500 families have handed over money to Aifos to purchase properties in Rincón De La Victoria on land that, for years now, has not had the appropriate building licence. Another 500 families currently live in houses that do not hold first occupation licences. Moreover, the court in Malaga (number 1) has begun proceedings on an alleged fraud after seven people denounced the developer who, on the other hand, has returned money to many investors after delayed commencement of construction on various residential complexes.
Aifos admits that 500 families currently occupy the first phase of Lomas Del Golf, Jardines De La Cala and La Cala ll without possessing the mandatory first occupation licence. The developer maintains that the Town Hall is postponing the granting of planning permission on purpose.
In the case of Lomas Del Golf, Aifos points out that Town Hall officials verbally told to patch on the access road of the complex. According to Aifos sources, once works had been carried out, the Town Hall alleged that the conditions had not been complied with and that they had to re-asphalt the whole road. Therefore Aifos demanded that it be put in writing and they are still waiting on this. The Town Hall’s excuse is that the officials have too much work to do. However, Rincón Town Hall maintains that the residents of Lomas Del Golf are waiting four years for their first occupation licence, which also confirms that this situation is derived from an internal conflict within the property development company.
According to the Town Planning Councillor, Francisco Salado, the documentation has been submitted by Aifos and the appropriate licence will be granted. Aifos has confirmed that the developments La Cala ll and Jardines De La Cala Phase l and ll are missing occupation licences due to delays by the Town Hall. In La Cala Del Moral, the Town Planning Councillor has noticed some abnormal activities such as the removal of one of the mandatory elevators in a block.
The Councillor has stated that the developer has been given a period of time to resolve the problems and to supply the necessary documentation to request the first occupation licence. If they do not comply, they will be denounced. Moreover, the Town Hall is prepared to cash the guarantees presented by the developer and to assume work on the external infrastructures of these developments that are still pending. Meanwhile, residents continue to occupy their homes with their water and electricity hooked up to the supply for construction, which causes continuous power and water cuts as well as occasional fires in the electricity meters due to over usage.
Lomas Del Golf Phase ll and Jardines Del Rincón
There are at least another 500 apartments in Las Lomas Del Golf Phase ll and Jardines Del Rincón that are practically sold, in which case not only has building yet to begin, but there are also many difficulties arising in the initiation of construction. In both cases, the developer has not obtained planning permission due to the fact that town planning agreements signed by the Town Hall are pending, according to Aifos sources.
The developer tries to justify the promotion of property without the relevant planning permission by alleging that they are merely reservations, not sales. As for the properties that lack the first occupation licence, Aifos blames this on the impatience of the purchasers to obtain their property and on the necessity of banks to start receiving repayments for their mortgages.
All these occurrences and situations help to create town planning chaos in which the Town Hall and the developer are the responsible parties while the buyers lose out the most, having put their money and dreams into the purchases of these homes.
