March 2012

Hello everybody. You may have read in various newspapers recently about the formation of the “Federation Andalucian of those affected by the LOUA”. The federation represents 40,000 homeowners from Cadiz, Cordoba, Malaga and the Axarquia. SOHA.ES are founder members and we hope that this will allow us to have a louder voice when communicating with the Junta.

This is vitally important as the Junta has not listened to us closely enough in the recent past. So much so that last month we sent the following letter to the Director of planning, Rosa Urioste.

Dear Ms Urioste,

We have now had time to read and understand the Decreto 2/2012 on the subject of dealing with urban problems in Andalucia.

Following many conversations on the above subject with you and your colleagues we are writing to you today to express our disappointment at the final document.

We have described to you, and your colleagues, over the last 4 years our situation in the Axarquia. A huge number of ex patriots from all over northern Europe have bought houses in good faith only to find that they have become the victims of unscrupulous, dishonest or incompetent mayors, lawyers, architects, developers and officials. And all the time the Junta did nothing.

The decree has done nothing, absolutely nothing, for our members to help them resolve their problems, Worse, they have had their hopes built up over recent months only to have them dashed at the last moment.

Specifically, the decree:

 fails to give legal protection to those who own houses with all the proper papers in place.
 fails to offer a route to legal status to those who had their licences unfairly impugned by the Junta.
 fails to offer any hope to those who need to sell their homes for health or economic reasons.

The only people the decree will help are those that have built a house without permission and are being denied water and electricity. These are not our members.

An opportunity has been wasted to begin to restore the reputation of Spain, right a clear injustice, attract new migrants to Spain and, most importantly, to begin to repair the economy of Andalucia which is in tatters.

For our part we will always be available to talk and to consult but, moreover, we will continue to fight for the rights of our members.

Yours faithfully………

We doubt that this will open the ears of the Junta sufficiently wide but it states our position clearly. We hope that come the spring we will have a new Director to talk to.