Documentary Spanish Property

Hello, I'm looking for English golfers who have bought a secondary home in Spain and have had problems with their property for a film documentary. 

Here's a niche idea.

Find somebody that's bought a second home in Soain and is actually really enjoying it, There's enough doomsayers about dragging this world down without you adding to tham.

 Thats a great idea Steve and Jane.I would definately watch that. As for the "guest request" I would simply say-FFind another forum.

Many people have secondary homes in Spain and are very happy.  ( I can personally mention 2 members of my family ).

But for some the dream has turned sour.

The film proposes a larger picture than you might imagine.

Steve and Jane / Acapulco

In this selfish  world 'i'm all right Jack' also comes to mind.

This forum is full of people who have lost  huge amounts of money yet legally should not be in  that position.

Fantastic people on this forum are offering valuable support and advice whilst trying to get all forms of media interested to highlight what is becoming a daily increase in numbers.

Many would love to be enjoying a second home but have been let down by developers and lawyers- don't begrudge us any form of advertising we would love to be in your position.

You can always turn over.

Dear Forseys

Have the utmost empathy with those unfortunates and hope that I will not be joining them. All I would look for is a balance on our t.v. sets. We have all seen Traders from Hell but have yet to see a program entitled Customers from Hell!.............. BALANCE.

 Guest--Then why do you only ask for people with problems? Personally I am cheesed off with the negative attitude of the british press.It is particularly annoying when you are in the position I have been in for many months ,and am still in to a certain degree,having committed to Spain but being unable to get there. get there!

Forsey--If you think my attitude is  "I'm alright Jack you should try some of the problems I have had over the last year and as you may have noticed above I do not yet live in Spain and sadly it will be some time before I can do so permanently.Don't judge if you don't know.

If the documentary is to show both sides of the coin then all well and good but if it does it will be a first.

SteveandJane

i can see where you are coming from, and can see the frustration of those who are happy with their Spanish property, constantly seeing bad press. I do feel though, that your frustration compared to all those who have been cheated and  desite long and costly court cases, often lost their life savings or similar, does look a bit one sided, and not on the side of those who need your support?. I think the time for 'balance' will be when the media, the good people on this and other forum's petitions, and what ever other pressure that's needed, forces a change that will bring many people justice. Sadly, despite the hopeless lack of regulation/corruption, leading to huge areas in Spain being ruined, along with Spains reputation as a  good place for buying, the Spanish government still seems very reluctant to face facts and react accordingly? This is and will i believe effect everyone, (and needs everyones support), happy or conned, in the form of lost sales, rent, tourism and trust! .  The Priors case has highlighted this, they still haven't got justice as far as i know?

Of course there have been those who overstretched, rushed in, bought blind etc,  There will always be those, in any situation, and along with market forces you just have to say  'tough luck, you took a gamble and lost'',  but they are not what the fight for justice is all about.

I agree with Forseys and Goodstich. What is wrong with asking for help in making a documentary? This is a forum where we can all express our opinions of Spain, good or bad, isn't it? Or should we only make good comments?

If making a documentary stops just one person from being ripped off I would gladly see one a day! After all, you don't have to watch them. How can it hurt  to highlight some of the immoral practises that go on in Spain. And no, i haven't been ripped off, thank goodness, but i'm not so complacent to think that it couldn't have happened to me!

So sorry Guest, i can't help you but hope that someone on the forum can.

Guest

I wouldn't call myself a golfer, and am not sure of the relevance of golf, but I am one of hundreds (maybe thousands?) who have paid a sizeable deposit for an off-plan property, that may never be built. Even if it is, it is likely to be auctioned to pay the land tax that the builder owes, or similar. As for the supposed Bank guarantee, you can ask the Agent and Builder about those, and the rest of the fraud, deception and lies they have been spinning.

I don't really understand where all the comments about "Balanced Views" below are coming from. I am angry that I have been exploited, and don't need people telling me that my situation isn't balanced.

Guest, you will find many, many people who will be happy to provide details of their sorry tales, including myself. I do not want to sweep this disgraceful practice of fraud and corruption under the carpet because it may create an "imbalanced" view...... These are real cases, and should be brought to the attention of the public, the politicians, the MEPs, and most of all the Spanish Government.

In the UK, our Government have bailed out the banks due to extreme and unusual circumstances. This started with Northern Rock and has been extended to many other banks. This whole Spanish culture of fraud has evolved under the legislation of the Spanish Government and Judicial systems, and surely should be addressed and resolved by them. At the moment it is everyone for themselves, generating a load more money for the Spanish judicial systems while trying to get some form of compensation. 

If you want details then you just need to publish an email address (if that is allowed on here? Justin?) and request that people send you details. A pro-forma would help, so that you get consistent information.

Good luck with your investigations

Dave

Also Acapulco, Stev & Jane, and all you other happy purchasers, I wonder if you be so "balanced" if you had been ripped off for tens of thousands of pounds?.........Get real.....

fultond said

 ''This whole Spanish culture of fraud has evolved under the legislation of the Spanish Government and Judicial systems, and surely should be addressed and resolved by them. At the moment it is everyone for themselves, generating a load more money for the Spanish judicial systems while trying to get some form of compensation. ''

Well put. Several of us have been banging this drum for years, and in the early days was often been met with  ''i'ts your own fault for being naive and getting involved with what ever crook has swindled you',   Nice eh'. (i'm alright jack)  Most have been great though recently, and supported us in our fight for justice.

The lack of regulation/corruption has just led to unchecked daylight robbery. If that's not bad enough, the laws to stop this are often just not implamented, and then trying to get justice is costly, and far to slow, meaning that by the time cases are heard, (sometimes years, and if you are lucky enough to get a straight judge) the crooked developer/agent/lawyer has often gone bust anyway!  At least this is out in the open, and much hard work is now being done to try to force change.

 I appreciate that a some people have been ripped off, we came close ourselves and I am not saying they should have been wiser as hindsight is a wonderful thing. We have actually lost tens of thousands due to the economic climate etc.so we know the feeling but this negative, downside has been the subject of numerous documentaries and discussions on this and other forums. Why not a documentary about those who are happy in Spain ?--just for a change.

I am not trying to critisise individuals, we are all entitled to our own opinion ,I am just cheesed of with all the doom and gloom merchants.

As for getting real Fultond , maybe you should accept that other people may see things differently to you and just tackle their problems in a different way.

Guest you go ahead and make your programme.

The more bad publicity the crooked estate agent, developer, lawyer  triangle receives the better. For far too long innocent people have been robbed by these people, leaving their lives and dreams in tatters.These people were not reckless or ignorant , they were swindled. 

Forums,especially this one, have made the victims aware that they are not the only ones it has happened to and it is not their fault that it happened.  People should   know that these practices have not stopped. It is only the recession and poor exchange rates that have slowed sales down for a while. The corrupt town hall officials and the greedy lawyers who allowed  the illegal practices to thrive have not all disappeared. Those sharks will be back!

Each year   thousands of UK residents dream of retiring to or making a new life in Spain and purchasing a property is a step in that direction. It is possibly only the second time in their lives they have experienced the conveyancing procedure  and they need protecting. What chance do they have if the main person they should be able to trust- their lawyer- is crooked?

So, until the Spanish government and legal system can adequately protect the interests and money of Spanish property purchasers, we need documentaries such as this to make people aware that these practices are still on-going and wide-spread. They are not just one-offs.

Acapulco

I hear and understand what you say, so why are you commenting at all on this thread. This thread is about people that have been ripped off.

Go and start your own HAPPY thread, and be rest assured we will not come and crash your party!

The property abuses & scandals in Spain are now so serious that  EU Funds to Spain may well be halted. The Auken Report was voted for this morning at the EU Petitions Committee Meeting in Brussels. It was Accepted, & the final voting will be at the next meeting in March.  I'll be at that meeting, and will be presenting Our Petition to Ministers a few days beforehand.

Please take a moment to sign Our Petition, if you haven't done so already.  Many thanks:

www.spanishpropertyscandalpetition.co.uk

 Fultond, you have my deepst sympathy for your financial losses and for the misery they have obviously turned you into.

We could go on like this forever, maybe we should both shut up.

How can you ttake someone as a bona fide documentary maker when they sign in as 'Guest'?

Come on Guest, a few details abour yourself please.

Kel

Hi Kelju, I had the same thoughts too. Usually when programme makers put something out like this they say who they are and who they are working for and which TV channel will broadcast it.

Regards, Poppyseed

I'm liking the last few points, and agree that while I would be happy to be part of something, I'd like to know what that something is!

Agreed Acapulco. I know I came across rude, but it was intended, because we need the exposure, you don't. No offense intended, and I'm sure your points are generally well balanced.