’s good news. We must be aware of possible conflicts of interest but we will have the best result if we work with them and not against them.
Regarding the quality of DJ and the commercial attitude of the developer I can only say that all developers want to make a profit (even in the UK I guess), but in this case they went to great length to do this with quality in mind. Compared to the usual apartment blocks at the Costa ours is beautifully detailed by an architect who knew what he did. They could have gone for a completely different approach but DJ is clearly developed by people who took pride in it and didn't go for maximum profit from minimal investments. The developer wouldn’t have named it after himself if he wasn’t proud of his work (and rightly so).
People, please remember that business representatives are just people. Their professional attitude can differ greatly from their true character. They will be neighbours in the future and have every right to be treated as such.
This message was last edited by max! on 9/9/2007.
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Hi Andy, I have heard about the dissatisfied owners at Monte Canada and the alleged demonstrations but this was told to me by agents who were trying to use scare mongering techniques to con me into selling my apartment at well below cost (so that he could resell it immediately for a massive personal profit!) Have you heard about this from a different or more reliable source? Has anybody who has already completed got their electricity connected and found any faults with the electrics or water / drainage or any other major issue with their apartments - that would be interesting to know. On many a visit to the DJ site I have been accompanied by a friend of mine who happens to be a property developer here in the UK and he has like you been appalled at the shoddy workmanship he has witnessed at DJ but then we have been to various other developments up & down the coast and his opinion has been the same on all of them i.e. shoddy workmanship covered up using fancy / expensive finishing materials to make them look good, this is true at the lower end of the market as well as at the top. Having said that perhaps this is just the way things are in the construction industry in Spain and certainly I dont think the DJ family would keep any apartments at the complex if they were'nt happy with the quality of the build (especially as they know they can sell those apartments at a profit very easily) & I dont think they would want to risk living amongst unhappy angry customers as their neighbours
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Hi all,
We just stayed on the MonteCanada complex that was built by our developer. I have to say, we had no problems. The materials used on Don Juan are very similar to the MonteCanada. Seems like some of you are not happy with the construction side of things. I am qualified in Carpentry and advanced bricklaying, and in my opinion, the number of times that I visited the construction, I did not see anything that I would not see back home. Believe me, I have seen Eastern Europeans laying blocks on the sites of new supermarkets, and I dont think they could build a straight wall out of my little boys lego. As for the thickness of the walls, they can only build to what has been approved by the architects drawings. Unfortunately, at some stage we are all come across noisy neighbours. There was a family next door to us with 3 kids and at 7am the kids would be up running up and down, but what can you do. The last time we stayed on the MonteCanada, the neighbour below came up and knocked on our door to tell us to take our shoes off. we had just came in from the pub. My wife was full of wine staggering around in high heals. As for community rules on the MonteCanada, the llife guard was very strict about no food or drink around the pool and no inflatable beds/balls etc in the pool. Also, no hanging towels/clothes over balcony, no loud music. Cannot remember the others.
I will try to look further into the regulations regarding tiling the terrace areas for us owners that are on the Garden semi-sotano level. If they dont allow us to tile the area, I am going to let the weeds grow wild out of protest. Can they not see that it would be common sense for those of us that wont be living on site to do this, or would they rather stare at ugly weeds that only get treated 2 or 3 times a year. Can the terms of the Nota Simple be changed by the community, maybe after year 1.
I must say, I am split between OtterAndy and Max regarding the Don Juan family members. It may be something we may need to keep an eye on in future, but for now I think we should give them the benefit of any doubts that we may have.
Any news on anyone being connected to the electricity yet. How many days did it take after completion.
good luck
Westport
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Hi,
I support Max's statement about how to treat people, and the comment about difference betweem work and social life can be considerable. I also belive that everybody who have an apartment in DJ, will be interested in doing the best for the community.
This message was last edited by wichmann on 9/10/2007.
_______________________
Best Regards,
Wichmann
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I agree that is a good thing that Don Juan's children are residents, this can only help the smooth running of the community. Hey maybe they will be able to get the fast growing plant walls that haven’t grown in 4 years sorted and stop them looking like an eyesore.
3 months when I did my inspection in my apartment (phase 1,block 2,round balcony) I noted problems. The terrace tiles were cracked and they had put the wardrobe in the back bedroom on the wrong wall. I have emailed, phoned Perla and my solicitor to try to get this sorted. They are still fobbing me off, they cant even be bothered to write to me acknowledging that there are problems. If the wardrobe is not moved then the beds will fit that tight that you wont be able to get stuff in and out of the wardrobe + the headboards will block the electric points and light switches. Anything that has been put in the wrong place or resized will be down to the developer doing it for " technical reasons" This stands for poor/lazy workmanship. E.G Who in the right mind would put a concrete pillar in the middle of a parking space? or who would put a path on a steep incline that leads directly into the deep end of a swimming pool? !!
My comments still stand - I don’t trust them one bit.
Regards, Andy
This message was last edited by otterandy on 9/10/2007.
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It is true that what one is like on a personal level is quite different to how they are like on a business level but we are only dealing with these guys on a business level on that front these developers are pants! I agree with you totally on that Andy and wouldn't like you trust them one bit! My lawyer since the news of them getting their occupancy license has been trying to establish a signing date but they have failed so far to confirm this (we want it at the end of September) neither have they sent him a statement of account so we can see exactly how much they expect us to pay at the Notary. Like Andy when we saw our apartment in April I noticed errors in the 2nd bedroom in that the electrical points and light switch were on the wrong wall meaning where you placed the beds you have to run extension leads and get up to turn the lights off, In the showflat everything is in the right place I queried this with Perla she just shrugged this off. Sorry Max but I dont consider this complex to be that well designed, e.g. why have security gates to the blocks only to have low walls where anyone can jump over? why have massive second bathroom and then fit with tiniest of shower cubicle not very good use of space! (certainly not that well designed compared to some of the new developments I have seen and stayed at) and I am one of those suffering with a pilar in the middle of the parking space & these are just some of the design faults. Dispite all these faults these developers refuse to do anything about anything! My only saving grace is the price I paid for it back in 2003 was very favourable.
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Hi
Well as you all know by now we completed last Tuesday. We had no water or electric but eventually pursuade Perla to ask the builder if we could at least have water, which she kindly arranged within 30 mins. Therefore we are now on builders water but still no electric as yet. Our solicitor informed us we would have electric by 8th Sept but this did not materialize. As we return home tomorrow we will just leave it for now and hope it is connected for our return the end of October. Apart from Max and another two Spanish families we did´nt see anyone else moving in. Today we noted the rubbish bins were being taped up by a worker and are not for use, we questioned this but due to the language barrier could find out nothing more and were told to go to the office.
Apart from all that we are still delighted with our property and it feels really peaceful (for now) but it will be nice when there are a few more residents living here.
_______________________
Janmet
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Lots of people are completing this and the next week. I know because on every poster on the forum there are at least ten silent readers and lots of them contact me by PM, e-mail or phone. It seems the notary is stepping up the pace and doing at least three to four completions a day.
We are a bit overwhelmed by the number of questions. They range from temporary accommodations to specific questions about the purchase contract. We really try to handle them as good as we can but please understand that we sometimes need a bit more time than usual. So please don’t feel like we ignore you; it’s just extremely busy. Things will settle down in two or three weeks time. Be assured that all urgent matters will be answered and handled within 24 hours. Saskia is handling a lot of questions and be assured that she is as knowledgeable as I am (and her Spanish is a lot better).
Today the site was busier than ever before. Perla (who is still living by candle light) had to show people around, but there were also lots of new neighbours inspecting their property. It was good to see all this activity as it has long been a ghost town. Latest educated guesses are that we will have electricity before the end of the week.
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Please can anyone help with directions of how to get to Don Juan on the new road? Our furniture is arriving next week and they need directions.
We are coming over on the 20th.
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Hi Amy,
According to a recent visitor to the site the road blocks are back in place on the new road. Can hardly imagine it, but he was adamant.
The best thing you can do is give them directions to use the old road along the railway. Although there is a conflict over its usage, there are no visible obstacles or signs prohibiting this.
If you need directions for this road just ask.
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I've driven on the new road from the A7 to Don Juan yesterday and there were no roadblocks.
From Málaga on the A7 you have to take the exit Mijas/Benalmádena (217 I think it is), straight on until you see a petrol station on your left, there you keep on the left side of the road past a little portercabin from some developer. (the right side goes up in the hills to Mijas). First rounabout you take the second exit, cross the A7, next roundabout the first exit to the right. Keep following this until the next roundabout, there you take the second exit again (first exit is closed by roadblocks), and keep to the right where the road to Don Juan goes down quite steep.
From direction Marbella/Fuengirola you take the A7 to Málaga, again exit Mijas/Benalmádena. On the roundabout you take the 4th one (going to Algeciras), and then straight on where you will see the aforementioned petrolstation on your left hand.
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However, if they come from Fuengirola and want to take the dirtroad then drive on the Avenida Carvajal (going from Los Boliches to Benalmádena). As soon as you pass the Benalmádena sign, you take the next roundabout all the way round, to turn back on the same road. Past a petrol station on your right, and then 150 meters further the first road on your right hand (after the trafficlights). That road meanders up, goes under the train track, then you have to go directly left onto the dirt road (parallel to the railway) and at the end you will have to turn right to drive up the hill to Don Juan.
The must find it on one of these ways :)
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Andy, we are in the same appartment in Block 3. We found this problem back in 2005. We approached Perla, who told us we shouldn't have been in the appartment. She basically said that it was done for technical reasons and nothing could be done about it. We spoke to solicitor who said that alterations could be done for building reasons. We tried to check other appartments but couldn't see any others that had been altered due to blinds being shut. We will be getting our keys on the 20th September so we will have to checkit out then.
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Andy, we are in the same appartment in Block 3. We found this problem back in 2005. We approached Perla, who told us we shouldn't have been in the appartment. She basically said that it was done for technical reasons and nothing could be done about it. We spoke to solicitor who said that alterations could be done for building reasons. We tried to check other appartments but couldn't see any others that had been altered due to blinds being shut. We will be getting our keys on the 20th September so we will have to check it out then.
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Hi Amy, they moved the pilar to the middle of my parking space & decreased its width for the same for 'techincal reasons' perhaps the two are related? lol!! Building / techincal reasons = poor build / bad design!
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Hi J.ow,
I guess the silence is your answer. We applied for electricity the day we signed (last thursday) and we have no confirmation as yet.
I wouldn't want to spend a night there without a thorough clean and electricity connected. Maybe some furniture as well as marble isn't very comfortable :)
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Hi Max
Thanks for your reply, my parents are at their place inCalahonda at the moment and will go in and clean on monday and the furniture will arrive on Wednesday so its not all that bad. Thanks for all your helpfull information over the last few months, after waiting since 2003 it has been nice to be able to read progress reports. See you at DJ.
Best wishes and good luck to all.
Jo
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Hi Jo.w and Amy,
You seem to be new to the message board.
What block are you in. May be you could both introduce yourselves and get in with the Don Juan gang......
Lorraine and Eoin
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Hi Jo.w
Although we are logged in as Amy our names are Keith & Val Lewis. We bought in Don Juan in March 2003, so the completion is a long time coming, We have left messages on the site before but usually just log in and read other peoples messages. We are completing next Monday and are flying out on the 20th September. Our furniture is arriving on the 22nd. We have met a few people from Don Juan on previous visits, but it would be great to meet some more.
We are in Block 3 Planta Baja C with semi circle balcony.
Val & Keith Lewis
This message was last edited by AMY on 9/13/2007.
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