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Expats warned over budget prefab homes on rustic land in Mallorca
| Published: | 9 Jan at 6 PM |
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Tagged: Property Abroad, Pension Transfer
Expats arriving in Mallorca are being warned about erecting or purchasing prefab homes on rustic land.
Mallorca may not be as famous as its neighbour Majorca with established and would-be British expats, but circumspection and double-checking are recommended on both when buying a budget-priced home on rustic land. Rustic lands are those legally protected by local authorities and any moveable property found will be removed unless the area has been officially authorised by urban planning departments.
To date, Mallorcan authorities have destroyed 261 homes set on rustic land over the past four years, but real estate companies are still advertising prefabricated houses to new expat arrivals unaware they’re being scammed. Adverts aimed at newly-arrived expatriate retirees focus on the appeal of living in a mostly undeveloped area as well as on the inexpensive cost of the houses themselves.
Casas Lujo Modulares, one of many companies now cashing in on the scam, offers ‘luxury modular homes with all comforts’, set in non-developable areas and at low prices. Sadly, for those who’re duped by these developers, the practice is totally illegal, especially as all new-build homes must have a license from a local authority before construction can commence. Almost all rustic regions in the Balearics are protected, prohibiting not just prefabs but also mobile homes, self-sufficient dwellings and even cave conversions.
Newly-arrived expat retirees on low pensions are likely to be targeted by sellers of prefabs on rustic land, and are being warned to simply walk away, no matter what’s on offer at a seemingly bargain price compared with conventional homes. For those who’ve already fallen for the scam, local authorities on Mallorca have the legal right to simply demolish all such properties, leaving their former owners homeless and very, very angry.
Mallorca may not be as famous as its neighbour Majorca with established and would-be British expats, but circumspection and double-checking are recommended on both when buying a budget-priced home on rustic land. Rustic lands are those legally protected by local authorities and any moveable property found will be removed unless the area has been officially authorised by urban planning departments.
To date, Mallorcan authorities have destroyed 261 homes set on rustic land over the past four years, but real estate companies are still advertising prefabricated houses to new expat arrivals unaware they’re being scammed. Adverts aimed at newly-arrived expatriate retirees focus on the appeal of living in a mostly undeveloped area as well as on the inexpensive cost of the houses themselves.
Casas Lujo Modulares, one of many companies now cashing in on the scam, offers ‘luxury modular homes with all comforts’, set in non-developable areas and at low prices. Sadly, for those who’re duped by these developers, the practice is totally illegal, especially as all new-build homes must have a license from a local authority before construction can commence. Almost all rustic regions in the Balearics are protected, prohibiting not just prefabs but also mobile homes, self-sufficient dwellings and even cave conversions.
Newly-arrived expat retirees on low pensions are likely to be targeted by sellers of prefabs on rustic land, and are being warned to simply walk away, no matter what’s on offer at a seemingly bargain price compared with conventional homes. For those who’ve already fallen for the scam, local authorities on Mallorca have the legal right to simply demolish all such properties, leaving their former owners homeless and very, very angry.
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