European Parliament votes to help end the Spanish property nightmare (Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats)

Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats <raygeoffray@aol.com>

European Parliament votes to help end the Spanish property nightmare

March 26, 2009 12:07 PM
Originally published by West Midlands Liberal Democrats

Liz Lynne MEP. West Midlands LibDem MEP Liz Lynne has today welcomed a vote in the European Parliament that seeks to finally put an end to the horrendous ordeal of people who have bought property in Spain

For many years people from the UK who have sunk their life savings into homes or businesses in Spain have, it is claimed, fallen victim to corrupt local Government officials and dodgy property developers who knowingly sell land or houses in breach of environmental legislation.

The problem has been made worse by the Spanish Government creating legislation that allows them to take back land without properly compensating those people who thought they bought the property fairly.

Today the European Parliament overwhelming passed a report condemning the use of retroactive legislation being used by the Spanish Government to reclaim land in breach of the right to own property defined in the European Convention of Human Rights.

The report also calls for a thorough investigation into abuses of power by local Government in Spain and that those responsible for making dodgy deals be brought to justice.

Speaking today Liz Lynne, who is Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, welcomed the report saying it would help provide clarity for those people who want to buy property in Spain:

"For years I have had constituents come to me asking for help after being on the receiving end of one of these Spanish property deals gone wrong. It has consistently been one of the most prominent issues I and many of my colleagues in the UK have had to deal with. This is why I am so pleased that the European Parliament has finally been able to take decisive action to help rectify the problem.

"If is a fundamental right of every person in Europe to be able to by property in another European country and to do so free from fear that they will have their land taken from them due to back door legislation or bureaucratic trickery.

"There are countless people who have worked hard for many years to afford property in Spain and it is vital that those who have been victims of crooked or unfair deals are properly compensated for their hardship.

"I very much hope that the Spanish Government will take heed of this report and undertake a full and wide ranging investigation into the problem and bring those who prey on innocent, hard working people are brought to justice."

"I am also pleased that the report calls for the European Commission to make more information available to people looking to buy property abroad and I hope that this will lead to more transparency and an end to the type of unfair practice displayed in Spain."