channel 4 - 5th April

martin · Post by **martin** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:34 pm

programme on 5th april - 8pm - "Selling Houses" includes item about wooden house (needing a licence dare we ask?) here in portugal...should be interesting!!!

in another episode soon includes item about villa in lagoa

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:47 pm

hmmm... that might be interesting, mind you I have never really thought about wooden houses and a hot, dry country like Portugal (well the Algarve anyway) really go together!

Just imagine having one in the Monchique mountains

martin · Post by **martin** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:54 pm

here is the link..only mention is of this weeks show, but they mentioned next week about portugal (and france as well)

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/sel ... index.html

martin · Post by **martin** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:08 pm

programme schedule info from channel 4

20:00 SELLING HOUSES 2/4:
France. Property expert Andrew Winter travels to Europe to help out three British property owners for whom the dream of a new life in the sun has turned into a nightmare. First Andrew meets Margaret and John Cox, who sold everything they had in the UK to buy a 100-year-old farmhouse in south west France and renovated it themselves. But now no one wants to buy it. The property has been on the market for almost a year, the Coxes have chopped £16,000 off the initial asking price and registered it with seven different estate agents, but they still haven't had a sale. Until it's sold the family have been forced to split up and live 100 miles apart. Next Andrew advises widow Judy Thompson, who is locked into buying a house she does not want and cannot afford to buy. To date she's had to give over all of her £82,000 savings and the developer wants the final £30,000 soon. Finally Andrew meets Duncan and Liz Johnston, who sold up in the UK to take early retirement in the medieval town of Silves in Portugal, only to discover their dreams of relaxing by their newly-installed pool were dashed. They were told it was illegal and must be filled in, and that wasn't all; their newly-built guesthouse would have to be pulled down too. Exec Prod: Nick Emmerson; Series Prod: Sue Dulay; Dirs: Rob Butterfield, Dan Roland; Prod Co: Ricochet

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:59 am

It looks like its the usual case of listening to the estate agents " Sales pitch " and not checking out the local rules and regs.

Coincidentally I was leafing through some old " Portugal " magazines and found in the advice section a letter asking if was TRUE that you did NOT need planning permission to erect a timber house in the algarve.

The response was " IT IS NOT TRUE ". but I wonder how many seeking a low cost option have or will become involved if propbelms with the authorities in the future.

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:08 am

Hey, you know what I am going to say?..As usual...and it is boring and I am like a long playing record BUT do the checks YOURSELF!!! DO NOT listen to other people, who obviously have a vested interest. To find out if a swimming pool or part of your property is legal is relatively easy. If you don't speak the language, take someone INDEPENDENT, who does. Alternatively, take short cuts and put your life in other people's hands and play Russian Roulette with your cash!!

Ok, I'll crawl back into my box now.

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:52 pm

I do wonder some times when you see these programmes just where they find these people!!

How can they be so naive and stupid, who would give away their well earned money on someone elses say so, without looking into the legal side of things, or having a builder/solicitor/electrician look at their particular areas. It really does make me want to cry when you see these people being so utterly ....stupid.....

martin · Post by **martin** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:05 pm

this is one of the few places as in the catchphrase of the american tv crime series "petrocelli " goes .-" we get a different version of events"

sadly most people with no knowledge listen to their lawyers and agents and others ...as such it can and sometimes does get them into hot water.

the house featured is up for sale by an agent in silves

Bruxinha · Post by **Bruxinha** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:42 am

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people do go to so-called "professionals" and others for advice in those areas, Lesley and still end up in the same boat. I know, because I've seen it first hand. As I said, if you gather and look at all the documents yourself (very simple to do in a day or two, apart from a bit of queuing) and research all the rules and regs yourself, that is really the only way of knowing for sure.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see the situation in the programme. I think I know of the house and saw it as "under offer" on a website the other day.

martin · Post by **martin** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:02 pm

well I wonder who was the agent and who was the pool company who told the couple from Silves....nao problemo...no doubt keeping a low profile!!

anyway I must remember always to take a film crew with me to Silves camara..seems thing move with all the paperwork when filming takes place

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:19 pm

It seemed to me that the couple involved believed that they could do as they liked just because it was Portugal.
The admitted to not taking any advice.

As the presenter said if it was the UK the result would have been the same.

One thought though , if the cameras had not been there , how many of the estae agents would have tried to sell IT ???

martin · Post by **martin** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:25 pm

see it here
http://www.casas-algarvias.com/cc/detai ... prodid=395

Summer · Post by **Summer** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:48 am

I wonder if the prospective buyers know the wooden house is illegal? Perhaps we should point it out to them - or at least the estate agents!

I think the researchers always find the biggest idiots for these programmes, it was clearly their own fault and their attitude!!! I think people need to be told that there are laws in other countries too, as well as the UK and you can't simply go abroad and get away with anything you want to!

Summer

jennym · Post by **jennym** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:25 am

I can't believe how naive that couple were. Its common sense that you need planning permission - its not as if they were putting a garden shed up - that was full scale living accommodation! The programme will only put off people who can't be bothered to do their homework and do things the right way.

Big Bloke · Post by **Big Bloke** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:18 am

Its just a crying shame that the prospective owners can't be fore warned about the fact that the wooden house isn't legal. Because you can put money on the fact that they haven't been told! And if they have and still insist on going ahead then more fool them! Probably not got a lawyer involved or something as it seems that quite a few people don't bother!

channel 4 - 5th April

channel 4 - 5th April

channel 4 - 5th april