Once your new home has been completed you need to start thinking about the interior design. With kit homes you might also have to complete the interior, as some homes are built only to lock up stage. Kit homes in Victoria and other states are often built to lock up stage and then owners must put up plaster, do the interior painting, install the kitchens and bathrooms and then think about the interior design.

Lighting

Choose lighting to suit each individual room and the overall style of your home. If you have a large enough entrance way choose a light that hangs a bit lower so that it is more of a feature . A chandelier looks great in a more period style of home or choose a quirky light shade that will be a real conversation piece in a modern home. Lamps are a great way to add extra light to your rooms without having to call in an electrician to install extra wiring. Lamps can be moved as you please and you can buy shades to match your décor.

Windows

You can either choose curtains, roller blinds, timber Venetians, shutters or not have anything on your windows. Having curtains with solid backing will not only block out the light but also help keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Depending on your choice of window dressings you can save a considerable amount on your power bills as you don’t need to rely on your heating and cooling systems as much. If you choose not to have curtains at all you might want to think about double glazing, which will block out a substantial amount of heat.

Kitchen

When designing your kitchen think about making it practical and functional as well as choosing a design you like. Plenty of bench space is useful, particularly if you entertain a lot, and a large fridge with a good sized freezer is handy too. Having somewhere for people to sit around the bench will make it more of a communal area and a place for everyone to congregate in the evenings and discuss their day. It will also mean that the cook is not left out of the conversation. Have plenty of storage too, with special deep drawers for pots and pans, and look at using the space above your benches for extra cupboards for storing plates, cups and glasses.

Bathroom

When designing the interior of your bathroom think functionality first before looks. Make sure you choose a floor surface that is not slippery when wet, such as marble, and have enough space to store towels and other bathroom items. A large shower is a good idea with a good quality shower screen door that is not going to break or the handles aren’t going to come loose. Choose a water saving shower head and a toilet that uses less water per flush.

Storage

One thing you will really appreciate in a home is plenty of storage space. Clever storage is handy in wardrobes as you can fit more in and it looks a lot neater.

Spain has enticed the British for years with the promise of a more relaxed way of life in the sun. With over 50 million tourists visiting Spain every year the countries short term and holiday rental market is defying the property market downturn and continuing to grow.

The ownership side of the property market has cooled down since the worldwide recession after an impressive 10 year boom. However, it`s a different story with holiday and short term rental showing a healthy and strong market.

The decline of the housing market due to the economic downturn in Spain has affected the long term rental market, especially choice and availability. The Spanish government have however, taken steps to encourage the rental market and bring it up to speed with other European countries. Problems such as long eviction processes lasting years and lengthy legal processes meant a more favourable option saw properties left empty rather than rented out. Thousands of square metres of apartment space have sat empty in previous years waiting for market conditions to improve or due to complex legal issues. Measures have now been put in place to speed up these processes and will see a steady rise in the number of rental properties available and increase rental popularity.

Choice and availability on the long term rental market in Spain has culturally been low due to the Spanish preferring to own their own home rather than rent and in the past this has contributed to a weak rental market. With mortgages harder to find and first time buyers finding it hard to pay inflated house prices the rental market has seen a surge in demand.

Availability in some popular Spanish resorts has pushed up the price of renting. One example is Puerto Banus where demand outstrips supply. Small apartments can cost from 900 euro upwards per month due to the lack of property for sale and the desirable location. Just along the coastline, a two bedroom apartment in Nerja on the Costa del Sol can cost from 600 euro per calendar month. Renting has become a popular option in what was once a property buying market.

More and more of us are looking to escape the great British weather, especially through the winter months or to ensure sun even through our unpredictable summer months. When considering getting away from it all Eurocamp Park Playa Bara Holiday Park offers a great place to escape to, relax and simply enjoy.

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The mayor of Carratraca, a tiny municipality in the province of Malaga, resigned yesterday after he refused to process some 100 court orders against buildings deemed to be irregular in the town. Many of the court orders could result in serious fines or the demolition of the buildings in question.

Óscar Roman, of the Izquierda Unida party, has been mayor of Carratraca for 10 years and his decision has left the town without a mayor for the moment.

Original Source – The Reader

It’s a funny place, Spain with so many levels of authority and so many public servants (‘funcionarios’ as they are amusingly called).

It is little surprise that we are all scared of doing the wrong thing, panicked by the ever-changing handbook, while every month more of us are said to be living in illegal houses.

Almeria is currently seeing unemployment of 30 per cent and the province is full of moribund pueblos, with little agriculture, industry or tourism, where the old are dying off and the young are leaving.

So what better than an influx of apparently wealthy foreign retirees who not only buy a house (and a car and a washing machine, etc) but continue to bring in money from abroad 12 months of the year, keeping local businesses afloat and creating jobs.

So what is the Junta doing by declaring that tens of thousands of their homes could now be demolished?

Len and Helen Prior, whose house was famously knocked down in Almeria two years ago, actually had their case in the Constitutional Court in Madrid when the bulldozers went in.

Eighteen months later, the court ruled in their favour. Now the Junta is appealing.

After that, the Priors are free to sue either the Junta or the town hall of Vera. Or both. Either way, this will take the rest of their lives.

The problems regarding compensation are a nightmare. Many building companies and promoters have limited liability of just 3,000 euros and the ‘president’ is impossible to track down.

It is criminal that these pensioners should suffer in this way.

The problems regarding compensation are a nightmare. Many building companies and promoters have limited liability of just 3,000 euros and the ‘president’ is impossible to track down.

It is clear that some houses need to be demolished. They have been built in flood areas, dry river beds or other unsustainable places.

But given that the town halls mostly gave them permission, the homeowners must be compensated fully.

This modern European country, the chosen home for millions of foreigners needs an agency to protect, advise, inform and defend these poor homeowners – precisely because it is in everyone’s interest to do so.

Meanwhile, the Priors, two years on, are living in a garage. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Original Source – Olive Press

A Costa del Sol property company has won a dubious accolade in the Daily Mirror’s run-down of the heroes and villains of 2009.

Darragh MacAnthony’s company MRI was recognised for its ‘heavy-handed response’ after accusations that it ripped off customers.

The Mirror claimed clients paid MRI thousands for furniture that never arrived.

However, the company responded with a bristling statement. “I have forwarded your latest query to our lawyers Carter-Ruck,” it read. “I believe they are already dealing with matters relating to your previous queries and publication.”

Meanwhile MRI Overseas Property Limited has recently gone into voluntary liquidation. But it was a UK subsiduary “that we never used”, insisted MRI.

Also in liquidation is MRI TV ltd, owing 300,000 euros, as well as MRI Media, owing around 560,000 euros.

Original Source – The Olive Press

Luis Caparrós, Provincial Delegate for the Andalucian Ministry of Housing and Zoning has said that there is a “precedent” for stopping the demolitions in Albox, and says it is up to townhalls involved how to deal with illegal homes in their municipalities, “according to the law”. The Courts must decide if homes can be legalised when the townhall and the Junta cannot agree.

The Junta does not knock down houses

In an interview with Europa Press, Sr Caparrós said that the Junta de Andalucia “cannot deal with specifics” but can only respond to the problem by enacting laws and ensuring overall compliance.

“Judicial sentences may be popular or unpopular but they must always be executed and complied with” he said today. “We do not judge, we ask to courts to do so, and the Courts decide according to the written Law.”

“In a State of Law such as Spain, the Junta can do little, either actively or passively, other than ask a Court to judge such cases” he continued. “The Junta does not demolish homes unless asked to help execute a judicial sentence if a townhall or house owner refuses to comply with the law”.

When asked about the Albox demolitions, Caparrós said that “AUAN and AULAN must go back to the courts to ask for the decision to be changed. The Judge has dictated sentence in accordance to the law. If they can present new evidence the Judge will, as in the recent Vera case, review the case”.

When asked about ongoing inventories to catalog illegal homes, Sr Caparrós said townhalls “are on the whole working very well with my department to identify illegal homes”.

He mentioned towns such as Lubrín and Sorbas, who have managed to legalise 90 per cent of all illegal homes with new plans, whereas plans in Albox “are very advanced”.

“Other areas that are not covered in the new townplans are being dealt with on a case by case basis” he said.

“Cantoria is in the same condition as Albox” continued Caparrós, “Oria, Partaloa, Albanchez and Zurgena, to name a few, have their plans in the preapproval stage and have regular meetings with the Junta to discuss progress. Plans are being drawn up and technicians are soon to begin analyzing and dividing up areas to decide how best to legalise homes without resorting to base generalizations”.

Original Source – The Reader

Around 200 members of the public and representatives from urban abuse associations from across Spain turned up Saturday night to hold a candlelight vigil at the remains of the Priors home in Vera.

Helen & Len Prior’s home was demolished two years on orders of the Junta de Andalucia after their building licence was revoked. Helen & Len now live in the garage, which was not demolished.

After the demolition, the Constitution Court overturned the original decision to demolish the house. The Junta de Andalucia has since renewed legal efforts to reinstate the original demolition order.

A large number of Spanish media outlets turned up for the event, including Canal Sur TV.

Many of the supporters bought candles which were ceremonially lit around the main bonfire.

Mrs Prior gave a short speech in which she thanked everybody for their support and promised to continue efforts against the Junta. She apologised for the absence of Mr Prior, whose ill health meant doctors recommended against long exposure to the cold. Mr Priors health has been deteriorating rapidly since the demolition.

She was followed by Maura Hillen, president of local urban abuse group AUAN, who reminded everybody of Monday’s march in Almería and asked for their continual support.
The night continued as participants sang songs late into the night.

The night was one of the coldest of the year, with temperatures dropping to just above freezing. However, the cold did not dampen the hopes for eventual justice for the Priors.

Original Source – The Reader

The Reader has a really interesting interview with Nigel Farage, MEP and ex-leader of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) where he claims that British people have been dupped into thinking buying properties in Spain was safe, and that Britain is effectively powerless to defend the rights of it’s subjects under EU policy.

The Interview In Full

Nigel Farage, MEP and ex-leader of the UK’s anti-European Union party “UKIP” (United Kingdom Independence Party), has told The Reader that in UKIP’s opinion “British citizens were tricked into buying property in Spain by EU propaganda [..] making them think they were as safe in Spain as they were in the UK, when, in fact, this is far from true”.

Mr Farange’s office have said that “UKIP is attempting to precipitate some action, in the EU’s consultative assembly, which might assist property-owners, in Spain, who are suffering this kind of treatment from the authorities there” in conjunction with other political groups.

Britain cannot defend British rights in Spain

Speaking via his office, Mr Farage said that the British government is unable to defend the rights of British subjects in Spain because

both Britain and Spain being part of the EU, their international relations are absorbed into an EU-policy, controlled by the Council, Commission and Court of the EU, which, in turn, find themselves unwilling, or unable, to offend Spain, by taking any punitive action themselves.

This, in UKIP’s view, is why the British government refuses to intervene on behalf of British pensioners who are loosing their homes in Spain.

Brits “tricked” into buying in Spain by EU propaganda

In our view, these owners have been effectively tricked into investing in Spain, by propaganda – from the EU and its client-governments – which has led such investors to believe that they would be as safe in Spain as in Britain, when, in fact, this is far from true.

Secondly, successive British governments, having fostered the myth of “freedom and justice” throughout the EU, have also incapacitated themselves with regard to redressing the lack of freedom and justice, which they have, at the same time, allowed to come into existence.” said Mr Farage.

When asked about the possibility of Spain obeying the Auken report or paying attention to EU demands that they respect British homeowners in Spain, he replied that:

“The EU’s “parliament” is little more than camouflage for the autocracy of the EU’s legislative processes, and is unlikely, under almost any circumstances, to rouse itself ever to use such theoretical powers, as the ability to hold up the entire EU-budget or to sack the entire Commission. Nevertheless, it can make noises, which might shame the authorities of the EU and Spain into drawing back from the worst excesses of their policies.

Mr Farage’s office has confirmed that they are working with other EU groups to attempt to “make noise” about the issue and “attempt to shame Spain into doing what it must”.

Mr Farage, until recently leader of UKIP currently remains a UKIP MEP and is co-chair of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy grouping.

AUAN (Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora NO) who are organising the march on Monday against the demolition of homes in Albox have confirmed that the march will go ahead, and that the response has been so good they have laid on extra buses.

The AUAN Website has details of where you can catch a bus, and of the revised route which has been reduced to 1km at the request of the police.

In addition to a large public voice, AUAN are expecting a large media turn out to help raise awareness of the issue.

The public prosecutor has charged a man in Las Pitas, Cordoba, with illegally building a 150 square meter house on land he owned. If found guilty, he could be jailed for one year, fined 3,300 euros and expected to meet the costs of demolishing his house. The land is on archaeological protected land near the “Medina Azahara” monument.

According to the prosecutor, the man, identified as 37 year old J.C.D.F., built his chalet on family land with no permits, despite knowing the land was classified as protected (B.I.C.) by the Junta de Andalucia, as well as being rustic.

The oral hearing will be held next week in Penal Court Nº1 of Cordoba city. This is the same court that issued Cordoba’s first demolition order, an order dating from 2007 in the village of Obejo. The order has been appealed against by the house owners and is currently in the Constitutional Court.

The same court also ordered, in a similar case, the demolition of a house in 2008 which was also built in Las Pitas. The owners of the house, a father and son, were sentenced to 18 months in prison and their home torn down after the court refused to accept their argument that they did not realise the land was protected.

Lawyers for the defence have argued that a number of illegal homes in the same area have been put up, but that only some home owners have been prosecuted.

Original Source – The Reader