Problems with Developments Continue to Materialise
Early last summer (2010) I was contacted by a lady who had purchased an off plan apartment in Sozopol and was experiencing difficulties with the developer and was considering further court action. After looking through her contract and other documentation I advised her that it was probably not worth the hassle or expense of yet more litigation, as she had already been through one case and was wondering whether to appeal the decision.
She had initially signed for the apartment back in 2007 and four years later still did not have the keys or notary deed. It was decided that she would make sure all the paperwork was in place and would then try and sell. We therefore attempted to find the apartment back in summer 2010 with no luck.
By the start of summer 2011 we had collected the key for her and finally managed to track down the exact location through an old google map and contacting the local municipality, but on turning up at the said point, all we saw were two abandoned blocks and a building site. Our first thoughts were that we must be in the wrong place. But we checked down all other close by streets and checked in all other nearby complexes and there were no apartments that matched the description of the one we were looking for. So we went back to the abandoned block and had a good look around. This involved climbing over rusty old fencing and builders rubbish to gain access. The small pool was full of green slimy water and a dead seagull was floating in it. Some of the apartments in the 2 blocks looked like they were possible being used but there was clearly no maintenance being done, it looked like the builders had just upped and left one day. The key did not fit any of the doors on the complex and so we reported back to the lady our findings but that we were not entirely sure we had been at the right location. Unfortunately she identified the block and her apartment from the photos and video I sent her. She was of course, understandably very upset, given she had paid an extortionate amount for the apartment, spent 3 years going through court in connection with the development and now did not even have a key to fit her apartment.
The matter continues. We are currently trying to arrange a meeting with some guy who apparently has the key to her apartment, although we have no explanation as to why he would have the key or why locks would have been changed.
On another matter a lady contacted us about issues with her apartment in Sunny Day 6. The apartment had been due to be completed by the end of 2010, and she had sent all the money, but had not got the notary deeds and when she pushed for more information, she was sent photos by the developer in March 2011 showing that her block was little more than 4 walls and a roof. She was told completion would be April, then June, then September. We are going to furnish it for her, so she is not further ripped off by furnishing companies offering extortionate packages and we have been visiting every 3 or 4 weeks to see progress. Luckily work is continuing at a decent pace and it appears the apartment may indeed be ready be the end of summer – just a year late!
