Help The Ward's Save Their Home
Donation protected
Gill and Bob Ward, a retired couple from Cornwall, bought what they thought was their dream property, part of an old farmhouse near Almayate, in 2004.
The house was a ruin, so they sought planning permission from Vélez-Málaga town hall to rebuild it.
Work got under way in 2006 once permission had been granted, which required the original facade to be preserved, while other improvements were allowed.
Sometime into the project the original wall collapsed, or so they were told by the architect, who assured them that it wouldn’t be a problem. The work was completed and the Wards moved into the property.
In 2013, Gill, whose name is on the deeds to the house, was summoned to court for a criminal offence of “knowingly building illegally without the correct licence”, she explained. She was advised by her solicitor to plead guilty and was given a two-year suspended jail sentence as well as being ordered to apply for, and present to the court in Malaga, a new permission to carry out building work in order to make the property legal.
Having heard nothing for two years after presenting the required new permission to the court, the couple assumed that all was well and continued to live in the property until they received a letter from Vélez-Málaga town hall on 5 July. The letter advised them that the house would be demolished on 17 July.
The house has been saved from demolition by a temporary court order, but Gill and Bob need help to continue their legal fight, having spent all their savings trying to save their home.
Please help by donating whatever you can.
The house was a ruin, so they sought planning permission from Vélez-Málaga town hall to rebuild it.
Work got under way in 2006 once permission had been granted, which required the original facade to be preserved, while other improvements were allowed.
Sometime into the project the original wall collapsed, or so they were told by the architect, who assured them that it wouldn’t be a problem. The work was completed and the Wards moved into the property.
In 2013, Gill, whose name is on the deeds to the house, was summoned to court for a criminal offence of “knowingly building illegally without the correct licence”, she explained. She was advised by her solicitor to plead guilty and was given a two-year suspended jail sentence as well as being ordered to apply for, and present to the court in Malaga, a new permission to carry out building work in order to make the property legal.
Having heard nothing for two years after presenting the required new permission to the court, the couple assumed that all was well and continued to live in the property until they received a letter from Vélez-Málaga town hall on 5 July. The letter advised them that the house would be demolished on 17 July.
The house has been saved from demolition by a temporary court order, but Gill and Bob need help to continue their legal fight, having spent all their savings trying to save their home.
Please help by donating whatever you can.
Organizer and beneficiary
Stuart Hayles
Organizer
JACK ROBERT WARD
Beneficiary
