New Law in evicting tenants in Spain!

I was having a conversation with one of my neighbours the other day and he told me that according to the President there are only 9 of us in the whole urbanisation who are paying their Community Fees.  Also, the developer, who agreed to pay the fees of the empty houses that are yet to have their licence granted, now owes the sum of €9,000 to the committee.  Because of this the President is unable to put any of the plans for Manilva Heights in to action, such as placing plants along the paths between the houses and installing a secure/taller fence around the swimming pools.  This is an absolute disgrace and there is talk of banning the people responsible from the amenities e.g the swimming pool.  The solution is in your hands.

We arrived home last night (25/04/08), after work, to see that a white poster had been attached to the garage doors.  Obviously, curiosity got the better of us and we took a look.

NAMED AND SHAMED!

All the people who have not paid their Community Fees have been named and shamed with their name, address and the amount they owe on display for everyone to see.  Nice one Mr President.

This message was last edited by orda on 4/26/2008.

Well, it shames me to say that I am one of those on the list! I would like to point out that I have no objection to paying these fees - as soon as I find out where they are payable! (The fees are very reasonable).

I understand that the office is "somewhere in Sabinillas", and the president lives "somewhere on the complex"! As we completed at the end of last year we did not make the community meeting. I didn't even know until very recently that our post boxes are by the pool - I went out and bought a post box and put it outside the front door! Doh!

It would be nice to know where the president lives or how to contact him/her. It would also be nice to know when the next meeting is - are they only once a year??  How are we notified of meetings? And should there be a regular newsletter to keep residents up to date with any developments/decisions? Those in arrears with community fees could also be listed/advertised here!

I think that as the development has only a few residents at present, it is very unfair that rulings are made by a handful of people. Obviously decisions do have to be made at present, however, once the complex is fully up and running I think decisions currently being made may be over-ruled in the future! The president may have had the majority vote from a few people who attended the meeting, but considering how many properties were actually sold at that time I think any rulings could be considered slightly unfair.

I think that "naming and shaming" those not paying community fees is a good idea - hopefully my name won't be on the list in the future! I also agree that banning those who have not paid from using the amenities is a good idea - although I'm not sure how that could be implemented. Just for the record, I pay (will pay!) one of the highest amount in charges although I will probably never use the pool! I will not use that as an excuse not to pay however, as the grounds must be kept and this costs money.

Orda - I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction re: location of president/where the fees are payable etc. As I am new to this forum I'm not sure that I will be able to receive a PM, but I'm sure Justin will be able to sort it if I can't! If another meeting has been scheduled it would be good to know this too, as I would like to attend (my Spanish isn't great but I can understand and I will be understood if necessary....!)

EDIT - sorry! I've just read the thread below and see that the next meeting is 11th July - I will make sure I am present!

Many thanks in advance!

This message was last edited by buzylizzie on 5/8/2008.

This message was last edited by buzylizzie on 5/8/2008.

Hi Buzylizzie. I agree with everything you say and I'm sorry your name was on the list.  I am positive that several of the names on that list are people who have been unable to find out what to do through not being at the meetings and there are some that are mistakes.  However, I'm in the same boat because, although I live there, the meetings are held in Spanish and I'm ashamed to say my Spanish is still very limited so I don't go and have to rely on my neighbour to keep me informed.  I sent the President a quote from an association that was set up to protect foreign residents rights which said that an interpreter should be provided.  But, as yet I haven't had a response.  Mind you if people aren't paying their fees there is no way could they afford to pay an interpreter.  Perhaps one of the Gibraltarians could be persuaded to do the job?  One of my neighbours has the meeting details sent to him in England but I don't know how he set it up.  On the site the President usually calls round with the minutes after the event but again I don't know how a meeting is made public as i rely on my neighbours to tell me and I ask them to represent me.  Incidentally, I put a post box at my front door also, so you're not alone!

I agree that a lot being decided is unfair but until more of us who speak languages other than Spanish have a say there isn't much we can do.  Many of the rulings that have been made have been made to suit the residents who are there all the time who are spanish speakers e.g. nobody can now brick up ther terrace walls, the fact that the president and a few others who passed the motion had already bricked theirs up seems to have been ignored.  The President lives at number 31 Calle Utopia, Manilva 29691, Malaga if you want to drop him a line and ask him to send you a form for paying the fees by direct debit.  I'll try and post the administrator's address at some stage.  I think a proper newsletter would be a great idea, in the meantime I'll post as much as I can whenever I find out something.

This message was last edited by orda on 5/8/2008.

Hi Folks
I've just signed up today after finding out about the site from my lovely neighbour Colette.

I love Royal Manilva even though we can't live their permanently at the moment, but I have a real problem with the lack of communication regarding community business...for example...

Pretty much everyone these days has a personal or work email - surely we should insist that part of the president or secretary's role is to inform everyone in good time of the meetings. I can't make the next one as I just heard about it in passing yesterday, but really want to hear about what's going on.

Equally notes from the meetings should be distributed in the same way. If many residents speak English or do not speak fluent Spanish, as is clearly the case, we must ask for meeting notes in both languages. It's not acceptable for decisions to be made in peoples absense or without everyone understanding them, and then for them to receive a bill...this isn't a good way to establish a happy community!

We also didnt' know about the location of the mailboxes, nor have we received a key yet. I'd been told the president had mine, and went to his house several times, but he was never home. Now I hear that Gaemus have the keys in Sabi??

Surely we should focus our efforts on joining together as a community - we still have big things to address. It would even be helpful to get one name established for the development!!

Is the president or any other members of the committee on this website? Or can we contact Gaemu - not that I'm entirely clear what they do for us!
if not, could we put some points together for someone to take to the next meeting on behalf of those who can't go??

Sharon

You may have noticed that I have just posted an article about community fees on 2 occasions and that I knew nothing about the meeting which was called on the 3rd March 2009.  I emailed Gaemu to complain and they apologised and stated that in future I would be informed of meetings via my email address.  Also, I have complained before about the complete lack of support at meetings by the UK residents and as a result when the interpreter (who has only been there once) tries to explain things to me he is shouted down by ignorant Spaniards talking loudly amongst themselves.  So if you want to contact Gaemu you can do it by their email address which is gaemusl@teleline.es .

Gaemu are holding the post-box beys and the new remote controls for the new security gates to the grounds which can't be activated yet because the community has no money to complete the work.  In the meantime the urbanisation is wide open to the public, we have squatters in the repossessed house next door to us, courting couples are using the steps up to our properties as their own private bedrooms and dogs are fouling where ever they can get access to.  I hope all the non-payers of community fees are proud of themselves.

 

You may have noticed that I have just posted an article about community fees on 2 occasions and that I knew nothing about the meeting which was called on the 3rd March 2009.  I emailed Gaemu to complain and they apologised and stated that in future I would be informed of meetings via my email address.  Also, I have complained before about the complete lack of support at meetings by the UK residents and as a result when the interpreter (who has only been there once) tries to explain things to me he is shouted down by ignorant Spaniards talking loudly amongst themselves.  So if you want to contact Gaemu you can do it by their email address which is gaemusl@teleline.es .

Gaemu are holding the post-box beys and the new remote controls for the new security gates to the grounds which can't be activated yet because the community has no money to complete the work.  In the meantime the urbanisation is wide open to the public, we have squatters in the repossessed house next door to us, courting couples are using the steps up to our properties as their own private bedrooms and dogs are fouling where ever they can get access to.  I hope all the non-payers of community fees are proud of themselves.

 

You may have noticed that I have just posted an article about community fees on 2 occasions and that I knew nothing about the meeting which was called on the 3rd March 2009.  I emailed Gaemu to complain and they apologised and stated that in future I would be informed of meetings via my email address.  Also, I have complained before about the complete lack of support at meetings by the UK residents and as a result when the interpreter (who has only been there once) tries to explain things to me he is shouted down by ignorant Spaniards talking loudly amongst themselves.  So if you want to contact Gaemu you can do it by their email address which is gaemusl@teleline.es .

Gaemu are holding the post-box beys and the new remote controls for the new security gates to the grounds which can't be activated yet because the community has no money to complete the work.  In the meantime the urbanisation is wide open to the public, we have squatters in the repossessed house next door to us, courting couples are using the steps up to our properties as their own private bedrooms and dogs are fouling where ever they can get access to.  I hope all the non-payers of community fees are proud of themselves.

 

OOPS!