Leak in apartment

@Acer; "But on the other hand there are many ways where Spain is ahead of us."

I think the Spanish are way ahead on practical aspects of enjoying life: food, music, architecture, art, bars, courtesy, street markets, public transport, roads, town squares, caring for old age pensioners, pavements outside villages for people to take their evening walk.....

But they are crap at anything administrative; banks, vehicle registration, planning permission, paying electric/gas bills, buying a cell phone, taking someone to court for a small or large amount.........

The UK is very sensible when it comes to insuring property, quite simply buildings insurance is costed on the possibility of replacing a total loss, which means demolition, clearing the site and rebuilding (damage to nearby/adjoining buildings/property would also be covered). This means that a total loss of a property worth a £1million sale price, that can be rebuilt for £300,000, is insured for the cost of rebuilding only, conversally a property that would sell for £200K but would cost £300K to rebuild is insured for the rebuilding costs, the rebuilding sum assured would normally be assessed by a qualified surveyor.  

Johnzx? posr reflects my experience with Spanish insurance companies, both privately and regarding the community claims. It's never been a problem.

I never said the system is perfect, but "when in Rome" an all that !! I think some people just want to "import" UK systems to Spain as a "One size fits all"

We are (on a private level) willing to except the "Spanish ways" - not perfect but then again they (the Spanish) could teach the UK a thing or Two on some fronts.

Just on a personal note - for Acer, I have been a comunity President for 5 years now - and could possibly quote you HPL law backwards - including the 2013 amenments!! - just to illustrate how seriously i take being President.

We have lived in Spain (permanatly) for 6 years and owned for 11 years, we don't own a property in the UK, we pay our taxes here in Spain and are happy to do so as we use the health service here and enjoy other services such as the suberb infrastructure and of course the lifestyle, these things are far superiour to the UK.

It is very easy to knock Spain - and not everything is perfect - but is it ever? It always interests me that the "knockers" always keep coming to Spain - I wonder why?

CostaBlade,

It's easy to know the HPL backwards, it's very short and lacks meaningful guidance on important aspects.  So sorry no brownie points from me.

You are also wrong about the "knockers" as you call them.  There is nothing at all wrong in constructive comment, if you never question something you believe to be wrong it is less likely to improve.  I'm probably not the first bloke to think that good knockers are very important.

You can smile and touch your forelock to absurd practices if you wish - personally I believe that if you really care about a person or a country you try to help them see that there is a better way.

Costa Blade  Quote  ........  we pay our taxes here in Spain and are happy to do so as we use the health service here..............

John, you are of course correct in what you say. I was trying to highlight that we are fully "residential" here in Spain and therefore receive the benefits that go with that - and of course the idiosyncrasies (not social security, as we are retired and have never paid into the Spanish system). 

Also that we do (I) understand a "little" of how Spanish systems work - and how you learn to work with them - the same as you have having seen many of your comments on EOS over the years. As i said in my comment "nothing is perfect" but it works!! and it is changing rapidly with the intervention of Europe and it's idiosynraies.

Be good

Costa,   I have been resident too for around 29 years and a property owner for around 33 years.  I was also community president at a couple of places where I have owned, for several years in all.