An Owner's Thoughts on FSA

At home in Birmingham, I was rather upset by the disquietening email correspondence from certain parties at FSA that I received recently. It is easier not to get involved but I do feel that some comment should be said to my fellow Owners.

I was the second Owner to buy off plan way back in 2002. From completion in 2007, I have seen Presidents and Committees representing the interests of the community come and go. However, one thing has always remained constant, the negativity and at times downright offensive comments by certain parties within the Developement. Of course within the Community there is going to be dialogue on the running of FSA and a mixture of views on various issues. However, on a day to day basis the running of the Development falls to a group of people who are prepared to stand and be voted into the roles and give up their time to deal with the multiplicity of issues that inevitably occur. Like myself, I am sure many Owners have sat on committees and attended meetings during their professional career and do not wish to partake of this role. Miles away I am grateful to those that are prepared to take on this mantle. Unfortunately, it is a hard task and inevitably various decisions will not please everybody. The constant moaning and lambasting by certain people must be very disheartening and wearing for those in these voluntary roles.

The legal case against one of the Developers has been for me a salutary experience, having been named in Court. I had no say in the process that was begun and encouraged by the first President, who incidentally was one of the quartet of original Developers and no longer resides at FSA! I think it is naive to assume that the legal representation and process for the Community and individually named Owners comes without a cost. To date we have won the Case and await Appeal from the Developer which is something of a relief, when my Lawyer informed me that a similar case some years ago did not go the way of the Community.

I am sure that those that are so vocal have some valid points but the tone and manner inwhich they like to put over their views to the general Community is devisive and unnecessary. Actions speak stronger than words, so that they should stand for a role and if voted in represent their position and our interests.

I can assure you that I am not happy having an empty apartment standing idle next to mine. A more apposite issue facing the Community is the group of irresponsible Owners plus the Developer, who have never paid their community fees. Financially I am paying for their share along with others, to keep the community ticking over.
I am saddened that certain people seem to relish in a continous angst against the running of FSA. This ongoing verbal war has made me consider selling up but I have always had a change of heart when I visit my lovely holiday home in its unique setting.

If those who are disgruntled with FSA wish to move on, I hope the property market will turn around in the near future,

Regards.

Electricity cut off

The following notice has been published in the newspaper SUR, and resent by the foreigners department of Mijas Town Hall

"Due to works in order to extend and improve the service of ENDESA, the electricity supply will be temporarily cut off coming TUESDAY, 29th of november of 2011, from 7.30am to 6pm in following areas:"

Casitas Coloradas, Carretera Cero del Moro s/n, Urb. Cielo Mijas, Urb. Doña Pilar, Finca San Antonio, Fuente Algarrobo, Urb. Pedregales, Urb. Peña Blanquilla s/n, Hotel Novotel (Puerta del Sol) and surroundings areas.

In theory, these works are to improve the area to avoid future problems.

Mario Bravo

Language exchange workshop

The Foreigners Department of the Mijas Town Hall presented last thursday their latest project, a Language Exchange Work Shop. The idea is that foreign residents that want to speak Spanish and Spaniards that want to speak English get together to converse in both languages. “First of all we need to see who is interested and which are the best areas to hold the workshops,” pointed out Ana Skou head of the Foreigners Department. “And also see if the participants prefer to participate in morning or evening workshops.” Workshops can be set up in Mijas village, Las Lagunas and La Cala according to demand. “So many people take language classes but are lacking conversation” said Skou and then added, “These are not going to be classes but an exchange of languages, where one can practice speaking with a native”.

If you are interested in participating in this project please contact the Foreigners Department by phone 952 58 90 10 or by email frd@mijas.es

and fill-in and send back attached inscription form. Kind regards.

Katja Thirion
Departamento de Extranjeros
Foreign Residents Department
Residentenbüro


If you wish to receive information by e-mail given by the Foreigners Department, please ask to be included on the mailing list.
katja@mijas.es

frd@mijas.es

AYUNTAMIENTO DE MIJAS
Plaza Virgen de la Peña
29650 Mijas Pueblo

Tel. (34) 952.58.90.10
Fax (34) 952.58.90.11

www.mijas.es

Apartment 44 for rent

Apartment 44 in Block 2 of Finca San Antonio is available for long term letting / rental. Newly furnished, with 2 bedrooms, two bathrooms, large sunny balcony, car parking, storage room, etc. Non-smoking and no pets, please !


Rent is negotiable for interested parties.


Contact Peter Butler at mdmotors@eircom.net

Court case Sagesa vs Community FSA

On thursday 6th October, the hearing of Sagesa's claim against the community was hold. Alberto Moro was defending the community point of view, basically saying that we negotiated and paid what we owed to Sagesa, obtaining a receipt saying this was the end of the claim. Furthermore, he added a fact we knew later: San Antonio Properties paid Sagesa some years ago the amount they are claiming us now. Mario Bravo was called as a witness, confirming the above details. The sentence is expected within 30 days.

Painting block 2

The painting of block 2 started middle August, and should finish before the end of September. In case you want to use the same paint, it is from Pinturas fraycar SL revestimiento fachada Valcron

Victory in courts !!!

Yes, we have won the court case against San Antonio Property, the judge awards all our arguments. When someone is right, there is no obstacle hard enough.

The lower swimming pool

The works in the lower pool are basically the fence(finished) and the construction of the new toilets, supposed to finished by June 24. All the area can be used as usual

Court hearing

The court hearing of the case between the community and the developer took place yesterday 1st June as foreseen. Eleven owners appeared, and they all had the opportunity to reply to few questiosn. As witnesses, John Walsh (Sagesa) and Mario Bravo were asked more questions, and two more companies who did works for the developers in 2005 or 2006 also appeared.

The sentence is expected within one month, and can be appealed by any of the parties to a higher court, but only once

The north pool repaired

20.May.2011

The works in the big pool have finished with the construction of a thin wall inside, protecting the stairs originally built. The baths have been adapted, and the fence is now surrounding the pool area. We are considering to plant a hedge around it to hide it.

The works in the south pool have already started, this will take longer as it will include the construction of toilets attached to block 4.

Repairs of swimming pools

The works needed to obtain the license to use the pools will start in the north swimming pool on monday 9th May at 9am. As for that time the pool must be empty, we have asked Daniel to leave the tap open on friday, whenever he leaves, so the level will go down slowly along the weekend. Please, use the lower pool in the meantime.

Court Case 1st June 2011

The lawyers of San Antonio Properties SL have asked, and the judge has accepted, that most of the owners appear in court on 1st June 2011 to declare, not as witness, but as part of the process. This court case is double: in one side, we asked S.A.P. to pay the fees of their properties along 2007, and in the other side, they ask the community and the owners to pay for the expenses they had during 2005 and 2006, while finishing and legalising the buildings. The owners requested to come are those of apartments 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 47, 48, 49, 51, 54, 55, 56, 59, 60, 61, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71.

The appointment is at 9 am at the courts of Fuengirola, in the center, very difficult parking. Possibly the best will be to meet us all at 8.45 outside AQUAPARK, and go walking from there. Don't forget your original valid passport.

Fences around the pool

This is the swimming pool of Campomijas, where the fence is just around the pool. It allows the enjoyment of all the grass, but it can be hidden by a hedge. Both systems (this one or the one proposed in Finca San Antonio) are legally valid

Vandalism

During last weekend, 17 out of the 19 grills protecting the trees have dissappeared. It is likely they have been removed to be sold. The only 2 remaining are at the begining of the street.

Drans blocked in apt 20-conclusion

Thanks to a speedy reaction from friendly neighbours, the flood only created small damages in the apartment 20, and nothing in the apartments below, so the initial concern has vanished.

We have learned the lesson of how important it is to take care of your own apartment (drains unblocked, windows closed, main water valve closed) and have a key holder in the nearby for emergency reasons.

May this be now considered important by all of you who didn't in the past.

Drains blocked-again-

Here you have the perfect sample of what "not to do" when you buy an apartment. This person bought the apartment but still didn't find the opportunity to inform the community, nor to pay a single penny. Furthermore, he left it abandoned for several months. So, it was only a matter of time to find the drain blocked and the water some 30 centimeters above the level.

When the rental agency found it, they had to open the door to unblock the drain, and the whole apartment 20 was flooded. Water reached the garage, in the small room between the stairs and the garage itself, through the light in the false ceiling).

This has created some damage to the apartment below, but has also created more damage on the same apartment 20. Thanks God some people do care about things, and we could manage to get Mr. McKnight key holders to come and see the problem.

Please, if you are not leaving in your apartment, and you are the owner of one of those few terraces who have no outlet to the outside, remove the cover of the drain to avoid it being unblocked. For yourself and for the rest of the neighbourhood.

Alteration of apartment 16

San Antonio Properties has asked permission to alter the front of apartment 16, to look like apartment 9, this means changing the front (and the side?) of the balcony from a plain wall to wood railings.

Our big swimming pool

One of the problems to legalise the pool is the stairs (roman steps) that were built afterwards. They represent an underwater obstacle according to the law, the easiest will be to remove them. But they are a big help for many owners, who couldn't use the pool otherwise. We have asked several technicians for their best solution

Lights in the road

After several years, the works in the road Fuengirola-Mijas are finishing, and they have installed all the street lights, as usually in only one side (the one opposite FSA). Nevertheless, we are getting a triple lampost in the center of our roundabout, same as the one they were fitting early this morning at the entrance of Hotel Puerta del Sol. We keep asking the Town Hall to connect the street lights in Calle Haya, but this may have to wait until the next local elections (22nd may 2011), where perhaps the new goverment will be more positive with the urbanisations.