LEGAL LIMBO: Homeowners ‘without electricity meter for 12 years’ in Spain

A GROUP of around 40 homeowners in El Puente de Don Manuel, Axarquia, have said they are, ‘totally desperate,’ after allegedly being without a legal electricity meter for 12 years.

The property owners in the Arco Iris building told one publication electric companies refuse to give them a meter because there is no building licence for a transformer to be installed next to their homes.

The group, which paid more than €12,000 for the transformer, said their properties have the necessary licence of first occupation but are being denied a permanent meter, which in turn prevents them from taking out insurance.

Isidoro Urrestarazu, the president of the community, told Spanish media: “We are desperate, in an absolute legal limbo, with the fear of some sinister incident and with insurance companies refusing to cover the damages because we have a provisional electrical connection.”

The residents have already staged various protests outside building after Endesa cut off their electricity supply in March 2014.

After two years of fighting, they managed to regain their connection on a temporary basis.

Mr Urrestaazu said: “We are continually threatened with the risk of being cut off again.”