I am buying in phase 2 through coral. For some reason I wasn't put in contact with a bulgarian lawyer. When I question that they told me that they feel it is not needed as they've done all the due diligence and that they deal with Crystal quite a lot and many of their customer also go without lawyer as it is saving them money.

I would like to know if anyone else outhere is or has bought without a lawyer. Just want to make sure I make a false economy.

Thank you

I have asked about the possibility of a bus being arranged for Tuesday 25th late in the evening, I thought this would give those on earlier flights the opportunity to go into the city centre and also enable those on later flights the chance to catch the bus. RL to let me know would this be of interest to anyone as if RL dont do it we could arrange through another source.

When the opening of phase 1 took place Royal lodge sent a bus to pick owners up. They may do something similar again but it probably wouldnt coincide with all the different flight times.

I'm looking to book flights fairly quickly for the 26/11 meeting - anyone else looking to fly out from Gatwick am on 25th, to share a hire car from Sofia around midday, and returning for a return flight on Fri (28th) at midday ?

So far I can get a 4 door Clio for 25-28/11 @ £68, or a Mondeo for @ £105 incl damage waiver.

Also,  Nevena at royal lodge has confirmed that this period will coincide with the ability of Phase II owners to conduct a 'snagging' inspection of their apartments which will be ready to be occupied.

Hi Welsh, did they confirm the 26th I was told it would be final week of November but no date was mentioned. Plovdiv is only for charter airlines so your only flight option is to fly to Sofia. You can fly from Gatwick Luton or Manchester  with wizz air & easy jet and from heathrow with BA.

Adriang Royal Lodge management have said there is no possibility of a meeting in the UK not very helpful I know but they were asked this on a number of occassionds and it was a BIG NO.

HI All

Is anyone going to the owners meeting on the 26th Nov? Does anyone know what airlines fly into Plovdiv? (I have emailed the airport to ask) at the moment I can,t find anyone, but there are cheap flights from Luton into Sofia with Wizz airlines, maybe we can share a taxi or car hire?

Thanks Del

Hi all,

I bought a studio apartment in Pamp and must sell it.  I have the best furnish package.  Has anyone sold their apartment yet?  I am wondering what is the best way to go about selling it and who I should contact? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks,

Tom B

Hi All,

Please see response fron Angelina re concerns raised in a previous post. If you want me to send you the email for your records etc please drop me a line

Dear Mr. Ball,
>
> thank you for writing back to me.
>
> I assume this practice is quite normal for many spheres of the
> business where people escape their responsibilities and debts, but
> this is not the case.
>
> Our company continues with its usual business and has assigned new
> projects as well. The change of the name was necessary as per the
> advice of our PR consultants because we want our developments to be
> advertised under one brand.
>
> The change of the service bank of our partners De Groot Properties is
> just a coincidence. "Crystal" has`t changed nothing else, but only the
> name. The managers and all other details are the same.
>
> I trust this clears out all your concerns.

For Phase 2 buyers completing at the end of August (without a motgage)

- I have been advised by my solicitor to make my final payment on Aug 31st even though the Notary will not be completed until October.  She also told me that if I made my final payment in October (i.e. the same date as the Notary is due to be signed) then my apartment would not be available to rent until December.  Not sure if this will be helpful to anyone or anyone has any conflicting advice.

Rob

Rob

Hope you have spoke to different solicitor regarding final deposit than the ones RL advised us on, as they may be acting in the developers interest. In light of Mikeyb post i would not send money until signing.

Just had an email regarding a change in name. Is anyone concerned that in recent weeks De Groot have changed bank details and now Crystal have changed their name??

In my dealings with business customers such changes can and I stress can in some cases mean financial issues such as banktrupcy. Hope this is me just being paranoid

but......

I have emailed Angelina for confirmation on the name change.

Debs

Royal Lodge have told me that the final payment is still due on August 31st.  I have contacted the solicitor to get them to confirm that this is common practice in Bulgaria and to look at the contract and decide whether we have the right to wait until the Notary signing in October so I will let you know the outcome.

Rob

I contacted Royal Lodge about this and they have told me that it is only the people who have mortgages on the property that can pay in October and that all other buyers need to pay at the end of August as agreed.  I didnt think it made sense though to make my final payment in August and then not have all the legal work done in October as I would have thought these went hand in hand.  Anyone else in the same boat?

Does anyone have any information on how to insure the property.  Royal Lodge gave me their contact which works out at 0.5% of the value of the apartment and furnishings.  How did any of you Phase 1 buyers insure?

Rob

Hi All

I am purchasing in phase two and will be using a seperate mortgage to my own family home to make the final payment. I have been told that I will now only need to pay in October when the notary transfer will take place and was wondering if anyone else is in the same boat.

Also did anyone or is anyone else using DPC as their solicitors??

Had some very good feedback about the complex from someone in Royal Lodge at present. She says that some great activities are being organised by the staff, promoting the spa and a fitness programme is in place for those wishing to shed some weight. Also she notes the complex is starting to look really good with a lot of finishing touches being put in place. Although the complex is quiet the rest of Pamporovo is quite busy, so hopefully next year with good marketing the place will start to take off. A couple of posters messaged me through this site requesting the RL response but they left no email address, drop me a line with your email and I will forward it on.

Hi ALL

I persume most of us R/L owners have read the response from the R/L management team,I am quiet happy with it, and i am perpared to move on now with the remainder of fees i have to pay regarding final payments in phase 2 of which i purchased, i also got a couple of emails from people who where out at Royal Lodge on hols and where impressed by the whole set up this leaves me alot happier as i was as just as worrried as the rest of you. As this is an investment it may all backfire yet but we are going to have to get behind this project now and promote

The work mountainveiw and jerry from coral did and are doing on behalf of the owners is to be commended and i hope they  will continue with it ,hope we meet someday out in pamps they desrve a good drink,I stiil think it is necessary to meet with R/L team to thrash out issues we and may be get tgether to fund an legal expert to attend the meeting with us but either way this meeting has to happen and hopefully can inject some fire ito our bellies again about this project.

These questions have been put to Royal Lodge management via the Owners Group. I have been promised a response twice this week, so hopefully by the end of today things should be clearer. I have also requested the proposed meeting in November be held in the UK or Ireland again I am still waiting on clarification from RL.

On a positive note my family have returned from a 2 week break in Pamps and had a great time, they made good contacts for airport transfers and car hire as well as a property management services if anyone wants the details email me at royallodgeowners@btinternet.com

I am a Phase 2 owner and this is the first I have heard of a guaranteed rental income. I do think we are being shafted though if anyone buying now gets a guaranteed income because it really is the Phase 1 owners who have had to bare the brunt of the teething process.

I think this should be brought up with the Royal Lodge as they will no doubt fill up the apartments with the guaranteed rental incomes.

I am still waiting to hear anything back regarding the rental agreement for phase 2 - has any other phase 2 buyers heard anything?

Hi everyone,

We think that because RL will be paying a guaranteed rental for phase 2, they will obviously want to put all  visitors in phase 2 rather than phase 1.

This is because RL will not want to fill phase 1 and pay phase 1 owners, while also paying phase 2 owners for empty apartments.

Where does that leave phase 1 owners?

Has anyone heard anything about next seasons bookings?

I think a meeting is urgent and a necessity.

I would like to meet up with you all and talk this through. Can we organise a meeting in London.

I can organise a meeting room in a central London hotel at very little or no cost if we all can agree on a date.

I won't be able to make it to RL for a few month so it might be a good idee to elect a rep or get a good lawyer.

Hi All,

I am also looking to buy in phase 2. I have paid my 2000 Euro deposit.

Am I making a mistake? Should I stop right there.

I am not too worry of not making money as long as the rental is paying the mortgage on it and bills.

They have this rental guaranty for 2 years with no other costs. Does that mean that my mortgage is covered for 2 years?
I believe in 2 years time the potential return and infrastructure will be much better and we will start to see this investment worthwhile.

Cut & paste the link below into your web browser for info on Plovdiv airport also get voting which UK / Ireland airports you would like to see flights from

http://www.plovdivairport.com/index.php?lang=2

Hi all,

I am in the final stages of purchasing a studio apt in phase 2,

i have done this through corel estates,the deal involves the developer taking on all costs for the first 2 years after which they assure me there will be a "seamless" transition to a situation where all mortgate costs will be covered by a rental agreement with the holiday companies,

it all sounded so good but then i had a look at these boards and have seen all of the negative stuff,is this a mistake? what problems is everybody encountering? are the frequency of the rental payments not what was agreed and are the outgoings exceeding incomings on the property? any feedback would be greatly appreciated as i am completely in the dark at the moment,

cheers

60 owners expressing interest in the owners group. If you wish to be contacted

email:  royallodgeowners@btinternet.com

Hi

have an 1 bed in phase 1 - didn't join rental scheme or buy furniture package due to panic about state of building when i went to see it (Nov 07) - now i need to either go the whole hog and get it in rental scheme or try and sell it. Has anyone sold one in phase 1 or 2, if so where did they sell through, was there loads of charges etc, did they break even or make anything - or was it a loss. not sure which way to go with it so would really appreciate any comment as back in panic mode again

thanks

coynebag

about state of

Hi everyone,

Here is a quote from a Royal Lodge email dated 08/03/07:-

"The bills for electricity, water, heating, telephone and cable TV for the 2006/2007 season shall be at the expense of Crystal Holiday and you will not pay for such costs until November 2007."

This is why the bills were so low then, and so much higher now.

We also have snagging issues, but our No.1 concern is the rental income.  This is the single issue that will make this investment work.  This is entirely dependent on the bookings through tour operators in the 2008/09 season.

We want to attend the meeting in November and would be interested in meeting up in the UK before then to discuss a group approach and the possibility of hiring professional representation.

Yours,

M & A

We have a 1 Bedroom apt in Phase II, and currently reaching final stages with legals etc, with many others I'm sure.

We would be keen to support the proposed meeting and I would suggest that if it can be arranged within the time frame that Phase II owners would have to consider travelling out to undertake any 'snagging' then it would provide a double incentive and may 'swell' the no's attending.

hi welshbird

contact mountveiwbear we are trying to put together a list of owners who want to get together to try and sortb this mess out but we need numbers and we will have to try and set up a data base of contact details for us all.

At least we,re all in the same boat!! I used to feel so isolated until I found this website!!!

I emailed the Royal lodge asking for a breakdown of rental monies (how it was calculated) and for copies of heating bills, and as usual they have not got back to me.

sounds great a meeting between us all, cos I doubt if I can make it to the owners meeting in November, I,m off to work in Spain, I,m sick of paying out for this place I though it would all be sorted by now and regular income coming in to cover my mortgage, so did we all by the sound of things, the contract states that they were supposed to pay us every 3 months, and they changed it to every 6 months, but if we don,t complie with the contract they soon bring that up!!! Is there something we can do about that as well??

When is the end of the rental contract? and when do they expect us to pay for the renewal, cos I don,t think I,m gonna do it, unless they give it to us for nothing as a gesture of goodwill to keep us all happy!!  We can only ask

Let,s all keep in touch,

Ref the high notary fees being quoted for purchasers of Phase II the answer from RL is below: 

"Regarding the notary expenses I have checked this with your solicitor and the explanations is that on purchase of the apartment was required a breakdown of the expenses related with the purchase. The solicitors have caclulated those expenses two years ago and this amount is approximate and not final due to the reason that the taxes and tributes have increased and according a new legislation there is VAT of 20% on the notary expenses.

The notary expenses are calculated accordind a formula provided by the Bulgarian state and is composed of 5 different fees being each of them a percentage from the property cost.

1. Notary fee for the notary public
2. Local tax (2,5% from the cost of the property)
3. Bank charges for transferring the fees to the relevant institutions
4. Inscription tax
5. Solicitors fee"

however, as ever we have asked our solicitor to confirm, as we originally told Eu 240 for the Notary with Eu 1,570 tax and registration and Eu 30 bank charges which altogther falls wells short of the Eu 2,810:52 now being quoted. Does seems however that the 20% VAT has to be added in addition to everyone putting their fees up since the change to the Euro and the hike in the economy !!!

mountveiw has come up with some good examples we could but together but it would be hard to organize on line we would need to meet

Has been suggested using a lawyer and an accountant to represent us at the November meeting rather than us all paying travel expenses and time off work etc. Also the yearly accounts for Royal Lodge requested. Our income has fallen by about 600 euro for 1 bedroom yet our energy bills have trebled.

Profit last year 737 euro this year 162 euro

Fees for  maintenance common parts real estate and extended services 2288 euro inc Vat

loss of 1389 euro

Last year electric was 10.43 euro this year 189.00euro

Oil last year 259 euro this year 741.00

Phase 2 buyers you have been warned make sure you have a bankers guarantee for rental or better still rent it out yourself through owners direct or someone reputable.