Harlequin property

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office is now investigating Essex-based Harlequin Group regarding its marketing of high-end Caribbean villas linked with a self-investing personal pension product.

Harlequin’s business was not regulated by the Financial Services Authority, which is now writing to all UK FAs requesting the details of any client who has invested in the scheme. At the same time, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Essex Police are also requesting full details of the transactions involved from anyone who has invested in the Caribbean resort off-plan sales schemes.

The SFO would also like to hear from others inadvertently caught up in the scam, and states that they may request a full witness statement where necessary. It’s known that a subsidiary of Harlequin, Harlequin Properties Thailand, has caused problems and losses to expats in the resort town of Pattaya, using similar methods.

It’s believed that thousands of investors have poured their savings into off-plan purchases of condos and villas in the Caribbean and Thailand, many of whom are now in touch with the FSA. A legal challenge by a group of investors is expected, based on mis-selling of a financial product.

Harlequin CEO David Ames has denied misleading investors and promised that the developments in question will be finished, blaming contactors for the problems. However, investigation has revealed that, out of 3,000 promised homes, only 300 have as yet been completed and interest payments due to investors have now ceased.

Costa del Crash! Spain's property prices set to slump 50pc with British holiday homes on coasts 'worst hit'

• Up to 2million properties languishing on the market that cannot be sold
• 400,000 Britons either live in Spain or own a holiday home
• Experts warn house prices may not begin to recover for up to 15 years

Hundreds of thousands of Britons living in Spain or with holiday homes there risk being the worst hit as property prices  continue to plummet.
Analysts warn values could slump by another 50 per cent in the crisis-hit nation, with the biggest falls in coastal areas full of apartments and villas owned by those from the UK.
The slide threatens to be so bad that swathes of half-built or unsold holiday homes along the Mediterranean coast will simply have to be demolished as no-one wants them, even at rock-bottom prices.

Hit: Costa Malaga has always been a popular destination for British tourists but house prices are falling rapidly

Plummet: House prices in Marbella have already fallen 50 per cent

The warning came from RR de Acuna & Asociados, one of the country’s leading economic consultancies. It predicts the relentless gloom could stretch more than a decade – even up to 15 years – with falls of up to 50 per cent along the coast where around 400,000 Britons live or own homes.
Group vice-president Fernando Rodriguez de Acuna said: ‘The market is broken.
‘In places like Castellon [near Valencia], where over-development was mad, banks are not financing anything and there is a high prob- ability these properties will never be sold. They will have to be knocked down.

THE PROPERTY CRASH IN NUMBERS

• Spanish bank Santander slashed house prices by 60 per cent to clear backlog
• 800,000 houses are still on the market
• 250,000 are currently being built
• 300,000 homes have been foreclosed
• House prices in some areas not expected to recover for 15 years
• Houses in Marbella already fall 50 per cent

‘Banks are offering huge  discounts and nobody is calling. Marbella has already fallen by 50 per cent and prices are going down and down.’
The firm’s latest analysis suggests the total decline from peak to trough could end up at 75 per cent in some areas.
The downturn has blighted the retirement of Valerie Burch, from Brixham, Devon, who planned to sell her seafront duplex apartment in Caleta de Velez, east of Malaga.
It was worth £180,000 in 2008 but has dropped by a third to £120,000 by September. The 72-year-old said: ‘I am devastated. I was thinking of selling this year to help me in my retirement but I would never recoup my investment.’
Mr Rodriguez de Acuna said there were almost two million properties waiting to be sold, with ‘no progress at all’ over the last five years to clear up the backlog.
He expects the crisis to also hit the capital Madrid and major cities like Barcelona, with prices down 30 per cent and no pick-up until 2018.
‘There are 800,000 used homes on the market,’ he added.
‘Developers are sitting on a further 700,000 completed units.
Another 300,000 have been foreclosed and 150,000 are in foreclosure proceedings, and there are another 250,000 still under construction. It’s crazy.’
Spain was booming until the credit crunch of 2008, with hundreds of thousands of properties built every year.
But the country has been one of the worst hit by the eurozone crisis and has a shrinking economy with a jobless rate of more than 26 per cent.

How to spot the timeshare frauds.

Timeshare salesmen and agents have been sleazing their way across the hotspots of Spain for numerous years, using high pressure sales techniques to bully unwitting holidaymakers into purchasing something that they were never really entirely sure about in the first place.

However, now a new blight is causing current timeshare holders an even greater headache. Trying to locate a legitimate timeshare resales company on the internet is like attempting to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. Here are some things to look out for when buying and selling timeshare to keep the fraudsters at bay.

Buying timeshare

For those who understand the timeshare market and are comfortable with the financial commitment, there is still a great combination of value and luxury to be had by making the right purchases. However, like any financial investment, this should be done in your own sweet time.

If they approach you, it’s a no go

It doesn’t matter how the company say they got your details, if you haven’t dealt with them before then now is not a good time to take a chance.

Search online or by brochure

Reputable companies will have at least some of their listings available online or by brochure. This way you can work out what is available and at what cost without having to talk to a salesman or woman.

Check their name

Always do your homework on a company before doing business with them. A good way of checking their reputation is to search the discussion and forum results on Google for feedback on the company’s services.

Tell them precisely what you are interested in

When you make your first enquiry, be sure that you know what you are looking for. Do not give them an opportunity to force a timeshare on you that you’re not interested in. If they make you a proposal, be firm in stating that you will get back to them rather than vice versa. Make sure that their conveyancing fees are detailed in full and explain that you will not pay a penny more than what you have just been quoted.

Never part with your details until deeds are in your possession

Once you settle on a deal, be sure to cover yourself against fraud. Never part with cash until you have received official documentation and always have a lawyer check the paperwork over. If you must give your details to the agent before completion, a credit card is the best bet.

Selling timeshare

This is where things have started to get really ugly in recent years. With the recession resulting in people tightening their belts, many saw selling on their timeshare as a wise move to generate some extra cash. This desperation has been fully capitalised on by faceless fraudsters who will scam hundreds of pounds from timeshare owners in listing fees and facilitation costs. Make sure you’re not caught out.

Consider the sale

Talk to other people who own timeshares and communicate on the independent <a href="http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/" target="_blank">Timesharetalk</a> forum. Is there actually a market for your timeshare? If other people are having difficulties selling similar timeshare weeks or points then the listing fee charged by timeshare resales companies may not be worth it.

Understand the value of your timeshare

There is precious little chance that your timeshare has appreciated in value and if a timeshare agent tells you they can sell it for more than face value, they are probably lying in a bid to get you to list with them. Don’t get reeled in, as if you agree your timeshare could sell for a sizeable figure, the agent will have greater scope with which to charge you a hugely over-inflated listing fee.

Take time to think

If you tell an agent you would like time to consider whether to sell with their company, make sure you follow through and end the call. Dishonest companies will at this point start to offer you lower rates, tell you that a buyer is waiting or declare that there is an important deadline coming up that you may miss. If they do any of the above then you’ll know not to call back.

Check their advertising

Take a thorough look at the website of the company you intend to sell through. Are they properly showcasing available timeshares? If you don’t feel your timeshare will receive sufficient advertising then look elsewhere.

Pay once only and don’t pay over the odds

You should only ever pay one listing fee and it should never be more than you expect to receive for your timeshare. Compare the quoted price with other timeshare holders on Timesharetalk.

Be prepared to wait

Even the most reputable timeshare resales companies may have trouble shifting your timeshare as the market is not as strong as it once was. However, they should keep you updated on any progress and should never ask you for more money. A timeshare in Spain can be difficult to shift but if you list with reputable, long-standing companies that are accredited members of the RDO (formerly the OTE), TATOC and ARDA then you will give yourself the best chance of moving it on. It pays to do your research when it comes to timeshare sales, so be careful out there!
 

Written by: Nick Woolnough

for: Eye on spain.

Creepy crawlie food.

A BAR and restaurant in Valladolid has hit international headlines for serving up insects in hummus, guacamole and yoghurt.

Bar Passion, owned and run by Esteban – who calls himself Marco Negroni – offers 'delights' such as rhino beetle in Mediterranean hummus, spicy grasshoppers in guacamole and leaf-eating ants in aloe vera yoghurt.

Negroni began adding such dishes to his menu after a holiday in Thailand six years ago, when he saw insects such as scorpions, crickets and grasshoppers being sold 'as though they were bags of potatoes' on the markets in Bangkok.

His first unusual offering was mini-toasts with imperial Thai scorpion, olive oil, tomato and grated cheese.

These recipes proved to be a huge success and he now imports hermetically-sealed bags of dried insects from London and Thailand for his cooking.

Negroni says they are very crunchy with a spicy flavour.

Customers frequently try his dishes out of curiosity and those who enjoy them range from teenagers to the elderly.

Although Bar Passion offers typically-Spanish tapas and dishes from all over the world, it is the insect recipes which have turned out to be the most popular.

The owner says he serves beer from 250 countries, particularly recommending the Vietnamese variety.

He has travelled practically the entire world and collects culinary skills wherever he goes.

Most recent destinations include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Philippines, the USA and several African countries.

Darragh MacAnthony!

For anybody who has invested money in this project and have lost their faith after the decision of the Judge  Beatriz Fernandez to drop the case due to a lack of jurisdiction, it is possible to bring the case in UK and take to court Darragh MacAnthony once and for all.

For anybody who may be affected by this you may contact CPC Holding for further information.

Tel: 0191 386 2487

Moving to Spain: Do's and Don'ts

Would you like to move to Spain? Every year, large numbers of expats and immigrants opt for a life abroad on the Iberian Peninsula – oftentimes running into the same troubles. Here is a quick list of do’s and don’ts which you should definitely consider before your move to Spain.

Do try to find an employer in Spain before you actually move, and try to save up as much money as possible. This might sound trivial, but it will make things a lot easier if you move to Spain with an employment contract in your pocket instead of having to look for a job in the middle of the turbulent (and expensive) act of relocating to another country.

Do realize the importance of your decision and its consequences. In most cases, leaving your home country behind and starting a new life abroadis a huge step for everyone, one that changes almost everything about your life in a very short time. Make sure you are ready for this step. You will always have doubts about whether or not you are going to actually manage, or be worried about how things might work out. This is absolutely normal. Try to be as sure of your decision as possible before making it. If you would just like to see what life abroad is like without serious intentions of staying permanently or at least for a couple of years, leaving everything for good and just taking a chance is probably not the wisest idea.

Do prepare as thoroughly as possible. Try to think of everything that you will be confronted with during your new life, be it immigration legislation, the bus schedule in your city, whether or not pharmacies in Spain carry a certain kind of medication you regularly take, or how to dress in the workplace. Preparation is one of the most important aspects of relocating to another country, and living abroad in Spain is no different in this regard.

On to the don’ts: Don’t ever think moving abroad will not be a huge change for you, personally and professionally. Obviously, this is the other side of the “do” above. One of the biggest mistakes expats can make is assume that everything will be just like home. Even if many things in Spain are handled in a similar way to that in your home country, there are hundreds of little pitfalls, traps, and simple misunderstandings that will make everything more complicated if you take things too easy.

Another important don’t: Don’t bring everything, but carefully select what you want to bring. It is useless trying to ship all your belongings over to your new home. Sure, take the things that are most dear to your heart, be it clothing, furniture, books, or records, but also let go of stuff you can easily replace or simply will not need in your new surrounding – and that will surely amount to be a lot. Find out beforehand if everything you are sure you cannot live without is available in Spain, and take that which you think you cannot find a replacement for. On a similar note, don’t just come with just a backpack full of clothes either: buying everything you might need for your household from scratch will be a enormous strain on your budget!

One of the biggest don’ts probably seems very obvious to everyone who has spent time abroad, but is still a regular regret of many newcomers to the expat lifestyle: Don’t assume that English or limited knowledge of Spanish hastily acquired in a weekend course will be enough to get by. True, English is very widely spoken, particularly in business and academia, and has emerged to be the dominant international language in our globalized world. It is also true that the best way of learning a language is picking it up from native speakers. Still, you will always run into the pesky language barrier if you do not thoroughly prepare for your new life abroad by getting some knowledge of Spanish beforehand. This obviously applies to any country in the world; if you do not learn the language, you will never feel truly comfortable and at home.

Making a new home for yourself is everything but simple, but is probably going to be an unforgettable, treasured experience for you – make it a positive one by taking care of the small and large details of it all!

Written by: InterNations

Foreign buyers keep buying homes in Spain as regulations change in 2013.

Foreign buyers are increasingly more attracted to houses on the market in Spain because of the possibility of having a second home in a warmer area that will only cost more or less half or even a third of the original asking prices that were seen in 2008.
 
The Public Works Ministry stated that 8,803 houses were purchased by foreigners in the third quarter, a jump of 18 percent from a year ago. This is consistent with the growth in this area in the last five quarters.
 
In the first and second quarters of 2012 we saw an increase of 16.2 and 15.3 percent consecutively. This is great for the market because of the vast quantity of homes sitting around unsold since the crash in 2008, and the government is taking advantage of the situation by promoting sales and tax improvements to non-residents and foreign buyers.
 
 
Resident cards for foreign buyers seem to be working
To target the Chinese and Russian markets, mainly, the government is considering giving residence cards on a temporary basis to non-residents that buy homes worth more than 160,000 euros. Also, we have experience a growth on Egyptians placing inquiries after being attracted by the news. So, it seems that the new measure encourage overseas buyers.
 
The most Desirable areas
The most desirable areas for foreigners are Girona, Barcelona, the Balearic Islands, Malaga, and Alicante, which is where we have seen the highest concentration of purchases, however, the Ministry did not give out a list of where exactly the foreigners are coming from for the third quarter.
 
 
Still Not Enough
We still saw an overall decline in sales between July and September of 1.17 percent (75,642 homes in total) due to a seven percent drop in the two quarters before. Homes being resold performed a bit better, seeing an increase of 1.7 percent from a year ago, but new houses didn’t fare as well, experiencing a drop of 6.7 percent. All in all, in the past year, we saw a 5.1 % (229,351 homes) drop from the year before.
 
New regulations in 2013
For one, mortgage tax benefits for families have been taken away, and the VAT increase on new homes at the start of 2013 did not help a market that has been in a slump for 5 years already. In addition, Spain’s unemployment rate is a staggering 25%, and as banks try to recover from the mistakes made during the boom, they have increasingly more difficult credit conditions for potential buyers
 
This all demonstrates to us that even though home prices keep falling, the market is still not really recovering due to these other pressing factors. The Ministry stated that overall this drop was the worst since the last quarter of 2010.
 
 

Tree thief

In February, Pepe the gardener suddenly started to put in an appearance and began cutting down some of the smaller olive trees, some of which weren’t producing and some of which were.  I didn’t understand the method of selecting trees for culling, but it made the olives easier for me to get hold of and I wouldn’t be there the following year to worry about the drop in olive production.  I could now collect lots of juicy olives directly from the branches strewn over the ground where the tree had been felled.  One Sunday he turned up with his extended family and they did more of their ‘heavy pruning,’ stopping briefly for a picnic at mid-day.  They massacred the trees, cut the logs into chunks with a chain-saw and then carried off trailer-loads of wood.  They were scrupulous about not leaving one piece of leña behind. 

A few days later, I went to the back of the vast garden, to a part not visible from the house, thinking I would collect the olives from the ancient olive tree at the back; I hadn’t been there for a week or so and it had been windy, so I knew there would be plenty of olives on the ground.  I was astonished to see that this ancient tree (it could have been 500 years old or more) had been completely chopped down and was now a metre-high stump; all of the wood had been taken away.  I was furious.  To think that there would now be no more olives from this beautiful ancient tree.  I had heard it said that sometimes these ancient trees were transplanted to take to some wealthy person’s estate and could fetch prices of over £20,000.  I didn’t know if that was true, but in any case it was a priceless tree.  It would grow over time; maybe in a century’s time, it would be back to its former glory.

The next time we were in town we went in to report this to the letting agent, as we felt the owner had a right to know that their tree had been butchered.  We spoke to the letting agent’s assistant, David. ‘Oh, that’s not a problem,’ was David’s response, ‘we’re aware that Pepe has been doing some pruning.’  ‘You don’t understand,’ I retorted, ‘you couldn’t call this pruning.’  ‘No, it’s not a problem,’ he insisted, ‘but thanks for letting us know.’  It wouldn’t be necessary to tell the owner.  ‘Well, he’ll have a lot of wood now to sell,’ I added sarcastically, ‘but maybe the owners think it’s fair enough as they don’t pay him to cut the trees.’  ‘Who told you that?’ David asked.  ‘Pepe did,’ I replied.   ‘Well, it’s not true.  He does get paid.  In fact, he’s just left rather a hefty bill.’  It was a very lucrative double-whammy.   I felt sorry for the owners who were being conned, with a man selling their wood (we’d even found him some other British customers) and charging them for the privilege of chopping down an ancient tree. 

The conversation ended on quite a stroppy note as we spelt out how Pepe was running this racket and making fools out of the owners and the letting agents refused to see it as issue.  We now had another set of people to ignore in the street.  I wasn’t going to waste my energy on them.  There was a real myopia, according to which one must never criticise the locals and the non-Spanish letting agents went along with this, although they should have known better and they should have reported Pepe’s activities to the owners, who were their clients, after all.  It was a ridiculous, desperate attempt to fit in and be accepted.  Well the Spanish in that town wouldn’t accept the foreigners in a thousand years.  All they would ever do was take off them and the British were too dumb to see it.  ‘Well, it’s their lookout,’ Adrian said to me as we walked out of the office.  The owners would be lucky to have a garden left by the time they came over in March.

A week or so later, I heard voices in the garden.  Two men – I thought they were gypsies – were busy chatting and collecting little sticks.  ‘What are you doing?’ I said and without waiting for a reply, continued, ‘Every time I come into my garden, I see strange men.’  In the last couple of months there had been other young gypsies, a mule, countless dogs, a cow and a goatherd with about 50 goats.  I said, ‘I’ve got two small children and I don’t want strange men in my garden.’  ‘No pasa nada,’ (it’s okay) they replied, ‘your children will be safe with us around.’  ‘Well, I’m not happy about it,’ I said, and then noticed that they were giggling; they seemed to find my accent and Spanish pronunciation amusing. 

‘Oh,’ I said to them in Spanish, ‘how many languages do you speak, then?’  And then I said in English and in German, ‘Come on, how many languages do you speak?  Ich spreche auch Deutsch.’  I knew they wouldn’t understand me; that was the point.  I only just stopped short of demanding them to get out.  What right did they have to be in my garden?  Was it something that their ancestors had done for centuries?  Was it a good thing for the garden?  The goats had annoyed me; I thought they’d just eat the grass, but they’d chewed up all the olives on the ground and then spat them out! So, they were little ruined squashed things.  They’d also emptied their bowels everywhere and it was hard to distinguish between their pellets and the olives.  I started to feel both the people and their animals were taking the piss out of me. Maybe that’s how the Spanish saw us; as a soft touch, people whom they could do things to that they wouldn’t do to other Spaniards.  Not being sure how things worked, I didn’t know if I was being paranoid or blindingly astute.

Judge scraps footie boss fraud probe.

This article was taken from the sun newspaper.

by Alun Palmer

A fraud investigation into football boss Darragh MacAnthony has been dropped due to the lack of jurisdiction. His former property firm MRI was said to have conned homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of pounds in undelivered furniture. But a Spanish judge halted the probe the transactions took place outside Spain. Judge Beatriz Fernandez said in a letter to law firms representing more than 50 British and Irish people: "The court is dismissing the case due to lack of jurisdiction." Luis Gonzales, who represents some alleged victims, said she was "totally stunned" by the move as MacAnthony's former HQ was in Marbella. He added: "The transfers were made to a bank account in the same town." Peterborough United chairman MacAnthony, 36, was not charged with a crime. He previously said: "There are no foundations for these allegations. I operated a company with many happy clients."  

Funny Spanish superstitions.

Feeling a buzz in your ear

GOOD LUCK: When you hear or feel a whistle like buzz in your ear ask someone to give you a number. The letter of the alphabet that corresponds to that number will be the first letter of the name of the person you expect to marry. "The Left ear is for love and right for spite." If you pinch the right ear immediately when you hear the whistle, the person who is criticizing you will bite their tongue!

Somebody casts an “evil eye” (spell - mal de ojo)

BAD LUCK: It is traditionally believed that if we are completely reflected in the pupil of an eye, we could be trapped by it. Therefore, from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages, those who had cataracts or other visual defects were often sacrificed at the stake. In Greece, Turkey and Egypt is widely believed that there are people with evil powers in their eyes, even unconsciously, one with these powers could cause harm just by casting their eyes over something. For protection one needs to carry garlic, gold and silver, blue glass eyes and horseshoes.

Bringing a used broom to a new house

BAD LUCK: You mustn’t take a used broom with you when you move house, as doing so, will bring bad luck and all the misfortune from the previous home.

Placing bread upside down on the table or dropping it on the ground

BAD LUCK: Bread is a staple food. Therefore there have been several superstitions that have arisen related to making it, cutting it, eating it and offering it to others. Placing it upside down is supposed to bring bad luck because it's treated as an insult to the body of Christ, also, when it falls to the ground it is custom to kiss it  and do the sign of the cross three times  to ward off misfortune.

An off-centered picture hanging on the wall or falling from the wall where it was hung.

BAD LUCK: This idea has its origins in ancient Greece, where it was believed that if the portrait of a monarch or a celebrity fell to the ground suffering serious damage it meant that they would soon die.

A falling eyelash

GOOD LUCK: The Devil collects eyelashes and, according to tradition, losing one meant running all kinds of dangers. So if one falls, put it on the back of your hand and throw it over your shoulder or place it on the tip of your nose, blow it upwards and make a wish.

Old superstitions you may recognize.

A black cat walking towards you or which crosses your path 

BAD LUCK: Although in Egypt it was believed that the cats were the reincarnation of the gods, centuries later, the Catholic Church regarded them  as the reincarnation of the devil, so they were burned. Black was identified with the devil being the color of night. In most of Europe and North America it is believed that a black cat brings bad luck if it move away from you, but good luck if it walks towards you. In Spain it pretty much in any direction, but its always bad luck!

 

Breaking a mirror

BAD LUCK:It is said to curse you with seven years bad luck. The mirror was a magical element of divination, so if it broke, it was so that it couldn’t show the frightening future ahead. Seven years is due to the belief that the body renews itself every seven years.

Spilling salt


BAD LUCK: Its origin dates back to 3500 B.C. Then, they believed that salt was incorruptible, which is why it became a symbol of friendship. Hence the belief that if you spill it, the friendship would break. To counteract this effect, one would take a pinch of the spilt salt and throw it over one’s left shoulder.


 

Saying "Jesus" or "bless you" when someone sneezes


GOOD LUCK: It was because sneezing was the beginning of many different diseases and so one asked God to drive away the danger of infection.
 It is also said that it was to keep the devil from entering through the mouth.

Warning! KBS property scam

We were recently contacted by a Miss Lorna Davis who has had  problems with KBS properties Portugal. After contacting us we have decide to take the case on and are wondering if anyone has come across any similar problems with KBS, we are currently gathering a case file against the company and perhaps we can help with any problems you have also come across.


written by Lorna Davis


"I was invited to go to portugal in May of 2011 by a company called KBS to view properties for rental in the argarve with cheap flights and hotel accommodation. After repeated calls from KBs, I finally relented and accepted their offer, visiting Portugal with my 16 year old daughter. After being shown several very nice properties, we opted for one after much persuasion by sales representative from KBS. After using every ploy at his disposal to get us to say "Yes", it was also impossive to say "No". We liked the properties and loved Portugal so we were placed in a very vulnerable position. The property cost 120.000 euros. I was asked to pay down a minimum of 25, 000 euros towards cost and that KBS would approach several banks in Portugal on my behalf to obtain the remainder of the price for property. I was told this process was very straight forward and providing I was willing to forward them my 25, 000 euros to be placed in a solicitors account to as a positive incensive to bank, then they did not forsee any problem. I was introduced to a solicitor by KBS which should have set off alarm bells for me but as I was in a new country and didnt know any different, I went along with this. I was asked to pay a further 5, 000 as immediate down payments to secure property and for solicitors cost. I was also alsked to sign over power of authorny to solicitors to act on my behalf which I did. On returning to the UK, I was pursued relentless by KBS who wanted me to forward them 25, 000 immediately so they could begin the process of applying for mortgage. I argued with a particular gentleman by the name of Kevin at KBS for his pushiness but agreed to send the money anyway. I was told this money would be held in a solicitors account until the mortgage was approved. On discussing the matter further with a friend of mines who was a financial advisor, he advised me to have solicitors include a clause in contract before signing that if the mortgage was not approved or agreed (which i did not have any doubt about at the time) that the full 30, 000 would be returned to me within 7 days. My solicitor agreed to incude this clause in contact before signing. I did not receive any further contact from KBS after this. On contacting the gentleman who I was introduced to by the name of Mr. Whitelock, he denied knowing all the ins and outs of the case but informed me that he had applied to the bank for a mortgage on my behalf and this had not been granted. He suggested referring the matter back to my solicitors. On requesting the full amount of my money from solicitor, she informed me that the money full amount of my money had been passed to the vendor of the property and that vendor was now refusing to return my money on the id basis that KBS had not paid him his commission. All three parties started to pass the buck, blaming the other for having the responsibility for my money. Todate the matter has still not resolved and I have not had my 30, 000 returned to me."


if you have experienced any problems with KBS please contact us. We are here to help.

Our Sense of Humor

This page has been created simply to show you that as a company we are a little bit different.

You only have to ask our existing clients to find that out!

We're straight talking, Campari or Jack Daniels drinking, normal people.

We are just like you with no rubbish, no false pretenses and what you see is what you get.

And we think that's why people like dealing with us and come to us time and time again for advice and guidance.

Having said that, never doubt our professionalism.

We get the job done.

Thanks for dropping by, we hope you enjoy it.

And please remember, nothing has been put on here to offend, only entertain!

TWITTERING ON...

CPC of course have a twitter account as you can see from our main page, and apparently twitter is due to hit a record 500million created accounts very soon (if it hasn't already...).

The only thing is that there are so many useless things on twitter. I love it and find it funny and informative, the boss however finds it pretty pointless. It's an ongoing discussion... (I think it's because she would struggle to say anything in under 140 characters in real life and I'm sure she would agree!)

Obviously we follow a lot of different types of people all over the world. Some clients, some friends or family and then of course some celebs (I think Lady Gaga and Stephen Fry are almost obligatory...)

None of that really annoys us about twitter, it's the repeated sales rubbish on there. Everyday there's a new person (or rather long list of people/robots) that have to be blocked, deleted and reported for spam...

Social media in itself is a wonderful creation enabling people all over the world to communicate quickly and easily. But for every genuine user there must be another 10 wanting to message you with "4 ways to make a ridiculously awesome PowerPoint presentation" - which I can already thank you very much or "GET MORE FOLLOWERS MY BEST FRIENDS? I WILL FOLLOW YOU BACK IF YOU FOLLOW ME" Bad English and that's pretty much all they ever post so why bother??

The trends are both fantastic and yet disturbing, #daywhateverof366 got boring by about day 5 but it still continued (but is thankfully dying out!) and who really cares about #robotpickuplines...

Twitter in it's purest forms i.e. the one without spam, "Beliebers" and One Direction Obsessives is brilliant. It challenges people to be short but sweet as well as informative and a lot of the time quite funny.

For instance a non-celeb but a mild twitter-celeb is the likes of @Grattonboy who mentions current affairs and offers some great advice and really nice quips too. For example, "Are we absolutely sure that Greece hasn't just hidden their money in a giant wooden horse?"

Genius.

Not forgetting that it is a brilliant resource for up to the second news links unless it's about someone dying which they notoriously get wrong. This year alone Twitter users have ‘killed' Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac (who is already dead), Cher, Will Smith, Britney Spears and several others. There must've been quite a lot of confusion when the sad news about Whitney Houston first came to light...

Anyway It can be brilliant when used as its supposed to be.

So for those who wonder about twitter and its existence, know that it's no more than simple thoughts being thrown into the atmosphere and perhaps to find some camaraderie in an ever changing world.

Simply put in far less than 140 characters:

"I like it and I think you would too "just saying"

DUBAI OFF PLAN DISASTER...

We have recently started to build a case for clients against various developers in Dubai.

We are seeking a return of their deposit in the same way we have been successful in Europe, Morocco and as far afield as Brazil.

We pride ourselves on working quickly to eliminate any further issues for clients and as we like to offer our no win no fee deal wherever we can it's in everyone's best interests.

As a company we're pretty excited that we can provide a completely worldwide service in helping people getting their money back.

There's nothing worse than the sinking feeling in your stomach when you know something's gone wrong. You can see that on the face of most clients we meet. But at least one thing that comes out of it is a feeling of elation that they are not alone and that something can actually be done.

So anyways back to work! We're off into the beyond working on targeting the people who targeted you and please remember to get in touch even if you're not sure that you have a case. It's always best to find out.

Thanks for reading!

CPC AND YOU...

We have a very quick way of working and as such put many other legal firms to shame.

However, some people have taken advantage of our good nature and open attitude by consulting our highly trained team and then running off to their existing Lawyer with our knowledge of the route they should have taken.

- Firstly, this will get them nowhere. If they think their Lawyer is going to suddenly jump into action after stringing them along this far, they are wrong.

- Secondly, they risk ruining a case for our existing clients who genuinely deserve their money back.

- And thirdly of course, it shows they are morally bankrupt. The theft of our information makes them no better than the people who targeted them in the first place.

CPC like to think of themselves as working with the people, for the people. We are your link to a successful route to obtain your money back and 9 times out of 10 are able to do that on a no win no fee basis.

We talk straight, answer when asked and never leave anyone behind whenever possible.

CPC never lead any client on, we never give false hope and never will. Quite honestly it would be a waste of our time as we aim to get paid when you do.

If you’re sick of being passed around by your current legal team and want to speak to someone genuine who will be able to help, then look no further.

CPC Worldwide Ltd uphold a respect for potential clients on the basis that they respect what we have achieved and are still achieving every single day.

www.facebook.com/cpcholding

www.twitter.com/cpcholding

cpcholding.tumblr.com

Great article and Fantastic result for all concerned!

Well done to CPC Holdings and Aguera y Arrebola.

Aroca Seiquer - surely not the Lawyers still trading in Torrevieja??  Is this the same firm who claim on their website:

"Every client using AROCA SEIQUER & ASOCIADOS' services is 
certain that theirs is our cause and that we will be unstinting in 
our efforts to ensure a satisfactory result.
One of the most relevant activities in this firm is the 
comprehensive expert advice we offer on Foreign Investments in 
Spain, and particularly in the Costa Blanca.
But it is undoubtedly our wide offer of legal services that 
allows us to attend with all guarantees to any legal contingency 
that our clients may be faced with".
Unstinting efforts for a satisfactory result, expert advice on Foreign Investments on the Costa Blanca, all guarantees to any legal contingency - REALLY????

If this is the same firm then what do they have to say about the mess they left their Tecnologia clients in?  Surely somebody must report them to the Bar Association.

Kind regards

Keith

more news!

Auction stopped in the nick of time

 

Bosque dDel Lomas III

IT STARTED in March with an article in RTN and after weeks of legal wrangling, the residents of Bosque del Lomas III in Orihuela Costa found out last week that the auction which was due to take place yesterday (Thursday) has been cancelled. 
RTN’s article featured Iwan and Gill Williams who had bought their dream home in the sun and paid for it in full only to have it re-mortgaged by rogue building firm Tecnologia Urbanistica S.L. Their house, along with 15 others on the community, all paid for in full, were due to be auctioned by CAM bank, whom the builder had remortgaged the properties with. 

VICTIMS
As soon as RTN’s article was published, more homeowners came forward to say that they were in the same situation. CPC Holdings, who had read RTN’s article contacted them all and instructed their Spanish solicitors, Agüera y Arrebola, to fight for the group, which by that stage amounted to more than 20 Tecnologia ‘victims’. 
The pattern of each purchase was almost identical; all had used Atlas International as agents and Aroca Seiquer as solicitors on the recommendation of Atlas. 
It was only when the deeds of the house failed to materialise that the homeowners realised that there may be a problem with their ‘dream house in the sun’. 

VICTORY
The cancellation of the auction is a very positive step and one that has come as a direct result of all the hard work by the legal team representing the homeowners. Nikki Crozier from CPC Holdings told RTN: “I cannot express in words how delighted we are at the recent victory in the courts for our clients. It is a testament to their combined fighting spirit that they trusted us to win this case for them. No-one can imagine the horror of finding out that the property you purchased was in the process of been sold and you were to be thrown on the streets.” She added: “In less than three months our Spanish Barristers, Tomas Agüera and Jose Manuel Arrebola, have succeeded in suspending the auction indefinitely.”

FIGHT
But that is only one bank which has been stopped from repossessing and selling on these people’s houses. There are three other banks which have vested interests in Tecnologia houses all over the southern Costa Blanca. So, the fight is by no means over and soon criminal charges will be brought against the rogue builder in an attempt to not get the money back, because that is long gone, but to get some justice for the years of stress and upset that his selfish, greedy, and frankly fraudulent actions have caused these poor people. Nikki concluded: “Our clients can now live in peace whilst we file claims with the liquidator, criminal claims, obtain escrituras and regularise the development itself.” 

Couple fight eviction from their home

Stewart and Lynda Forrester

A COUPLE from El Galan is having to take turns in going out after solicitors told them that bailiffs could come any day to evict them. Stewart and Lynda Forrester bought a Tecnologia Urbanistica house through Atlas International in 2003. In 2004 the house, which was part of a row of six, suffered severe damage due to the subsidence of an end terrace that had not been underpinned properly. Structural engineers advised the couple to leave the house immediately after six inch cracks started to appear throughout the house. In the meantime, Tecnologia’s owner, Emilio Martin de las Mulas Naranjo, offered Stewart and Lynda another house down the road in Bosque del Lomas 16, where they are still living for most of the year. The couple paid in full - more than 149,000€ - for the property to Atlas International.

FIGHTING
The couple never received any confirmation that the money had been paid to the builder and like with so many other cases that RTN has heard about, the owner of Tecnologia then took a mortgage out on the property. The couple has been fighting for their deeds since 2005 and have been constantly pushed from pillar to post. Their solicitors at the time, Aroca Seiquer, even phoned them at their home in South Wales to say that the deeds were in the office and then when the couple flew over to retrieve them, the solicitors said that the deeds weren’t there after all! The couple has known for some time that there was a debt on their property and even got a court judgement which states that all debts on the property must be cleared. 

NO LIFE
Unbeknown to the couple, the bank has since repossessed the property and the auction took place six months ago. This was only discovered after the pair swapped solicitors to the same company that is helping other Tecnologia homeowners. As a result, the bailiffs could come any day and change the locks and the couple will be evicted from their home. Stewart told RTN: “If we need food from the supermarket, we take it in turns to go. We can’t afford to both leave the house. If one of us has to go out, the other stays at home, but what kind of life is that? We are supposed to be enjoying our retirement together.” 
Jose Ramon Vidal from the Atlas Group said: “Atlas forwarded payments received to the builder as per the contract they had with Tecnología, and is in receipt of a certificate stating that the funds were received by the builder and keys were passed to the clients by Tecnología.” RTN asked for a copy of this certificate but was told that it would be sent direct to the couple. Keep reading RTN for more on this story as it develops. 

 

14 JUNE 2012 WRITTEN BY  LOUISE CLARKE

MORE RESIDENTS JOIN THE FIGHT TO SAVE THEIR HOMES

 

Lesley and Nigel have joined the fight for their homes

MANY REGULAR readers of RTN will be aware of the recent articles about the repossession of Tecnologia Urbanistica S.L. (TU) houses in Orihuela Costa.
As the auction date for their houses draws ever closer for the homeowners of Bosque del Lomas III, RTN has been keeping updated with all the developments on this story and recently visited London to discuss the case with several leading lawyers and barristers who specialise in these types of cases.
But this problem is not just isolated to the three or four urbanisations in Orihuela Costa. It is believed that hundreds of people who bought and paid for houses in full with this developer are affected and they just don’t know it; or they are burying their heads in the sand and hoping that the problem will go away all by itself. It won’t!

FOBBED OFF
Nigel and Debbie Potter and Lesley and Richard Lansdown are just two of a dozen couples who bought TU houses in Lo Crispin, Algorfa. The problems they have are almost identical to Bosque del Lomas; the only difference is the banks that were used for the mortgages.
Both couples bought off plan through Atlas International in 2004 and used Aroca Seiquer Solicitors and both paid in full for their properties only to discover eight years later that a mortgage had been taken out on the houses by TU and they will now, if they don’t fight, lose them.
Their community, Vista Rosa, has 99 houses; many of which remain unsold and are now decaying. Both told RTN how they were fobbed off by the solicitors every time they went to ask for their title deeds when they came over on holiday. “It drove my wife mad,” Nigel commented, “We’d spend all our holidays traipsing to their office and back and always got pushed from pillar to post.”

CASH
Thanks to RTN’s article about the plight of the Bosque del Lomas residents, the two couples realised that they were in the same situation and have since joined the Bosque residents to fight for their homes. “Our children’s inheritance is at stake,” commented Lesley, “We have been totally fleeced and made to feel like it was our fault that we paid up front in full.”
Both couples paid their cash at the builders’ office in Torrevieja, whilst being accompanied by an Atlas representative. “There were loads of us,” said Nigel, “It was like a cattle market and we watched our hard earned cash go through a counting machine in front of us. I wish to God we had not bought the house, but we did and we will continue to fight for it.”

*** STOP PRESS ***
At 3pm yesterday afternoon (Thursday) CAM Bank announced that the auction of the houses on Bosque del Lomas III has been postponed indefinitely.
More on this in next week’s RTN. 

 

Hot off the Press

COUPLE FIGHT EVICTION FROM THEIR HOME - STEWART AND LYNDA FORRESTER

A COUPLE from El Galan is having to take turns in going out after solicitors told them that bailiffs could come any day to evict them. Stewart and Lynda Forrester bought a Tecnologia Urbanistica house through Atlas International in 2003. In 2004 the house, which was part of a row of six, suffered severe damage due to the subsidence of an end terrace that had not been underpinned properly. Structural engineers advised the couple to leave the house immediately after six inch cracks started to appear throughout the house. In the meantime, Tecnologia’s owner, Emilio Martin de las Mulas Naranjo, offered Stewart and Lynda another house down the road in Bosque de las Lomas 16, where they are still living for most of the year. The couple paid in full - more than 149,000€ - for the property to Atlas International.

FIGHTING

The couple never received any confirmation that the money had been paid to the builder and like with so many other cases that RTN has heard about, the owner of Tecnologia then took a mortgage out on the property. The couple have been fighting for their deeds since 2005 and have been constantly pushed from pillar to post. Their solicitors at the time, Aroca Seiquer, even phoned them at their home in South Wales to say that the deeds were in the office and when the couple flew over to retrieve them, the solicitors said that the deeds weren’t there after all! The couple has known for some time that there was a debt on their property and even got a court judgement which states that all debts on the property must be cleared.

NO LIFE

Unbeknown to the couple, the bank has since repossessed the property and the auction took place six months ago. This was only discovered after the pair changed solicitors to the same company that is helping other Tecnologia homeowners. As a result, the bailiffs could come any day and change the locks and the couple will be evicted from their home. Stewart told RTN: “If we need food from the supermarket, we take it in turns to go. We can’t afford to both leave the house. If one of us has to go out, the other stays at home, but what kind of life is that? We are supposed to be enjoying our retirement together.”

Jose Ramon Vidal from the Atlas Group said: “Atlas forwarded payments received to the builder as per the contract they had with Tecnología and is in receipt of a certificate stating that the funds were received by the builder and keys were passed to the clients by Tecnología.” RTN asked for a copy of this certificate but was told that it would be sent direct to the couple. Keep reading RTN for more on this story as it develops.

AUCTION STOPPED IN THE NICK OF TIME

21 JUNE 2012 WRITTEN BY LOUISE CLARKE ( ROUNDTOWN NEWS ).

Bosque de las Lomas III

IT STARTED in March with an article in RTN and after weeks of legal wrangling, the residents of Bosque de las Lomas III in Orihuela Costa found out last week that the auction which was due to take place yesterday (Thursday) has been cancelled. 
RTN’s article featured Iwan and Gill Williams who had bought their dream home in the sun and paid for it in full only to have it re-mortgaged by rogue building firm Tecnologia Urbanistica S.L. Their house, along with 15 others in the community, all paid for in full, were due to be auctioned by CAM bank, whom the builder had remortgaged the properties with. 



VICTIMS

As soon as RTN’s article was published, more homeowners came forward to say that they were in the same situation. CPC Holdings, who had read RTN’s article contacted them all and instructed their Spanish solicitors, Agüera y Arrebola, to fight for the group, which by that stage amounted to more than 20 Tecnologia ‘victims’. 
The pattern of each purchase was almost identical; all had used Atlas International as agents and Aroca Seiquer as solicitors on the recommendation of Atlas. 
It was only when the deeds of the house failed to materialize that the homeowners realized that there may be a problem with their ‘dream house in the sun’.



VICTORY


The cancellation of the auction is a very positive step and one that has come as a direct result of all the hard work by the legal team representing the homeowners. Nikki Crozier from CPC Holdings told RTN: “I cannot express in words how delighted we are at the recent victory in the courts for our clients. It is a testament to their combined fighting spirit that they trusted us to win this case for them. No-one can imagine the horror of finding out that the property you purchased was in the process of been sold and you were to be thrown on the streets.” She added: “In less than three months our Spanish Barristers, Tomas Agüera and Jose Manuel Arrebola, have succeeded in suspending the auction indefinitely.”



FIGHT


But that is only one bank which has been stopped from repossessing and selling on these people’s houses. There are three other banks which have vested interests in Tecnologia houses all over the southern Costa Blanca. So, the fight is by no means over and soon criminal charges will be brought against the rogue builder in an attempt to not get the money back, because that is long gone, but to get some justice for the years of stress and upset that his selfish, greedy, and frankly fraudulent actions have caused these poor people. Nikki concluded: “Our clients can now live in peace whilst we file claims with the liquidator, criminal claims, obtain "escrituras and regularize the development itself.” 


In the nick of time. Well done to our legal team.

TESTIMONIALS

Many thanks for all of your hard work sorting this out for us, it is much appreciated.

Regards

Bernie

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. We came to you in the hope of selling our house even though it was illegal as we didn't know what else to do. Now you've shown us that all is not lost and are helping organize the mortgage that we couldn't afford and in our twilight years it makes all the difference. I honestly don' t know what we would have done without your help and advice and even though we never want to set foot in Spain again, we are so glad that the house is no longer going to be demolished and all this nightmare is now getting sorted. It's done wonders for our health at this stage in life and we may now be able to leave a little something for our children rather than leaving a pile of rubble. Look forward to popping in for a cuppa again soon

Billy and Iris

                                                               

Brilliant news,

Tell Liz that champagne will be on ice

Thanks to everyone for their hard work.

Kind regards

Sharon and Terry Williamson

Hi Nikki,

Well done to you and Tomas.

We are all delighted.

Best Regards

Dear Nikki and Tomas Jose,

Thank you for all your hard work.

This is Fantastic News!!

John and Helen

Thank you for all your efforts on our behalf.

Peter and Sue

                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

This is Fantastic News!!!

Congratulations and appreciation to the Team.

Roger

Pete, Mark and I are very pleased that you are handing

this claim for us. I hope that you had a safe journey home

All the best and once again, thank you for taking this claim for us.

Guy

Can't believe the level of effort you have put on helping us.

Kevin H.

I am so delighted with your service.

B. Strongheim