23 Jul 2017 7:13 PM:

Hi, Markfish. We thought of putting our flat in addition with Remax, but it only acts as a solo agent, so for now we'll see if our current agent will do anything. How many posts do I need to make to receive private messages?

Thread: Electricity theft. Any advice/suggestion?

--------------------------------------

23 Jul 2017 7:05 PM:

Hi. Gosh, never thought that the buyer would have to check all that. What is the solicitor for? That's scary, especially as our Spanish is far from fluent. How do English people without any Spanish check all that? OK, thank you.

 

Thread: Electricity theft. Any advice/suggestion?

--------------------------------------

23 Jul 2017 2:28 PM:

Hi, guys and thanks for your replies. Some replies made me smile. Special thank you for a reply-accusation in picking on the race. One meets a couple of such PC (read brainwashed) people on every forum, who scan posts for different reasons than to give a relevant reply. However, it looks like Spain is not as hopeless in this respect as the UK, .

Yes, it looks like selling is the only  option. The problem is whether it will sell and is it sellable at all. Definitely, our agent was economical with the truth. However, this may be our hope in our present situation. Though she said that now she's obliged to tell potential clients the truth, it's obvious she didn't do it to us. Even the fasade on the ad was of a different, good-looking building. And of course, she never mentioned the disconnected meters and dangling wires and the cabinet door pried open (it's supposed to be locked at all time and only opened by the visiting electricians). But with all honesty, even if we visited the house, we wouldn't have picked on that. It would have never occured to us to look into electrical box, and the flat itself is immaculate. As for neighbours, our agent said that we had a lovely neighbour and we believed her. This Moroccan woman was the most manipulative of all and indeed was really charming on our first day. So, honestly, we wouldn't have picked on it even if we visited. I really don't know how we could have avoided such situaiton. 

 Lets just hope that our agent will be able to sell it on, even if with the loss (we bought it as a repossession and for the price we paid, if not for problems, it would be a real, real bargain). 

A shame we wouldn't be able to meet some of the nice people who replied and live in the area but thanks for your kind replies. If nothing else, it's nice to see that some people feel for you in your misfortune and don't gloat or have fun on your account. 

Thanks again and take care. By the way, there's one way that someone indeed could help. Hopefully, one day we'll be able to buy another flat. Can somebody recomment a TRUSTWORTHY solicitor experienced in such matters? Who did you use?

Thread: Electricity theft. Any advice/suggestion?

--------------------------------------

21 Jul 2017 11:51 AM:

Hi, we bought a flat in Garrucha, Almeria, and it looks like we've been had. It's an old 6 flat building without management company (the agent said the company would be formed when more flats would have been sold). Three neighbours: Gypsy family, Moroccan family and two black guys sharing a flat (if anybody told us about it, we would pull out straight away). I think they are all renting.

We were approached by neighbours and told that everybody in the building was stealing electricity and that we could be connected the same way for 60 E. We refused. When Endesa put a cable for us (the previous one was stolen), they stole it again the same night. Previously they sent their children with a strange question about what time we go to bed. When my husband threatened  to call a police, they also took off and hid a metal shield which covers the cables and where the meter is attached. In this way even with a cable on it would not be possible to connect us to electricity. They also stopped talking to us and their children always looked where we go, what we carry and who comes to us, up to following us along the street. I guess it was a form of bullying. They were like little wild animals, always snooping around, always on their guard, spying and reporting to their parents what what going on.

Electrician who came to put the cable in, noticed the ongoing theft, took the pictures and contacted Endesa about it. But three weeks on, nothing happened. Then we went to Endesa to make a complaint. They said they knew about it. Two weeks on and nothing happened. Looked like Endesa just was not interested being a state run company. Even though it was a matter between them and the robbers because we never put a meter on. We were told that they contacted the police but it was a lie. As our neighbours were becoming more and more hostile, we decided to sell up and went to police ourselves. Anyway, living 6 weeks without electricity was all we could take. Police took the photos, checked the documents of the black guys and told them that Endesa would be in touch with them. 
Two weeks on, still nothing has happened as our neighbours across the road say (we are back in the UK). All neighbours still live (rent) and have illegal light there. An agent we came to know said that many flats in that area are owned by rich Gypsies and people who made big money on smuggling illegal immigrants from Africa. These flats are rent to all sorts of dodgy folk bypassing the agencies and a lot of things going on there. You won't see a Spanish person there, so our flat may not sell. Who will want to live in a flat without electricity and with neighbours like that?

Does anybody have any suggestion or any advice at all? Can Endesa disconnect electriciy to the whole building as every single tenant had their meters disconnected long ago for non-payment? It would be the only way to chase them out because they wouldn't want to live without electrics and their creature comforts like Internet (not sure if legal, either), TV, etc.

Thanks for any input.

Thread: Electricity theft. Any advice/suggestion?

--------------------------------------