Eloise HorsfieldBy James Bryce
IT continues to affect tens of thousands of British expats.
Now the latest changes to Andalucia’s controversial planning laws are ‘another nail in the coffin’ for Spain’s ongoing property crisis, according to campaigners.
The amendments are part of a desperate bid to breathe new life into the struggling real estate sector by easing the requirements for building in urban areas.
But the regulations do nothing for those who have ended up buying illegal homes in rural areas.
According to pressure group AUAN based in Almeria, even those buying in good faith will be held responsible and punished.
“If you buy an illegal house in good faith, you still inherit the problem, according to section 35,” explained Maura Hillen, president of the association, which represents hundreds of homeowners who have fallen victim to illegal sales.
This would even apply to someone who bought a home that was wrongly entered into the local property register.
“The buyers could face unforeseen legalisation costs or in the worst case, demolition without prior compensation.”
She continued: “Given that the property register currently gives a clean bill of health to Helen and Len Priors house (the home famously demolished in 2008), you can understand the risks that you face.
“These latest changes are neither sensible nor practical. Sadly this regional government never listens and this bill is just another nail in the coffin.”
AUAN estimate there are around 300,000 ‘illegal’ homes in Andalucia, affecting about 900,000 people, representing a total investment of approximately 60 billion euros.
It would really make this story if Olive Press could get a response from the Junta and/or housing minister on the very important issues raised here.
My wife and I would sell our house and move to Spain tomorrow, if it were not for the “Homes From Hell” horror stories we see on T.V.and in the papers. A simple change in the law (retrospective of course) would see a flood of home-buyers from the U.K.and elsewhere, move to Spain. Do the Spanish powers-that-be really want us to buy, or are they just leaving the door open for taking folks money and dumping them a la calle?
Stefanjo, I wouldn’t hold your breath. Ever since the bubble burst, neither Zapatero nor Rubalcaba have seen the light and I doubt very much that Rajoy will either. They have all washed their hands of the problem that their policies have created and now pretend that the solution lies in the hands of the judiciary. In other words, some day never. In the meantime the construction sector is all but dead and the unemployment in Andalucía is of third world proportions.