The debacle in Spain surrounding thousands of properties that were granted building licenses illegally has become legendary. Many of these properties were sold to international buyers, and most of these were British. Some British investors with properties in the northern regions of the Alicante province, Llíber, the Murcia region and in Valle del Sol have finally met with their embassy adviser – Alexandra Brown and the British Consul – Paul Rodwell.
Numbering over 90, the Valle del Sol investors at the meetings expressed their frustration, explaining that they felt ignored and that the illegality of the properties and their potential losses of investments were not being dealt with in a timely and courteous fashion.
Both Brown and Rodwell assured their countrymen that they were working diligently to raise awareness of the investors’ plight, calling on local authorities to discuss with them how best to serve the interests of everyone involved.
Lee Monks, the president of the local association, felt that the meeting was successful. The British Consul shone especially by taking interest in the residents’ individual stories and making them feel that each was heard.
Rodwell met with Mayor José Juan Reus after speaking with the British citizens of Llíber. Furthering his popularity with the British, he invited all British residents to attend the meeting. Reus claimed that everything possible was already being done to resolve the illegal property situation and encouraged the disgruntled homeowners to submit any details regarding their specific situation to the town hall.
Adrian Hobbs, president of Abusos Urbanisticos Lliber–No (AULN), feels that both the Consul and embassy advisor did well in the region, instilling confidence in their ability to act as an effective liaison between disgruntled property owners and unyielding government officials.
According to their website, the AULN is a group dedicated to “provid[ing] a centralised platform of communications for the residents of Lliber whose homes are deemed to be illegal by the authorities” and “resolv[ing] the issues intelligently and as an association of citizens united in the fight for proper ownership of their homes.”
In his statement, British Consul Rodwell said that he understood the frustration of residents of Valencia and Murcia, calling their problems “serious” and admitting that “distress and anxiety” were rampant. He also encouraged British citizens to understand that the Spanish government has the final say in Spanish affairs, and the housing dispute was a Spanish affair, regardless of the number of British citizens involved. That said, he also stated that he would do everything in his power to see that his countrymen were treated fairly and received the best possible outcome.
Three useful web resources for those in this situation include:
The AULN website at http://www.auln.eu/Default.aspx
The British Embassy website at http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk
The Consulate’s e-mail address Alexandra.Brown@fco.gov.uk
