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Top expat agent in trouble owing €250,000 but insists she is not bankrupt
Optimistic
“We owe €250,000, but I am hopeful of getting out of it as we have some big sales coming in. “The word bankruptcy is completely wrong, it hurts the business. “There is a big difference between somebody going bankrupt and our situation.” She added: “We are also selling apartments and I think it is optimistic somehow. I am keeping staff on.” The Hungarian agent arrived on the Costa del Sol
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February 21 - March 6,
Priors finally awarded ‘ridiculous’ €30,000 compensation after spending five years living in their garage since their home was demolished
EXCLUSIVE By Kathryn Richardson THE Costa del Sol’s most famous expat estate agent is in financial turmoil. Kristina Szekely has filed for the Spanish version of bankruptcy and admitted she owes €250,000. The Hungarian agent, who has an exclusive deal with Sotheby International, told the Olive Press she intends to ‘battle on’ regardless. Currently in negotiation with her creditors, she confirmed: “I have filed for what they call in America, Chapter 11.
seepage page13 11 see
INSULT
Vol. 7 Issue 154
Szekely in crisis
Don’t let the Don’t thein bankslet cash banks cash in www.hifx.co.uk www.hifx.co.uk see page 13
EMBATTLED: Szekely insists she will ride out the storm with a ‘number of big sales on the horizon’ in the 1980s and quickly dominated the coast’s real estate industry. Bubbly and outgoing, she forged a global reputation and was frequently quoted in the international press. Until last week, she had offices in Marbella, Gibraltar and Sotogrande but has been struggling to pay her staff and creditors for several months. Last week the office in Gibraltar was chained shut at 5pm. One competitor, who asked to remain anonymous, said Ms Szekely had enormous overheads and would find the next few months very tough.
A RETIRED expat couple who have spent the last five years living in their garage after their home was demolished have received “a ridiculous” €30,000 compensation bill from their town hall. Helen and Len Prior’s villa was ripped down by the Junta in January 2008 after their building licence was revoked.
However, a court has now ruled that the original application, granted without their knowledge in 2004, was illegal. The Priors only learnt about the plans to bulldoze their home two years later in May 2006. Their villa, one of around 100 illegal homes in the area, was the only one to be
INJUSTICE: Len and Helen Prior
WHICH TYPE OF BIRDS WILL BE FLOCKING DOWN TO THE COSTA DEL SOL THIS SUMMER?
Find out on page 12
demolished. They have since been sent from pillar to post to find someone responsible for the fiasco. Mrs Prior told The Olive Press: “The whole thing is ridiculous. It’s a horror story and just stupid because all of our neighbours were saved but us.” The couple have been forced to live in their converted garage without electricity or running water. Talking about the damages, she added: “That’s not jus-
tice. We aren’t happy about the insulting €30,000 offer but we are happy that it has been proved it was an illegal order.” She insisted she would need to get ‘€5m in damages’ to make up for the way they have been treated. The couple’s main claim against Vera Council, for €700,000, is still ongoing. Despite their living conditions, and losing all trust in Spain’s justice system, she said they did not want to return to the UK.