La Font Urbanisation & Housing Association.

[chip]

Dear bluejr77 and all

Many thanks for this quick feedback, you have answered my questions.

We still have not completed our purchase however are pleased to hear that the plans for the urbanisation works continues to show positive momentum. Whilst i am sure it will be a bit of a mess initially, i'm convinced the place will look great when finished, and if miguel is involved it will be done to a high standard ( i have seen some of his work and its top quality).

Hoping to be able to "communicate" as a resident in the not too distant future.
Br
Chip

[Belladonna]

Article in Ultima Hora carries on this problem. Have google translated it, so needs a bit of understanding!. Here is the link :- http://ultimahora.es/mallorca/notici...cion-font.html

The City Council of Pollença negotiating with the owners of the Font a way to unlock this development, considered urban land but lacks service provision. Unlike what happens with other developments such as Vilà or Cala Carbo, which were partially declassified by the Govern de les Illes Balears, once the provision of services Font is complete (no sewer) you can re-build legally in urbanization.

The City Council of Pollença has summoned the owners to a meeting on Saturday August 23 in which he will announce details of a new draft service provision stipulating an investment of close to 3 million euros. The City Council of Pollença seek agreement for owners the costs of the work are dealt.

The urbanization of Font has 170 plots although many of them are still undeveloped. Like other neighborhoods of the time, the Font lacks sewers and cesspools runs.

In 2011 the City Council took an owner to court for failing to complete the development of urbanization since spent 90 years in the clearing system (the neighbors who are developing the project) to the current system of cooperation (the City Council should take over and then pass on spending between different owners). There have also been other subsequent complaints based on environmental arguments rather urban and warn of danger to aquifers lack of a sewage system.

Given this situation and considering other parallel trials on developments such as Vila, where the judge has given a reprimand to the Consistory, the City Council has decided to take up the matter and seek a negotiated settlement with neighbors.

The construction of the urbanization of Font in Pollensa has not been without controversy all these years is that environmental groups like Gob have repeatedly warned of the visual impact of chalets in the mountains.

[bluejr77]

Hello Belladonna, and many thanks for posting this information – very much appreciated under the circumstances. And another thank you to the friend who sent me a text letting me know you had posted it!

It really doesn’t translate very well does it, I have to agree.

However, I am now posting an update which we received via email this afternoon from the La Font Housing Association. I have copied and pasted it exactly as we received it. So for those of you who live in La Font, or are thinking of buying in La Font here is the latest update.

“Good morning,

Today we have woken up with this new that has been published in one of the newspapers from the island. However we would like to inform you that it is not true that a meeting has been convened for this weekend, neither the town council nor us have convened the mentioned meeting.
El Ajuntament de Pollença negocia desbloquear la urbanización de la Font » Part Forana » Noticias » Ultima Hora Mallorca

According to the last conversation we have had today with town council representatives due to the publication, they have confirmed that they are still waiting to have a meeting with their legal advisor to be able to set the date for the meeting where they will inform us about how the works will be carried out.
On the other hand they have reassured they will inform us at least 15 days in advanced so all the neighbours can assist.

We will contact you back as soon as we have news.

Kind regards

Asociación de Propietarios de La Font”

[eleanor]

I realised I 'liked' these posts but of course I don't like them at all as the ongoing problem in La Font and articles such as the one published is causing much confusion and worry to those with property and those thinking of purchase. I hope this matter is sorted as soon as possible for all concerned.

I would also comment that 15 days notice of any future meeting isn't very much notice at all for those not residing in Pollensa.

[Tomir]

We looked at a couple of properties in La Font a year ago. Neither estate agent mentioned the problems but we were told by someone we met in Tolos. We did wonder why so many properties were for sale at what we thought were reasonable prices. Once we err aware we decided not to buy in that area as we didn't know future costs or what would happen.

[bluejr77]

Hi Eleanor. Thanks for your comments. Yes it is an ongoing worry - if I read the translation correctly then if it's been ongoing for 90 years maybe it will take another 90 years to resolve, but sadly I fear not!

Also believe it or not 15 days notice is a long time. There have been occasions where it's only been several days notice - and always to fit in with the Mayor, not the 'neighbours' who have to foot the bill! It would be nice to be offered a selection of perhaps three or four dates, with say a months notice, and that they would choose the date where the majority of people would be available as a large number of properties are either second homes or rental properties. So not easy for people to schedule time off work and get a flight.

Bye for now. Bluejr77

[bluejr77]

Hi Tomir. When we bought our house in 2004 neither the seller, estate agent or lawyer told us about this. It was only about four years later that we received letters saying we owed fees to the Housing Association. We rang the lady we bought the house from and she explained that this had been ongoing since she bought the house 20+ years previously. She hadn't mentioned the fees or the reformation of the area as the La Font Housing Association was set up by owners and not a legally formed body therefore no disclosure to us was necessary! The plus side was that she said we didn't have to pay the fees but that didn't help! Our new lawyer confirmed the legal point on what the seller told us.

It then went very quiet for a few more years until a couple of years ago when a local builder started to build more houses in La Font and needed access to all the services for his properties for them to sell. This time he went through all the official channels and got the Association set up legally and approached the Council to restart the reformation of the area. Nothing was sent out legally to any owners informing us that the Association was being set up again and what plans were in the pipeline (possibly because there would have been a lot of objections??) just a placard appeared in a couple of areas in La Font asking owners to contact the Association. So we did and that's how we found out! If we hadn't we would still be in the dark as nothing will be sent out legally to owners about the reformation until plans, all costs and payment plans have been agreed - that's how they work out here.

I am sure that all the local estate agents are aware of this but I don't know now how they stand about telling potential buyers and I don't know whether sellers are supposed to mention it. I know lawyers are legally obliged to.

Had we been made aware of this when we were purchasing our property I certainly wouldn't have gone ahead with it. I would have looked elsewhere!

There are also additional costs involved for connecting all the services from the boundary to your property - those are not included in the reformation cost! Plus the Council were talking (and looking into the legality) about charging a tax on the additional value the reformation will put on your property. As there hadn't been I meeting for almost a year (cant remember exactly, perhaps slightly less) I am not fully up to date on the current situation.

Unfortunately there isn't an option of opting out of this - trust me we have looked into this and legally you can't. If you haven't got the money we have been told you have to arrange a loan!

Personally and from our experience, I would advise anyone looking in this area (and have done) not to buy with this unresolved ongoing issue.

Bluejr77

[eleanor]

Brilliantly put bluejr77. You have explained the situation so well but what a nightmare! This would be a typical example for the Holiday homes from hell programme. It seems quite unacceptable that no one told you about this situation and allowed you to buy without providing you with all the facts. I suppose you have no redress and as you say no choice. You are dealing in the unknown too. This is just the sort of thing which puts people off buying abroad. The fact that this can happen is disgraceful but the fact that you were not told and given the opportunity of choice is unacceptable.

I have a very low opinion of estate agents in Mallorca This under hand way of working is encouraged I suppose by the 5% commission they earn from selling a property. That aside one would think that they would have a moral duty to ensure any buyer is fully informed. To be told to just get a loan is really not the answer is it? Perhaps some owners have pushed themselves to their limit to buy their place in the sun. They are being stopped from renting to holiday makers and then charged huge sums of money for this work. The property market is not going to be helped by this carry on. I am sure that what is happening in La Font will rub off on property in other areas too as many will just choose not to take the chance which is a pity. The property market and those who work within it should be professional and totally transparent.

As for the meetings - good idea bluejr but maybe the powers that be don't actually want many to be able to attend!!! Good luck!

[Tomir]

Thank you bluejr77 for your honest response. It is incrediable that there is no obligation for the problems of la font to be explained to interested property purchasers. If this has been going on for so long then it can not be a surprise to the agents. I'm sure Eleanor is quite right the money involved is too large to encourage total honesty. I didn't realise the agents charged so much as 5%. I hope this problem comes to an end soon for you Bluejr77 i assume you are one of the many trying to sell .

[bluejr77]

Hi everyone. Yes, the saga of the La Font Urbanisation in Pollensa is still ongoing

I thought there may be new members of the forum that have bought a property in the area and are unaware of the situation and therefore may not be on the Associations mailing list.

We have received a message today from the La Font Association to inform us that the Mayor is holding a meeting for residents or their legal representatives on 12th March at 19:00 in the Town Hall.

Bluejr77