Buying in Morocco

[camel with three humps]

Lurcher21:
Yes, the levels of corruption has increased and its logical as standard of living increases the matrix will increase.

Apart from the corruption the ridiculous laws does not help e.g as a non resident you only allowed to own one property in Morocco. VAT on mortgage interest rate, import duty on used personal belonging etc. This is a perfect ground for breeding corruption.

It saddens me to say that I would not rent to a Moroccan or use a Moroccan Agent for exactly the reasons stated.

[redangel7861]

Originally Posted by camel with three humps

Lurcher21:
Yes, the levels of corruption has increased and its logical as standard of living increases the matrix will increase.

Apart from the corruption the ridiculous laws does not help e.g as a non resident you only allowed to own one property in Morocco. VAT on mortgage interest rate, import duty on used personal belonging etc. This is a perfect ground for breeding corruption.

It saddens me to say that I would not rent to a Moroccan or use a Moroccan Agent for exactly the reasons stated.

Camel, it is sad to see and you are correct the more investment that comes into the country the more rife is the corruption. Also agree with not using Moroccan Agents or renting to Moroccan's.

I'd rather leave my property empty than give it to some crooked agent in Morocco. Hopefully the better developemnts will be employing well establised Management companies to deal with the issues of rentals, many are employing internationally renowned Resort and Management companies.

[bess]

Compass Properties appears to be run entirely by Americans, displaying bibles on their desks, the company is registered in Barbados. They employ Moroccan staff who I have never found to be other than helpful and honest in the administrative tasks they carry out. The American running Compass certainly told me that the deficit in size was due to the 'developers' who are Moroccan, but they continued to advertise the flats as a greater square meterage than is the case long after they could not have avoided knowing that this was not accurate, and taking the profit.

I guess there are problems in every country. Official bribery is very rare in England, (below the political sphere where planning permission is swapped for amenities that are seen as political advantages like schools). But try to get a non- paying tenant out who is wrecking your property and the council officials will advise them on how to gain many extra unpaying months by going to court, making a token payment etc. And don't forget that every piece of fabric must have a fire certificate attached (if it fall offs,throw away the settee..), you must pay for an energy efficiency certificate when you change tenants,every gas and electrical appliance must be officially checked yearly, deposits against damage must be lodged with an official paid third party and you cannot use it to repay the unpaid rent,you pay tax on your empty flat while searching for a tenant...

Not of course that I would wish to gas or electrocute or evict my tenants ( and have avoided doing so so far) but keeping up to date with the regulations and filling in ever more forms is a disadvantage of renting property in England.

Taking the rough with the smooth, I have got a beautiful flat (by dint of buying two and joining them) in a lovely place for less than half the price of the equivalent in England. I may be naive, but I have liked the Moroccans I have met who have been friendly and kind - strangers have gone out of their way to help me with little things and not for money. It is the foreigners in Morocco, such as an Irish company, that have tried to con me.

Some nationalities are shocked by public drunken and promiscuous behaviour, others don't mind that much but are shocked by by bribery and nepotism, buying abroad is an adventure and a risk, balancing the plus and minusand working out whether the trade off is worth the profit.

[camel with three humps]

Compass Properties appears to be run entirely by Americans, displaying bibles on their desks,
PART OF THE NEO CONS THAN. WE KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO TO THE WORLD.

the company is registered in Barbados. They employ Moroccan staff who I have never found to be other than helpful and honest in the administrative tasks they carry out.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEING GIVEN EXPOSURE IN THEIR JOB WHERE THE UNLIMATE FALS ONTO THEM OR MONY GOES TO THEM.

The American running Compass certainly told me that the deficit in size was due to the 'developers' who are Moroccan,

SORRY, CANT ACCEPT THIS APPORTIONMENT OF BLAME. WHAT ROLE ARE PLAYING ARE THEY AGENTS OR DEVELOPERS ???? AS FAR I AM AWARE COMPASS WERE THE DEVELOPERS !!!!


but they continued to advertise the flats as a greater square meterage than is the case long after they could not have avoided knowing that this was not accurate,

IF YOU HAD BEEN SHORT CHANGED ON m2, I THINK YOU CAN BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NOTARY THAT THE m2 IS OUTSIDE THE TOLERANCE AND YOU WILL NOT SIGN AND DEMAND A REFUND OF THE PRICE DIFFERENTAIL ON THE M2. TAKING OFF 5M TO 10M PER APARTMENT WILL GIVE COMPASS SPACE FOR A FEW APARTMENTS TO POCKET THE PROCEEDS.

and taking the profit.

I guess there are problems in every country. Official bribery is very rare in England,

DONT BET ON IT. PLANNING DEPARTMENTS ARE FULL OF IT. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IT IS DONE MORE SUBTLY AND NOT ON YOUR FACE.

(below the political sphere where planning permission is swapped for amenities that are seen as political advantages like schools).

But try to get a non- paying tenant out who is wrecking your property and the council officials will advise them on how to gain many extra unpaying months by going to court,

COUNCIL KNOWS IF THEY LEAVE YOUR PROPERTY THE COUNCIL HAS TO HOUSE THEM.
making a token payment etc. And don't forget that every piece of fabric must have a fire certificate attached (if it fall offs,throw away the settee..), you must pay for an energy efficiency certificate when you change tenants,

THEY CAN BLAME THE EU FOR IT. BUT THERE IS VAT IN IT LIKE IN ANOTHER USELESS HIPS.

every gas and electrical appliance must be officially checked yearly, deposits against damage must be lodged with an official paid third party and you cannot use it to repay the unpaid rent,you pay tax on your empty flat while searching for a tenant...

WHAT YOU HAVE OVERLOOKED IS THAT THE DEPOSIT LODGED IS INFORMATION THAT BELONGS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND IS BEING MANUPLATED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND YES ONCE AGAIN THE INSURANCE PREMIUM TAX GOES INTO THE TREASURY.


Not of course that I would wish to gas or electrocute or evict my tenants ( and have avoided doing so so far) but keeping up to date with the regulations and filling in ever more forms is a disadvantage of renting property in England.

AGREE, 100%, IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF IT THAN THEY WANT YOUR 18% CAPITAL GAINS.

Taking the rough with the smooth, I have got a beautiful flat (by dint of buying two and joining them) in a lovely place for less than half the price of the equivalent in England. I may be naive, but I have liked the Moroccans I have met who have been friendly and kind - strangers have gone out of their way to help me with little things and not for money.

THEY ARE GOOD & BAD EVERWHERE. YOU CAN KEEP THE GOOD ONES AS FRIENDS ITS THE BAD ONE THAT ARE POLICE, CUSTOMS, TOWN PLANNING, ETC, THE ONES THAT YOU CANT AVOID AS THE SYSTEM PUSHES TOWARDS THEM.


It is the foreigners in Morocco, such as an Irish company, that have tried to con me.

Some nationalities are shocked by public drunken and promiscuous behaviour, others don't mind that much but are shocked by by bribery and nepotism,

WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IN ONE SOCIETY IS NOT IN ANOTHER. IT IS FOR THIS REASON NO SOCIETY CAN CLAIM THAT THEY ARE RIGHT AND OTHERS ARE NOT.
buying abroad is an adventure and a risk, balancing the plus and minusand working out whether the trade off is worth the profit.
AGREE AND NOT ONLY PROFIT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ONE GETS IN INVALUABLE. AS WE ALL SHARE ON FORUMS LIKE THIS & OTHERS.




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[esmerelda]

[
Some nationalities are shocked by public drunken and promiscuous behaviour, others don't mind that much but are shocked by by bribery and nepotism,

WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IN ONE SOCIETY IS NOT IN ANOTHER. IT IS FOR THIS REASON NO SOCIETY CAN CLAIM THAT THEY ARE RIGHT AND OTHERS ARE NOT.
buying abroad is an adventure and a risk, balancing the plus and minusand working out whether the trade off is worth the profit.
AGREE AND NOT ONLY PROFIT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ONE GETS IN INVALUABLE. AS WE ALL SHARE ON FORUMS LIKE THIS & OTHERS.


In the interests of sharing & picking up on a couple of camel & bess's comments...
Readers to this & other forums will know that we renovated our house successfuly last year. The idea was for start renting from christmas onwards.

Inthe absence of trustworthy established agencies, we had appoint someone as guardian who would meet & greet guests, arrange cleaning, keep up mainenance, repairs etc. We ideally wanted a couple but I was persuaded to use our chap who had been our site supervsior during our build & had done a good job for us.

Things went OK...we had several guests & they were all pretty pleased with the accommodation & our guardian.
On a visit over there a couple of months ago, I discovered that our guardian had been living in the house for 6 months. Had had a number of unsavoury friends round, playing loud music every night into the early hours thereby alienating our (local) neighbours to such an extent that they were considering moving. In addition, he had installed a"girlfriend" for a couple of months (being a working girl if you get my drift!).
Needless to say we fired him...very luckily as it turned out we later discovered he had developed a coke problem this year also!
This was someone who we had worked well with for well over a year, someone that we thought we had developed a good relationship with....you can imagine how we felt!!!
We luckily found someone else that we are trialling now and we shall see how that works out....if not we have a plan C..2 ladies!!!
I hope this experience can stop someone else having the issues that we have had. My advise - get a married couple or ladies to look after you place!

[camel with three humps]

Sorry to hear your problems, but to be honest did not surprise me. Can you please tell me how a couple or a lady would minimise your risk of not ending in the same position.

If the lady could also become a working girl as you so put it.

Nb: I know Asilah very well. I had seen what you had done to your property and was lovely. Not too many coke cans to clear, I hope.

[Investy]

Esmerelda, I know a UK letting agent that has abused landlords trust here in the UK, even to the extent of driving the car they left in the garage over a period of months and then clocking the mileage back!
It is with this knowledge that I felt safer investing in Saidia, as to go alone would be too stressful for me (you mentioned in the past buying off plan seemed to stressful for you - horses for courses eh!)

I hope it all works out ok. I like to see the best in everyone but unfortunately people do have a habit of being untrustworthy.

The point for me here is that the fact it's Morocco is neither here nor there, these things can happen anywhere.

[esmerelda]

Originally Posted by camel with three humps

Sorry to hear your problems, but to be honest did not surprise me. Can you please tell me how a couple or a lady would minimise your risk of not ending in the same position.

If the lady could also become a working girl as you so put it.

Nb: I know Asilah very well. I had seen what you had done to your property and was lovely. Not too many coke cans to clear, I hope.

The issues we had stemmed from employing a young-(ish) -well 32yrs, single man.
Perhaps I need to speak plainer, the "lady" that was in our house was a prostitute. She was "installed" there for 2 months & there were other visitors of a similar nature. That is what I meant by a "working girl" - very different from !!
The coke I refer to is not the kind you drink - but what you put up your nose.
I think maybe now you see our concerns??

[esmerelda]

I hope it all works out ok. I like to see the best in everyone but unfortunately people do have a habit of being untrustworthy.

The point for me here is that the fact it's Morocco is neither here nor there, these things can happen anywhere.[/quote]


Yes I agree that this type of thing could have happened anywhere. My object in posting was not to impugn Morocco per se, but just to make sure people were aware of the kind of abuses that are apparenty pretty common over there.

I have always been pretty straightforward about what we did/didn;t do, what worked for us/didn;t etc, as on these forums you get a lot of opinion & a lot of it comes over as rank posturing!

I feel it's important that where people can, they speak from their own experience - good or bad. Well after many happy experiences in Morocco, this was for us, a real kick in the guts!!

We felt it more deeply given that we thought we had established a good working relationship with this guy, as I say he had done good work in the past for us.
We are just sad about the whole thing really...but...as I say we have a Plan B so we will see how that works out.

[redangel7861]

Originally Posted by esmerelda

I hope it all works out ok. I like to see the best in everyone but unfortunately people do have a habit of being untrustworthy.

The point for me here is that the fact it's Morocco is neither here nor there, these things can happen anywhere.

Originally Posted by esmerelda

Yes I agree that this type of thing could have happened anywhere. My object in posting was not to impugn Morocco per se, but just to make sure people were aware of the kind of abuses that are apparenty pretty common over there.

I have always been pretty straightforward about what we did/didn;t do, what worked for us/didn;t etc, as on these forums you get a lot of opinion & a lot of it comes over as rank posturing!

I feel it's important that where people can, they speak from their own experience - good or bad. Well after many happy experiences in Morocco, this was for us, a real kick in the guts!!

We felt it more deeply given that we thought we had established a good working relationship with this guy, as I say he had done good work in the past for us.
We are just sad about the whole thing really...but...as I say we have a Plan B so we will see how that works out.

You make some valid points.


In my opinion a lot of these problems will be ironed out once resort companies are put in place to manage the larger developments.

Rgds
RED