Hundreds of British demonstrators demand an end to sleight of hand, trickery and fraud
HUNDREDS of British homeowners protested this week in Almeria over the threat of demolition hanging over their homes.
The group, mostly from Almeria, hope to draw attention to their plight and find solutions to their problems.
The organisers AULAN are demanding an end to real estate and planning corruption across Andalucia.
They also want an end to the insecurity thousands of owners are feeling around the region as well as safeguards introduced for people who bought in good faith.
In particular the protest is demanding justice for the Prior family, whose home was demolished, despite having planning permission from their local town hall.
As the Olive Press reported last January the Priors home Tranquilidad was knocked down in Vera despite having all the necessary permits from the local town hall.
Theirs was the first of hundreds of expatriate homes in the area to be demolished and made international news.
Incredibly the couple have still received no compensation and are currently living in an adjacent garage with no running water.
The protest is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the demolition and organisers are hoping for a big turnout.
But according to one of the organisers Lenox Napier the protest is about more than the Priors and their disgraceful treatment.
“This is about institutionalised property fraud in a 21st century European state,” he said. “It’s about notaries and mayors and town hall architects.
“It’s about ‘land grab’, unfair re-zoning, sleight-of-hand, trickery and fraud. Thousands of homes are under some blackmail, whether to pay to be regularized or to be knocked down.”
It’s only thanks to newspapers like “The Olive Press” that stories like these are always kept in the forefront of our minds, and to people like Lenox Napier and his friends who take the time to organise these demonstrations against Councils etc that prevent their abuses from being swept under the carpet.With regard to the Property and Construction Industry,SPAIN is undoubtedly way ahead even of any of the old Satellite Eastern Bloc States when it comes to corruption and fraud with its Councillors and Politicicians,Mayors,Notaries,Town Planners,Lawyers and anyone else who has to be bribed or whose palm it is necessary to grease in order to build something where it shouldn’t be built. Many thousands of these “illegal” properties were allowed to be built by Councils in different areas of Andalucia where Sr.Chaves allegedly has his finger on the pulse, by builders bribing Town Hall officials who then 4 or 5 years later come along and “fine” the innocent purchaser several thousand euros telling them their property is illegal and it’s their fault,(( even though they have done everything possible by using THEY THINK, HONEST PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE)) the fine goes straight into their back – pocket thank you very much.Too late the innocent purchasers often find out they have bought it through a corrupt builder and solicitor working together with a corrupt Notary!
Of course none of this would have happened if we had politicians back home who gave a damn about their own people.
Sadly if you are not a fatcat or businessman you are rated as less than nothing.
Let’s face it, if the UK government threatened to stop importing anything from Spain and stopped all flights to and from the UK to Spain and demanded proper compensation + damages for all those affected, there would be much bellowing from the corrupt Spanish but everything would be sorted ASAP – this will never happen.
I think all uk residents in spain who have bought land or houses here should organise a similar demonstration throughtout their own areas. We all feel the threat of our houses being knocked down due to the dishonesty of all the people who give us faulse documents, permissions etc. We have all been abused by their dishonesty and its about time things changed. We too have all the ‘Correct’ paper work…no doubt many have and millions of pounds have been taken by these corrupt people so lets all do something about it sooner than later!!!.
The bottom line is, do your homework. It not like Spain was built on a good reputation.
Its sad whats happening to those who thought they bought a legal property. If they have planning permission signed by the Town Council then its the Town Councils responsibility to compensate, even if it was a past corrupt council.
Its not the responsibility of the UK government.
The problem is exposing those who have made big money from this and they are protected by the ‘clan’ who wine and dine with them.
The Spain was once honest people but they are now showing them as dishonest,unreason and encourage corrupt. No-one can trust the Spain any longer and can never feel safe in that country. Beware everyone, dont enter into business contracts with the Spanish as their words mean anything.