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Homeowners of Andalucia unite against the Juntas Decree

AAUAN, 12th February 2012

Associations representing some 40,000 owners of illegal homes from across Andalucia announced the creation of a federation to fight against the Regional Government’s Decree to regulate and clarify the situation of houses constructed on rustic land, because they believe that “it doesn’t solve anything”.

For the first time, the homeowners, made up of both Spanish and foreigner residents, met in Cordoba in a meeting organised by the Platforma de Afectados por Inundaciones del Guadalquivir, a group affect by the flooding of the Guadalquivir river.

The meeting was attended by the Federation of Associations of La Lagunas de Chiclana (Cádiz), la Asociación de Afectados por Sanciones Urbanísticas (the Association of those affected by Urban Sanctions) from Cádiz, Abusos Urbanísticos Almanzora No (AUAN) from Almería and from Malaga the Asociacion de Viviendas Irregulares (APVI) and Save Our Homes in Axarquía (SOHA). Residents groups from Cordoba were the most numerous with representatives from La Altea, La Gorgoja II, Las Perlas, Córdoba la Vieja and Fontanar de Quintos.

The associations described the meeting as “very positive” and announced that they will be seeking meetings with political parties and public administrations to look for “a solution, once and for all, for everybody”.

In addition, they announced a protest march which will take place in Sevilla on the 28th of Februrary (Andalucia Day), organised by APVI from Malaga . Paco Leon, president of the groups from Cordoba called for as much support as possible for the march.

Groups who attended the meeting:

                                                            MALAGA
Asociación Provincial de viviendas Irregulares…………… President, Mª del Mar Vazquez
Asociación Save Our Homes de la Axarquía (SOHA)…….President, Philip Smalley

                                                            ALMERIA

Abusos Urbanísticos Almanzora No (AUAN)......................President, Maura Hillen

                                                             CADIZ

Federación de Asociaciones Las Lagunas de Chiclana........VicePresident, Manuel Hidalgo
Asociación de Afectados por Sanciones Urbanísticas........President, Manuel Hidalgo

                                                            CÓRDOBA

Mac. De Juntas de Compensación Alamiriya.....................President, Antonio Avilés
La Altea.............................................................................. President, Julio J. Cortés
La Gorgoja II.......................................................................President, Antonio Fernández
Las Perlas...........................................................................President, Araceli Frias
Córdoba La Vieja...............................................................President, Maite Polo
La Forja.............................................................................. President, Manuel Castillo
Fontanar de Quintos.......................................................... President, Angel Patilla
Santa Clara........................................................................ President, Francisco Cabello
Carmen Ribera Baja.......................................................... Representative, Rafael Luque
Paseo al Puente Hierro..................................................... Co-ordinator, Emilio Berná
Rabuda del Castillo........................................................... President, Francisco Castro

                                                     CONCLUSIONS

1º THE MEETING WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY POSITIVE.
2º AGREEMENT WAS REACHED TO CREATE AN ANDALUCIAN FEDERATION OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE LOUA.
3º THERE IS A COMMON DESIRE TO DISSOLVE THE DECREE TO REGULARISE HOUSES ON RUSTIC LAND IN ANDALUCIA BECAUSE IT DOESN’T SOLVE ANYTHING.
4º MEETINGS WILL BE REQUESTED WITH POLITICAL PARTIES TO EXTRACT A COMMITTMENT FOR A SOLUTION ONCE AND FOR ALL.
5º TO GROUP INTEND TO PREPARE A POPULAR LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO DEMAND A DEBATE ON CHANGES TO THE LOUA AS SET OUT IN ARTICLE 111 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ANDALUCIA. 6º PROTEST MARCHES ARE PLANNED: THE FIRST OF WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN ORGANISED BY APVI FROM MALAGA AND IS PLANNED TO TAKE PLACE ON THE 28/02/2012 BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT OF ANDALUCIA IN SEVILLE .
7º ABOVE ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS WANT MODIFICATION OF THE LOUA (LEY 7/2002 DE 17 DE DICIEMBRE)

Los propietarios de Andalucía se unen contra el Decreto de la Junta

Asociaciones que representan al alredor de 40,000 propietarios de casa ilegales de toda Andalucía anunciaron el sábado, 11 febrero, la creación de una federación para luchar contra el decreto de la Administración autonómica que aprueba regula y clarifica la situación de las viviendas levantadas en suelo no urbanizable, al entender que "no soluciona la situación existente".

Por primera vez, los propietarios (españoles y extranjeros) se reunieron en Córdoba convocados por la Plataforma de Afectados por Inundaciones del Guadalquivir.

Al encuentro asistieron integrantes de la Federación de Asociaciones La Lagunas de Chiclana (Cádiz), la Asociación de Afectados por Sanciones Urbanísticas de Cádiz, el colectivo Abusos Urbanísticos Almanzora No (Almería) y las asociaciones malagueñas de Viviendas Irregulares y Save Our Homes, de la comarca de La Axarquía. Los parcelistas cordobeses, anfitriones, fueron los más numerosos, con representantes de los núcleos de La Altea, La Gorgoja II, Las Perlas, Córdoba la Vieja o Fontanar de Quintos.

Las asociaciones calificaron el encuentro de "muy positivo" y anunciaron que solicitarán reuniones con los partidos políticos y las administraciones públicas para "buscar una solución de una vez por todas".

También se comunica una manifestación que tendrá lugar en Sevilla el próximo día 28 promovida por la Asociación de Viviendas Irregulares de Málaga. La plataforma cordobesa intentará asistir a la capital andaluza "con el máximo de personas posibles", anunció el portavoz del colectivo, Francisco León.

1º CALIFICAR DE MUY POSITIVA LA REUNIÓN
2º CREAR UNA FEDERACIÓN ANDALUZA DE AFECTADOS POR LA LOUA.
3º DESAPARICIÓN DEL DECRETO, POR NO SOLUCIONAR LA SITUACIÓN EXISTENTE.
4º REUNIRSE CON PARTIDOS POLITICOS Y QUE SE COMPROMETAN A DAR UNA SOLUCIÓN DE UNA VEZ POR TODAS
5º PREPARAR UNA INICIATIVA LEGISLATIVA POPULAR Y DE LOS AYUNTAMIENTOS
6º CONVOCATORIA DE MANIFESTACIONES, DE HECHO LA ASOCIACION DE PROVINCIAL DE VIVIENDAS IRREGULARES DE MALAGA TIENE SOLICITADA UNA MANIFESTACION PARA EL DIA 28/02/2012. ANTE LA JUNTA DE ANDALUCIA EN SEVILLA.
AUNQUE EN CORDOBA NOS ACABAMOS DE ENTERAR PROCURAREMOS MOVILIZARNOS PARA ASISTIR, CON EL MAXIMO DE PERSONAS POSIBLES.
8º SOBRE TODO MODIFICACION DE LA LOUA (LEY 7/2002 DE 17 DE DICIEMBRE)

BRITISH EXPATS IN SPAIN FACE THE BULLDOZERS ONCE AGAIN

AUAN, 9th February 2012

British expatriates in Albox, a small provincial town in Andalucía , Spain , faced an anxious New Year in 2010 after police served notice that their homes were to be bulldozed after their construction was declared illegal.

Having overturned the demolition orders on the basis that they had not been informed of the proceedings, the couples vowed to fight on. Since then they have engaged in a protracted and expensive court battle to try and defend their homes.

Yesterday, one couple received the devastating news that the courts have again decided that they must face the bulldozers. Their home, in which they have invested their life savings, was constructed with planning permission from the local council in 2002 and possesses all of its necessary paperwork.

Lawyers acting for the regional government (the Junta de Andalucía) successfully argued that the property risked provoking an urban nucleus. The revocation of the building licence was upheld and the retired couple were ordered to pay costs. They are now faced with the prospect of an expensive appeal.

A spokesperson for AUAN, a pressure group made up of mostly British homeowners, responded to this latest ruling saying “Welcome to the surreal world of planning in Andalucía. The regional government claims that its much publicised Decree will grant recognition to illegal buildings in Andalucía but this couple, who have a building license, face demolition ”.

The regional government argues that the property runs the risk of creating an urban nucleus. Which urban nucleus are they referring to? Promoters swamped this area with urban settlements and sold houses to unsuspecting Brits whilst the administration fiddled about with its legislation and comprehensively failed to enforce it.”

“Has the Junta de Andalucía learned nothing? Demolitions damage the beleaguered property market and the international reputation of Spain . The response of the regional government to this planning disaster is more tinkering with the laws, creating, in our view, even more confusion, complexity and traps for an unwary purchaser to fall into. Oh, and by the way” the spokesperson concluded “if you want to purchase a house in Andalucía, the Property Register, currently gives this house a clean bill of health”.

Un ejemplo del “buen hacer” de la Junta de Andalucía

Aquí tenéis un ejemplo del “buen hacer” de la Junta de Andalucía. Hay otros parecidos en Albox.

Sentencia-anulacion licencia

¿No iba el Decreto a regularizar prácticamente todo? Pues estos Sres británicos jubilados tenían licencia otorgada en el año 2002. Hay muchas otras viviendas sin licencia que se van a regularizar y sin embargo estos Sres que tienen licencia corren el riesgo de demolición. El Juzgado acaba de anular su licencia a instancias de la Junta de Andalucía, la Junta argumentando que existe el riesgo de la creación de un núcleo de población – ¿a qué núcleo de población se refieren? ¿A los múltiples núcleos – perdón asentamientos según el Decreto - de viviendas ilegales que existen en el Valle del Almanzora?

Los afectados tendrán que recurrir, con el coste que ello implica.

Fuera de España ello no se puede entender.

Bienvenidos al mundo surrealista del urbanismo Andaluz.

The Decree to regularize houses in Andalucia – Don’t be dazzled by the fireworks

AUAN, 10th January 2012

Maura Hillen, president of AUAN has described the decree to regularise houses on non urban land, approved today by the regional government, as ‘very disappointing’.

According to Hillen “It’s possible that this fireworks display will dazzle some but if you look at the detail of the Decree you will see that it does not help those with ongoing court proceedings, where perhaps the majority could face the chop”.

“If what the Junta wants is more cases like the Priors, the decree certainly does nothing to prevent that” she added. “Actually, I sometimes despair at how little the administration is in contact with the real problems of its citizens. They must know that what looks nice on paper is not always workable in practice. It appears that they don’t and all they want to do is inundate us with a byzantine tangle of laws and, whilst they are about it, completely destroy foreign investment in Spain ”.

Hillen asks “What shall I tell elderly retirees who have demolition orders against their homes? Can I tell them that the Decree will save them? I can’t because it doesn’t”. “What can I say to hundreds of retired couples who live on irregular urbanisations without escritura for their land? Can I tell them that the Decree will give them their escritura? No I can’t, and indeed some of those who currently have escritura are at risk because, according to the Decree, escrituras can be annulled because of the possible illegal segregation of land.”

“On the other hand, the regularization of these developments still has to go through an unrealistic, expensive, arduous and painful process which will take a very long time” she added. Regarding the new provision for isolated houses she states that “I regret to say that these houses are relatively blighted, since according to the decree they are not entitled to a licence of occupation or use; are subject to yet to be defined future regulations and some theoretical minimum standard of habitability; Furthermore, the decree states that these houses can only be repaired and preserved; that they should have self sufficient supplies of water, electricity and waste treatment and that only in exceptional circumstances can they be connected to mains services; In other words they are of dubious legality”

“That is to say that the Junta, instead of making an important legal change , and by that I mean changing the LOUA, to resolve a major problem has instead only created more confusion in addition to creating a category of second class housing”.

She concluded by saying “I hope that not too many people are lured by this bait because I think that it doesn’t fix very much. In fact among our members we think that only 16% of them will benefit in any way from this Decree”.

AUAN TILDA EL DECRETO DE REGULARIZACIÓN DE “SEÑUELO”

Contactada Maura Hillen, Presidente de AUAN, para que comente sobre el muy esperado, y para Maura, “muy decepcionante”, Decreto de regularización de viviendas en suelo no urbanizable de la Junta, nos declara:

“Es posible que estos fuegos artificiales atraigan a algunos, pero si uno mira el detalle del Decreto verá que no evita que las viviendas con procedimientos en curso, que quizás son la mayoría, puedan caer bajo la piqueta.” Añade, “Si lo que la Junta quiere son más casos como el del matrimonio Prior, desde luego este Decreto no entorpece el camino. Realmente, a veces desespero de lo poco conectada que está la administración con los problemas reales de los ciudadanos. Deberían ser conscientes que, lo que a veces aparece como muy bonito en papel, es no operativo en la práctica. Parece que no son conscientes, y parece que lo que quieren hacer es inundarnos con una maraña de leyes bizantinas, y, de paso, destruir por completo la inversión extranjera en viviendas en España”.

Preguntada para que entre en más detalle, dice: “¿Que le digo yo a los jubilados que ya tienen una orden de demolición contra sus casas? ¿Les digo que según el Decreto quedan salvadas? No puedo, pues no es así.”

Añade, “¿Que les digo a los cientos de familias jubiladas que se encuentran en urbanizaciones irregulares sin que tengan escritura siquiera de su terreno? ¿Les digo que este Decreto les dará su escritura? Tampoco es así, y de hecho algunos de los que tienen escrituras corren el riesgo según el Decreto que estas se anulen, por razón de una posible parcelación ilegal. Por otro lado la regularización de estas urbanizaciones sigue teniendo que pasar por una sería de poco realistas, costosos, arduos, y dolorosos procedimiento urbanísticos, muy delatados en el tiempo .”

Preguntada, por las viviendas aisladas, indica que: “Pues, lamento decir que estas viviendas quedan relativamente apestadas, dado que según el Decreto ni siquiera tienen derecho a licencia de ocupación o utilización; quedan sujetas a unas supuestas y futuras Normas Directoras para la Ordenación Urbanística y unas teóricas normas mínimas de habitabilidad; solo se permiten obras de reparación y conservación en estas viviendas; el decreto declara que estas viviendas deberían tener sus propios autónomos servicios de agua, luz y saneamiento y solo excepcionalmente se puede autorizarse la acometida a servicios básicos; todo de dudosa legalidad por otro lado.”

“Es decir” dice Maura, “la Junta, en vez de un cambio normativo de importancia, y me refiero a un cambio en la LOUA, para tratar de resolver un problema de gran envergadura, no solo crea más confusión, sino que crea una clase de vivienda de segunda”. Termina diciendo, “Espero que no sean muchos los que sean llevados a error por este señuelo, y piensen que esta medida es un panacea. De hecho hemos calculado que, de nuestros asociados, solo un 16% podrá verse de alguna forma beneficiado por este Decreto”.

Four Years without justice

AUAN, 9th January 2012

On the 9th of January 2008 the Junta de Andalucia demolished the home of Len and Helen Prior in Vera as a result of a planning dispute between Vera town council and the regional government.

Four years later Len and Helen are still fighting for compensation for the loss of their home.

The Prosecutor takes the battle to demolish illegal houses to the Supreme Court

For the first time, a motion has been filed for a ruling on the application of this penalty faced with differences of opinion amongst the judge

LaVozDigital.es, 7th December, Silvia Tubio, Cadiz

The Supreme Court can make a definitive ruling on this issue.

The Cadiz Prosecutor has not given up on its fight against illegal urbanism. The previous Environmental prosecutor, Angel Nunez, and now his successor, Patricia Navarro, have spent years advocating that homeowners convicted of constructing an illegal house, should demolish the house in addition to receiving a prison sentence. The Prosecutor knows that these cases usually result in minimum prison sentences that are never enforced and economic sanctions that do not persuade other promoters from continuing to build houses outside the law. The key penalty is demolition but differences of opinion amongst judges are producing contradictions resulting in homeowners with demolition orders and others who save there homes in spite of being found equally guilty.

Against this background, The Cadiz Prosecutor is asking the Supreme Court to rule on the execution of this penalty as part of the sentence, establishing a type of case law which obliges judges in the courts of first instance and magistrates in the Audencia to follow the rule of the Supreme Court. This method is intended to eliminate the disparity of critera that generally result in the avoidance of demolition orders.

If accepted, the pioneering appeal presented by the Cadiz Prosecutor will be the first time that the Penal Court will pronounce on this issue, because thus far the only rulings have come from the Litigation Division (that which resolves disputes between citizens and the administration). Judicial sources explained to this newspaper that the position of this court is similar to that of the Cadiz prosecutor. Something that the Prosecution aims to exploit.

The mechanism used to reach the Supreme Court has been to build on one of the few cases against illegal construction that has been dealt with in the Audencia. This was possible because this case dealt with other things such as fraud in addition to the planning crime.

Tried and then sentenced to 18 months in prison was the promoter of a family home which was constructed on a non urbanizable parcel of land situated on Sanlucar Road in the town of El Puerto, next to an inn called El Parajo. The woman sold the property to a third party without telling them that they were buying an illegal house that also had an administrative file opened by the Town Hall ordering the stoppage of the construction and the demolition of what had been built. However, as stated in the judgement, she violated this municipal order and continued with the work, ignoring the seal which had been place on the plot. This took place in 2005, in the midst of the building boom.

In spite of a conviction, the magistrates from Section Four of the Audencia ruled that the house should not be demolished as requested by the Prosecutor. citing an argument repeated in other sentences: the principle of proportionality. The magistrates believed that the area where the house was built also contained other houses which had been built outside the law, and for that reason to condemn the house to a process of demolition would be ‘disproportionate’.

The Prosecutor believes that this reasoning does not help to stop this phenomenon, but on the contrary, promoters see that the house is not at risk even if they are convicted. For this reason, they have taken this judgement as a test case to the Supreme Court. If the Proposal of the Prosecutor is accepted this could be a landmark ruling in the fight against illegal construction.

En Espanol

Property Purchase Pitfalls exposed

By Dave Jones,Costa Almeria News , 8th December 2011

"We have done our best but it still falls short of expectations and the problems continue, with some families facing the loss of their homes and investments made in good faith".

This is one of the conclusions reached in the hard-hitting booklet launched by UK based MEP Diana Wallis entitled "European property rights and wrongs". The 71 page publication covers problems that buyers have experienced, in particular in Spain - examining pitfalls such as corruption or failed administration at local level; off plan purchases; 'land grab' laws and bank guarantees.

The Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber reveals that it is a reaction to a flood of complaints from her own constituents and many other victims around Europe. She hopes the publication "will hep raise the profile of these matters". "Many sadly have found themselves entangled in impossible legal nightmares;lost deposits, buildings not built, or built in breach of local planning legislation;every possible permutation has crossed my desk at some point or another" she stated.

"Each one represents the life of an individual, or the life of a family ruined, perhaps the biggest investment of thier life lost". "One could all too easily draw the conclusion that we have created a European Union of freedom of movement but without proper safeguards and access to justice," she lamented.

The booklet also examines European Law and how it can better assist the victims. However, Mrs Wallis states: "What is lacking is clear and systematic intervention from the European legislature", in part because most property and planning issues stem from national law and "therefore the remedy has to be sought in national courts and ultimately at the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights rather than in Brussels or Luxembourg".

She continues "All this is rightly infuriating to the citizens or group of citizens threathened with losing ther home; when, if they had thought Europe was about anything they thought is was about guaranteeing certain fundamental rights".

European Property Rights and Wrongs

Latest Changes to the Andalucian Planning Laws are another nail in the coffin

If you buy an illegal house in good faith, it’s your fault and you will be punished according to the latest amendments to the LOUA.

AUAN, 21st November 2011

The regional government of Andalucía has announced that it is changing its planning laws (LOUA) in an attempt to revitalise the struggling real estate sector by easing the requirements for building in urban areas. However, according to sources in Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora NO (AUAN), an association of homeowners who purchased homes in Andalucía only to find that these homes had fallen foul of the regions poorly managed planning regulations, the latest changes do little to encourage potential buyers to reach for their chequebooks.

“Section thirty five of the text is a classic example of how the Ministry for Housing and Planning views home buyers as a potential threat to judicial order” said Maura Hillen, AUAN president. It reads, rather ponderously, “The measures to protect planning legality and the reestablishment of the perturbed judicial order have a real character and apply to third party purchasers of property subject to such measures because of their status as subrogated in law by the responsibilities of the person causing the planning illegality”.

“In layman’s terms this means that if you buy an illegal house in good faith, you inherit the problem” says Mrs. Hillen. “For example, if the Property Register is inaccurate and fails to reveal the existence of a planning problem a purchaser in good faith may buy this property and may subsequently face unforeseen legalisation costs or in the worst case, demolition without prior compensation. Given that the property register currently gives a clean bill of health to Helen and Len Priors house (it was demolished in 2008), you can understand the risks that you face” she continued.

“I suppose that it is too much to expect that a Ministry whose leader, Josefina Cruz Villalon, described foreign purchasers as ‘an invasion of people,…who are not from this country, who settled here illegally’ etc, etc, would even attempt to solve the problems suffered by thousands of European citizens, the majority retired, who have invested practically all of their savings in Andalucía, invited by promises of a warm welcome, a sunny climate and a legally safe place to live. We believe that perhaps it cannot be expected that such people will create an environment which encourages further European investment in real estate here. Many Britons, having learned their lesson have now left Andalucía; some others are abandoning their homes. ? How can one hope that more Britons will invest in Andalucía when their compatriots have been treated in this way?” she concluded.

According to the new bill, homeowners also face penalties if they own a house that is deemed to be illegal with additional requirements in terms of urbanisation costs and the possibility of fines.

The bill also encourages the role of the Urbanising Agent, a figure that plans and executes the urbanisation works presenting the landowners with the bill. “This role requires careful regulation to safeguard the rights of the landowners and to prevent abuses, something which this bill does not do.” said Mrs Hillen.

“This regulatory change is of interest to everybody. We understand that it is being passed via an emergency procedure in the Andalucía Parliament. We do not understand such urgency without sufficient debate. Needless to say, those affected, represented by AUAN and similar associations have not been consulted and it all seems a bit rushed”.

“In the meetings we have had with the Junta de Andalucía we have advocated for sensible and practical solutions like those that have been applied in other autonomous regions of Spain. These latest changes are neither sensible nor practical. Sadly, for everyone this regional government never listens and this bill is just another nail in the coffin.” concluded AUANs president.

AUAN, el colectivo inglés que lucha contra los abusos urbanísticos en la Valle de Almanzora, ha aconsejado a los británicos "no ser llevados a engaño " por la última medida presentado por la administración central supuestamente para restaurar confianza en el sector inmobiliario español. AUAN, the English group that campaigns against urban abuse in the Valley of Almanzora, councils the British to "not be fooled" by the latest measures presented by the central government to restore confidence in the Spanish Property Sector.

AUAN Nota de Prensa, 18 Octubre 2011

En julio el Colegio del Registradores ha presentado una nueva página web en inglés (https://buyingahouse.registradores.org/) con el supuesto objetivo de simplificar el proceso de comprar una vivienda por compradores extranjeros. El Registro pretende ofrecer información en inglés de los más de mil Registros de la Propiedad y la iniciativa fue aclamada por el gobierno español como una de las nuevas medidas para reforzar la seguridad jurídica del sector inmobiliario.

In July the College of Registrars presented a new web page in English with the objective of simplyfying the process of buying a house for foreigners. The Register is expected to provide information in English from more than one thousand Property Registers and the initiative was acclaimed by the Spanish government as one of the new measure to reinforce judicial security in the property sector.

La semana pasada, la iniciativa fue enfatizada por la secretaria de Estado de Vivienda, Beatriz Corredor, durante la segunda fase de su gira internacional (‘road show’) en Londres para tratar de revitalizar la economía española a través de inversiones extranjeras en turismo residencial. Decía Sra. Corredor del nuevo servicio en inglés “de esta forma, los ciudadanos extranjeros podrán disponer, de forma mas comprensible para ellos, de toda la información sobre la situación física, jurídica y urbanística de la vivienda, de manera que cualquier comprador puede acudir a este registro antes de adquirir un inmueble para comprobar que no hay ningún riesgo en la operación."

Last week, the initiative was highlighted by the Secretary of State for Housing, Beatriz Corredor, during the second phase of her International tour (‘road show’) in London to attempt to revitalise the Spanish economy through foreign investment in residential tourism. Speaking of the new service in English, Sra. Corredor said “in this way, foreign citizens can obtain, in a manner more understandable for them, all information regarding the physical, judicial and planning situation of a house, in such a way that any buyer can access this register before acquiring a property to confirm that there is no risk in the operation”.

En una entrevista con el periódico inglés, el Telegraph, Sra. Corredor decía "Que vengan aquí tranquilamente, y se fíen del sistema que tenemos y de la transparencia que hay. Si el documento no hace mención de procedimientos jurídicos, el comprador, siguiendo los pasos correctos, puede contar con garantías jurídicas en su compra."

In an interview with the English newspaper, the Telegraph, Sra. Corredor said “Come here calmly, and trust in the system that we have and the transparency we provide. If there is not any mention of legal proceedings on the document, the person who buys the property through the correct channels will then know there is judicial support”.

Pero después de probar el sistema, AUAN ha encontrado que las pretensiones del gobierno tienen fallos muy serios en la práctica. Según la Presidenta, Maura Hillen, "Hemos probado el uso de la versión británica de la pagina web del registro sin éxito alguno. Ni siquiera podía encontrar una propiedad aun que le hemos metido el número de la finca. Entonces lo intentamos en español. Hemos llevado a cabo una búsqueda de tres casas. Dos de ellas han sido objeto de orden de demolición hace tres años, y aunque estas órdenes fueron suspendidas existen procedimientos judiciales en curso sobre estas fincas. Las Notas Simples Informativas no especifican nada de esta problemática urbanística, ni del riesgo de demolición de las viviendas.”.

But after testing the system, AUAN has found that the governments claims are seriously flawed in practice. According to their President, Maura Hillen, “We tested the British version of the web page with no success. It couldn’t find a property when we even supplied the finca number. We then tested the Spanish system. We performed searches on three houses. Two of them were subject to demolition orders three years ago and even though the orders were suspended there are judicial proceedings in progress on these houses. The Registry Report did not mention anything about these planning problems nor the risk of demolition”.

"La tercera casa que hemos probado era la de la pareja Prior, en Vera. La búsqueda reveló su ubicación en Almería y el hecho de que tuviese una vivienda de dos plantas y una piscina rectangular con escalones semicirculares, pero no reveló que fuera considerada como una casa ilegal; ni siquiera que esta casa fue demolida en enero del 2008."
“Las garantías del gobierno no son garantías suficientes algunas" dijo Sra. Hillen. "Aparte de otras consideraciones las nuevas normas fueron introducidas en el ordenamiento en el julio del año pasado y no se aplican retroactivamente al Registro. ¿Como fiarse entonces?”

“The third house that we test was that of Mr & Mrs Prior in Vera. The search revealed its location in Almeria and described a two storey house with a rectangular pool with semicircular stairs, but it did not reveal that it was considered to be an illegal house; not that it was demolished in 2008”.
“The guarantees of the government are not sufficient” said Mrs. Hillen. “Apart from other considerations the new regulations were applied to the register in July of last year and are not retrospective. How can you trust it?”

“Hay miles de casas consideradas como ilegales en nuestra zona. Son miles los dueños inocentes, compradores en buena fe, que tienen que enfrentarse a una gran inseguridad jurídica. Están abandonando sus hogares y la economía española en número cuantioso. El gobierno tiene que arreglar la situación de los que han comprado ya antes de mandar políticos a Londres ofreciendo un servicio y una garantía jurídica que realmente no vale para nada".

“There are thousands of houses that are considered to be illegal in our area. There are thousands of innocent homeowners, purchasers in good faith, who are faced with great judicial insecurity. They are abandoning their homes and the Spanish economy in great numbers. The government should sort out the situation of those who have already bought before sending politicians to London offering a service and a legal guarantee that really means nothing”.

The Telegraph - Criticism for Property Service run by Spanish Government

Spanish Government Property Roadshow interrupted by protestors in London

By Bank Guarantees in Spain Action Group , 15th October 2011

Beatriz Corredor, Spanish Secretary of State for Housing, has delived a key note seminar speech attempting to explain why now is the right time to invest in the Spanish real estate market. However she fails to acknowledge that any problems exist with previous purchasers.

The post Seminar drinks reception was marred due to angry exchanges between victims of Spanish property abuse and the Secretary of State.

Read more in typicallyspanish.com