An expat couple are intent to fight on against a demolition notice for their Spanish home despite losing an appeal.
The property in Albox, Andalucía, is one of the many expat-bought homes served with demolition orders in as a result of the Spanish expat property scandal. The couple, who at present wish to be unnamed, had the home built in 2002 and stress that were certain they had local council planning permission complete with relevant paperwork.
However, in December 2009 they were issued with a demolition order, which their lawyer, Gerardo Manuel Vazquez, branded as"absurd". “My clients were sold the Spanish dream which has turned out to be a nightmare. There are a number of other British couples in Albox alone in a similar situation and some in a worse situation with a final judgment against their property. Changes in the law are obviously required, which, in my view, must go beyond the mere tinkering that has recently taken place."
There are believed to be over 12,000 properties in Almanzora alone that are caught up in the scandal with a further 300,000 over the Andalucia region.
The support group AUAN (Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora, NO) has been assembled to assist the expats embroiled in the scandal, their spokesperson said: “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.”