Advice needed
Thanks for the good replies, and yes their situation is really bad, I'm afraid probably some of you dont realise how bad it is.
They do have family in the UK who have tried to help them, they have sent money by post in a food box but it has never arrived, it got lost somewhere in Spain.
The family cannot get to a bank, they live in a small village with no bank, the nearest one would be over an hours walk away.
Yes they have property and it is on the market and as been for months but nobody wants to buy it.
They have been eating rice and drinking spring water for the last 2 weeks.
I am going over a week on Saturday, I know I am interfering and probably they wont thank me for it, but I am going to phone their family again and get something done for them.
Thanks again for your suggestions and offers of help, its gratefully appreciated by me at least.
They do have family in the UK who have tried to help them, they have sent money by post in a food box but it has never arrived, it got lost somewhere in Spain.
The family cannot get to a bank, they live in a small village with no bank, the nearest one would be over an hours walk away.
Yes they have property and it is on the market and as been for months but nobody wants to buy it.
They have been eating rice and drinking spring water for the last 2 weeks.
I am going over a week on Saturday, I know I am interfering and probably they wont thank me for it, but I am going to phone their family again and get something done for them.
Thanks again for your suggestions and offers of help, its gratefully appreciated by me at least.
Jenny
- ICCSL
- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:59 am
- Location: El Contador, Chirivel
No money
Jenny, how well do you know this family?
I am quite well known in my area for being a person who will help anybody out (mug would be a better word really) and recently one of our vendors had the same problem as you describe. They came to tell me about their problems and during the conversation told me that they had not eaten for two days. They asked if they could loan 300 euros. I put together a parcel of food and loaned them 300 euros (which to be honest I do not expect to get back). Recently we had a client who wanted to view their house and I had noticed that the vendors had not signed an Authorisation for Sale agreement so our sales person took the agreement there when the viewing took place. They refused to sign this agreement which a) gives us as an agency authorisation to sell their property and b) details the commission agreement we have with them. There is only one reason that vendors refuse to sign these agreements - they will try to effect a direct deal with any prospective purchasers and without an authorisation agreement we would not have a leg to stand on in court. Aren't people wonderful ?
The amount of times that I have "helped people out" is staggering and yet these same people seldom have a good word to say about me. I am told that the possible reason for this is that they have a lack of respect for me because I am a "mug". However, if your friends can get to me, I will certainly give them some food. If they are in Baza, I am 20 minutes down the motorway toward Murcia.
I am quite well known in my area for being a person who will help anybody out (mug would be a better word really) and recently one of our vendors had the same problem as you describe. They came to tell me about their problems and during the conversation told me that they had not eaten for two days. They asked if they could loan 300 euros. I put together a parcel of food and loaned them 300 euros (which to be honest I do not expect to get back). Recently we had a client who wanted to view their house and I had noticed that the vendors had not signed an Authorisation for Sale agreement so our sales person took the agreement there when the viewing took place. They refused to sign this agreement which a) gives us as an agency authorisation to sell their property and b) details the commission agreement we have with them. There is only one reason that vendors refuse to sign these agreements - they will try to effect a direct deal with any prospective purchasers and without an authorisation agreement we would not have a leg to stand on in court. Aren't people wonderful ?
The amount of times that I have "helped people out" is staggering and yet these same people seldom have a good word to say about me. I am told that the possible reason for this is that they have a lack of respect for me because I am a "mug". However, if your friends can get to me, I will certainly give them some food. If they are in Baza, I am 20 minutes down the motorway toward Murcia.
Tina
It is not a lie about immigrants being given cars - we applied for a loan for a car for my son in the UK when he was a teenager for him to get to work. We were asked if we had any immigrant status and told he would get it if he was an immigrant needing transport to be able to work but not as a UK born and bred.......and that was when we found out from the garages that he would get 4 to 6000GBP as it was then, and that Social Security would pay the money direct to the garage and the immigrant simply turned up to collect the car......and for them it was not even a loan but a work tool to enable them to work and get off benefit.............
Surely this family can get their relatives in the UK to buy plane tickets online for them and someone can drive them to the airport? If their house has no mortgage and is owned outright they would be better off keeping it for now, renting in the UK whilst working and then try and sell again when the market may be better, or facilities may have changed in their village? Very strange to send money over in a food box for someone who is desperate for it...using normal post and not a courier......
Surely this family can get their relatives in the UK to buy plane tickets online for them and someone can drive them to the airport? If their house has no mortgage and is owned outright they would be better off keeping it for now, renting in the UK whilst working and then try and sell again when the market may be better, or facilities may have changed in their village? Very strange to send money over in a food box for someone who is desperate for it...using normal post and not a courier......
Jenny how do you know all of this?
In your opening post you said they couldn't afford any phone calls so that would suggest he/she hasn't been updating you via the phone. Letters require stamps, which cost money, so I guess that counts that out.
Are they emailing you by any chance? If so can't they sell the PC? How much money are they spending on internet access?
In your opening post you said they couldn't afford any phone calls so that would suggest he/she hasn't been updating you via the phone. Letters require stamps, which cost money, so I guess that counts that out.
Are they emailing you by any chance? If so can't they sell the PC? How much money are they spending on internet access?
Jenny, like many people here i have given money food and all sorts of help to people in the 7 years i have been here.jennyshaw wrote:Thanks for the good replies, and yes their situation is really bad, I'm afraid probably some of you dont realise how bad it is.
They do have family in the UK who have tried to help them, they have sent money by post in a food box but it has never arrived, it got lost somewhere in Spain.Thanks again for your suggestions and offers of help, its gratefully appreciated by me at least.
Many of the things you write above are excuses in a way because if their plight is so bad their relatives can buy the flights online and telephone them with the booking number.
Cash in a food parcel sounds at best naieve at worst stupid and unbelievable. The cost of a parcel of food plus the food? doesnt make any sense, why not just send money by Wells Fargo or direct to any bank without need for a bank account. Can be done at high street bank or Thomas Cook
I suggest that you offer them the use of your phone today and get them to call someone in the uk to book flights, ask to speak to the Uk person yourself and get their number and give them yours so they can call you with the flight details which you can pass on.
Ask around for people to take them to the airport and give them one meal a day until the flight, shared out amongst say 5 caring people this would cost no-one much money.
lending
all, without exception , of the people i have lent money to when they were in difficulty have failed to return it later when things got better, most of them now avoid me, unfortunatly the word "no" I still find difficult to use when i should, but I guess that´s because I´m stupid (don´t all agree with me on that please)
lending
most of them were friends Katy, I intend to limit it to family in the future, helping a friend in need seems to be the quickest way to losing a friend !
Katy,I hope your husband doesn´t find out about your boyfriend!
Katy,I hope your husband doesn´t find out about your boyfriend!
I feel sad for this family, however it has to be said, I have highlighted many times here (in my arrogance) that it is nothing short of folly to move to any foreign country unless you have a super secure safety net.
I know of a number of people/couples/families who have trodden this path, moving to the campo in search of "the dream" and ending up destitute, they won't be the first or the last.
I know of a number of people/couples/families who have trodden this path, moving to the campo in search of "the dream" and ending up destitute, they won't be the first or the last.
Ah! the full english!!
Jenny, just to go back to your original post re. the couple not being able to sell their house.
I am certain that at the "right" price it would sell.............even in this climate. Just having arrived back from three weeks there I can confirm that 2 houses on our track have sold contrary to the belief that the market is dead...............albeit at roughly 15-20% off the ask.
My point being that desperate times I'd assume would call for desperate measures.
Out of interest would you say their house is sensibly priced for this current time or are they in dreamworld? i.e. wanting a nice juicy profit. The answer to this would make people who have mentioned donating feel comfortable with their decision I would guess.
Kenny
I am certain that at the "right" price it would sell.............even in this climate. Just having arrived back from three weeks there I can confirm that 2 houses on our track have sold contrary to the belief that the market is dead...............albeit at roughly 15-20% off the ask.
My point being that desperate times I'd assume would call for desperate measures.
Out of interest would you say their house is sensibly priced for this current time or are they in dreamworld? i.e. wanting a nice juicy profit. The answer to this would make people who have mentioned donating feel comfortable with their decision I would guess.
Kenny
Oh it definitely not arrogance. Part of the problem is that people in the UK lead such safe, reliable lives - with the walfare state there to pick them up every time they "fall over" that they just can't imagine what it would be like to be really, completely, totally up the creek. It's not necessarily their fault - they just have no experience of it and cannot imagine what it would be like - or even to recognise when it's looming.Retro P wrote:... I have highlighted many times here (in my arrogance) that it is nothing short of folly to move to any foreign country unless you have a super secure safety net....
I'm not saying the UK way is wrong, just that it doesn't prepare people for life without it and they (we) tend to take it all for granted.
My cave house adventures http://www.pete-lynch.com/la_casa.html
Maybe it's not necessarily that they rely on the welfare state to pick them up when they fall..but the fact that work if you want it is readily available in the UK. Unlike Spain where unemployment is high. Then you have the would-be entrepreneurs who hope/think that their business will be the one that will make it. Their idea will bring in the dinero.
Quite correct. The only source I can find for this is the BNP. Northhamptonshire CC and Police have issued a statement dismissing it as a myth - completely untrue.beachbabe wrote:Oh for goodness sake! Far too much Daily Mail in your daily diet.most have been given cars
Sorry, but this is a massive lie.
If anybody would care to post the name of the authority that they believe is giving out this cash, I would be happy to investigate further.
Social services throughout the South East were doing it, I under stand from a County level but I am talking about 8 years ago. I have also read on another forum that someone who has a garage in London regularly sells cars to immigrants presenting a social services cheque......
I can tell you categorically that it DID happen in the past as we were told it first hand from the relevant place but whether it still does I don´t know as we have not lived in the UK for 6 years.
I can tell you categorically that it DID happen in the past as we were told it first hand from the relevant place but whether it still does I don´t know as we have not lived in the UK for 6 years.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 24 guests