Snagging Utilities at Vila Verde - August 2010

“Get Connected”!!!

Connect with Snagging Overseas begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting with no Notarized Signatures required….!!!!

Further to our long ongoing debate with Electra regarding paperwork for the connection utility service we will be sending the information about this process in the next few days.

As you maybe aware Electra has continually changed the paperwork required during our discussions, more times than the coalition government changed sides during the recent elections! This was primarily over the requirement of a POA for Snagging Overseas begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting authorising connection of the services.

We have, at great length, explained to Electra how expensive, time consuming and unnecessary this can be. Particularly in view that we have connected utilities on other islands without requiring these documents. (And through Electra!) (Go Figure!!)

With this in mind we have secured an agreement with Tecnicil where by it would act as a guarantor for Snagging Overseas begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting and on behalf of the new legal owners of the property.

In order to proceed with the applications for the connections we needed to ask our clients if you have or intend to enter into the Tecnicil Rental agreement.

For those clients signed up for the rental agreement, Tecnicil will guarantee with Electra that they will be responsible for missed payments.

For those that are not in the rental pool Tecnicil may request an additional payment of 100 Euros to cover possible missed payments. This deposit is refundable to Snagging Overseas begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting Clients should the non – rental owners decide to either enter the rental agreement or change the contract into their own or another persons name. This can be done on Sal at the Electra office in the capital.

For further information and the costs and pricing of our service please email info@snaggingoverseas.com or contact us on our new number! 00 351 289 516 650 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 00 351 289 516 650 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

All our current clients signed up will receive an Email from Serafina on Thursday 12th August( we're not saying she's superstitious but no way was this being sent on Friday 13th! )

Snagging Conundrum..Retreat? Hell No! We're just fighting in a different direction..!

And so goes the quote from an American General in the Vietnam war!




...And just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water…..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(What the snag was the name of that film..??!! Glues: Benchley, Bruce and bigger boats!)

Well done to those keen eyed Snagging Overseas blog regulars!! You spotted the utility offer service for the first 20 to sign up must have "slightly"exceeded that number! And just to make it more fun for the Sal Snagging Crew the information costs were incorrect as well! Thank heavens we only obtained that information from Electra – whoops! True to our word and Serafina’s purse we'll fight to get the correct information in future!

For those about to sign up we can confirm that the utility connection service will remain at 50 Euros with Electra’s costs at an additional charge. As their figures have changed as many times as an Enron accountant in the last few days we will advise you at the point of connection.

We understand Electra’s costs this week, for example, a Three bed room apartment is 50 Euros - smaller properties should be less (however this is Cabo Verde so we’ll only know when we are there sweating in the office!)

As before, for those that want to register just send an email to info@snaggingoverseas.com with your property details and we’ll send a Payment request for the 50 Euro connection service – when we eventually have the opportunity to connect we’ll send you a further payment request with Electra’s fees.

Many thanks for your continued support and well spotted the Snag Blog groupies’! (And you know who you are!!) ( and you should get out more!! )

By the way, Serafina tells us constantly that we have to put links in, help our clients find useful information. So here is the link of the week:

http://www.electra.cv/

The last time we went there the site had suffered what the IT boys and girls call a DSN Hijack, ie, it redirects you to a place where you can buy dodgy loptops off the back of a lorry. Go figure!

Have a snag free week!

More on Cape Verde

Serafina, our exotically attractive Marketing Director suggested we spend a few days with the boys on Cape Verde "checking things out".

Now, normally adverse to such mad junkets across the seas, we decided that perhaps this was a good idea to do a Cape Verde update and meet with all the relevant powers that be from Tecnicil.

Now we wanted to address a couple of ongoing concerns that have been raised by clients.

Surrounding Areas

The surrounding areas of Vila Verde Santa Maria are the pool and gardens and road areas around each block or community. Now it is fair to say that these areas are not finished although we have seen workers on the site - our photo here showing one of them!

Tecnicil say that these areas will be finished off in the order of the original completions per community. Should you sign title deeds with these areas as they are? Should companies like Snagging Overseas sign an apartment off with the areas as they are?

The short answer is yes, not only that, we should and we have to. Why? We have studied the promissory contract and it is very clear that the compleiton of the surrounding areas is NOT linked to the contractual completion of the property. Now this may sound like we're nit picking but imagine if we advise you not to complete on the grounds of there being no grounds (Sorry, couldn't resist it) and you then lose your investment because you have fallen into breach of contract. Where would we be then? Liable.

As it stands, we sign all units off that are complete in and of themselves. We do not make any pronouncements regarding the surrounding areas because we do not want to risk, even in the smallest way, that someone misinterpret this and use it as a pretext not to complete.

Water and Electricity

You may remember that we had received an ssurance from Tecnicil that they would correct any defects in the electrical and water installation. As a result we have been unable to test any of this and do rely on Tecnicil's assurance to be able to test once everything is connected.

Now there seems to be some delays with connecting not just individual apartments, but the resort as a whole. Tecnicil tell us that the infrastructure is in place and that it all works and the ball is now in Electra's court, Electra being both the water board and the electricity board (Not Jennifer Garner, unfortunately...).

Who's to blame? Difficult to say taking into account the multitude of players and complexity of laws involved - With normal conveyance processes a habitation licence is issued only after water and electicity inspections have been passed. In Vila Verde Tecnicil have the habitation licence though appear to be waiting for the utility licences! Africa eh?! You do not get that with Barret and Wimpey!

Now we don't want to get involved in who's to blame here and should underline one important difference between Europe and Cape Verde: in Cape Verde a habitation licence CAN be legally issued even if the water and electricity is not yet connected. It is enough that the installation is complete to gain the licence.