Dozens of British families have been evicted from homes they purchased in Spain's Murcia region, marking the culmination of a two-decade ordeal involving illegal developments, financial ruin, and alleged threats.
In 2003, 24 British families bought properties on the La Montana development in Gea y Truyols, a picturesque area of Murcia. Many had sold their homes in the UK and invested their life savings with the dream of retiring in the Spanish sun. Instead, they found themselves embroiled in a legal and financial quagmire after discovering the homes were on an illegal development, despite assurances from estate agents and builders that everything was legitimate.
Residents report being driven from their homes, enduring thousands of pounds in legal fees and renovation costs, and in some cases, being forced to return to the UK and move back in with family after exhausting their savings. Allegations include threats from armed individuals, physical assaults by builders demanding more money, and witnessing strangers occupy homes they believed they owned.
The ordeal has been marked by a sense of abandonment by authorities, with some residents attributing the deaths of loved ones to the stress of the situation. "We wanted a quiet retirement to respect Spanish laws and enjoy the lovely weather. Instead, we lived in fear," one homeowner stated.
Unfolding Nightmare
Among the affected families is Anne, who moved to Spain with her husband David after recovering from breast cancer. They had sold their home and used redundancy pay to fund their new life. Like many others, Anne purchased her villa through selling agent Mark Spencer, who was marketing properties developed by Jose Antonio Soner. The couple stated they conducted "stringent checks" on the company and believed the process was above board.
Another homeowner, Mary, recalled asking the selling agent, Mark Spencer, directly if the build was legal before paying a 3,000 euro deposit. She claims Spencer assured her it was. For months, buyers believed construction was proceeding as normal. However, upon returning to check on their homes, many found the site deserted and the houses unfinished, described by one neighbor as a "hole in the ground."
Anne recounted finding the entire development taped off by police upon her return after making the first payment. The British residents gradually realized that basic infrastructure, including electricity, running water, and plot boundaries, had never been completed, despite many having paid almost the full purchase price.
John and Alice, who moved from Essex in 2003, reported paying 90 percent of the agreed price before realizing the extent of the issues. They stated, "It soon became apparent that the whole site was an illegal build, with water, electricity, plots and boundaries never finished."
Former homeowner Eleanor alleged that Soner had falsely claimed ownership of the land, forging documents to support his claims and producing a fake English translation. Instead of completing the development, residents claim the builder repeatedly demanded additional funds. Eleanor stated that Soner refused to hand over title deeds unless buyers paid thousands of euros extra for unspecified work.
Facing significant financial investment, some homeowners felt compelled to continue paying. Anne explained that when she requested her money back, the agency warned she would lose all previous payments. "We couldn't afford to lose the money, so we stupidly made the next two payments," she said.
Raymond and Patricia from Reading had paid €90,000 before discovering the developer did not own the land. Their attempt to sue for the return of their money resulted in a lost civil case, and they subsequently pursued a criminal case. Soner then offered a new agreement in 2006, promising to transfer the land once the site was legalized and he completed the purchase from the farmer who owned it, provided they paid the final €40,000.
Decades of Uncertainty
In the years that followed, homeowners faced financial strain and constant uncertainty. With the development stalled, many were paying mortgages, rent, and storage costs simultaneously while waiting for homes that remained unfinished. Mary reported the site was closed for approximately 15 months after construction halted. She and her husband, having already sold their UK home, incurred over €10,000 in rent, plus VAT and storage costs, while waiting for a villa promised for March 2004.
Anne and David spent nearly two years in rented accommodation, also paying for storage for their belongings in England. Eventually, they shipped everything to Spain, storing it in a friend's garage, before abandoning their dream and returning to Britain. Back home, the couple, then in their late 40s and early 50s, moved into David's parents' spare room. "Our mental health was at an all-time low," Anne said.
Later, Anne and David found new employment and became determined to salvage their Spanish home. They began visiting La Montana regularly to oversee new construction efforts. However, tensions resurfaced as Soner allegedly continued to demand more money. Collectively, homeowners spent tens of thousands of euros on legal fees in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to legalize the development.
Stephen and Rose purchased their villa from Spanish owners who had initially bought it on the La Montana development. They claim they were never informed of the development's illegal status or its existing problems, only that completion was pending and obtaining a mortgage might be difficult. After paying €110,000 in cash, they learned the truth from their disheartened British neighbors upon arrival.
Stephen noted that he spent years paying additional costs to make his property usable. Residents had to arrange their own electricity supplies after the builder's temporary connection was terminated. Repeated attempts to legalize the development through solicitors proved fruitless.
John and Alice described their villa as little more than "a hole in the ground" when construction ceased. The couple reportedly spent thousands of euros on a water tank, septic system, and electricity connection to enable holiday use. Mary was advised by her solicitor to move into her unfinished villa and change the locks under the cover of darkness after security guards departed. She claims guards then glued the locks shut, and water and electricity were cut off within 24 hours. The unfinished home lacked basic fittings, forcing the couple to purchase them themselves and carry water in containers from a village pump.
Escalating Intimidation and Loss
As frustration mounted, residents allege Soner engaged in intimidation tactics, demanding money and locking homeowners out of their properties. Eleanor claims Soner repeatedly threatened residents, cut off utilities, and blocked the development's entrance at one point. She alleged one confrontation involved Soner attempting to retrieve a gun from his car before being stopped by a watchman. Eleanor believes the stress of the ordeal contributed to her husband's death in 2006.
Mary recounted living in constant fear of confrontations with Soner, describing an incident where he allegedly swung a pointed stick, striking her husband and cutting his arm. "We slept most nights with a baseball bat next to the bed," she said. Although the couple successfully sued over the assault, they reportedly received no compensation.
More than a decade after their initial purchase, residents discovered Soner had sold the development to another businessman, Antonio Tovar. Homeowners claim the legal battles were far from over, with the new owner allegedly asserting control over the development. "Unbeknown to us [Soner] sold half his interest to a new owner in 2017," Raymond stated.
Residents allege Tovar initiated a campaign of intimidation to force them out. John and Alice claim that villas belonging to neighbors who had returned to Britain due to health or financial hardship were broken into while they were away. They stated, "Tovar broke into their villas, either burned their belongings or moved them to a warehouse without their knowledge." Tovar allegedly then took over these villas and sold them to new buyers, often breaking in when owners were absent and preventing owners from retrieving personal belongings.
Stephen reported that Tovar first completed work on unfinished villas before targeting occupied homes used by British owners for holidays. Upon returning, residents allegedly found their homes locked out and possessions missing. "This gentleman broke into all the houses, including ours twice and rummaged through our belongings," Stephen said. Tovar also allegedly installed an electric metal gate and built walls around some properties to prevent owners from accessing them.
When Stephen and his family visited in 2024, they found a security guard permanently stationed at the entrance and were denied access to their house and belongings. They were informed that everything inside had been moved to storage. In January 2025, John and Alice were notified that their villa had been broken into and was being shown to prospective buyers. Their attempts to retrieve personal possessions were denied, and they claim the Civil Guard was not interested.
For Anne and David, who had returned to England, neighbors sent photographs showing their villa had been occupied, with personal items, including family photographs and a garden bench belonging to Anne's late father, inside. "They broke in and threw all our stuff out like rubbish," Anne said. Mary alleges her villa was ransacked by thieves while she and her husband were visiting neighbors, with family jewelry stolen.
Tovar reportedly employed Desokupa, a Spanish company specializing in evicting squatters, to intimidate residents. Mark and Louise reported that authorities appeared to side with Tovar, claiming police were seen laughing and joking with him when he broke into their house. "When [Tovar] broke into my house, the police did not do their jobs. They came and were laughing and joking with him," Mark said. He further alleged that police refused to take a solicitor's call or names of those involved, and a friend staying at the property was prevented from speaking to the Civil Guard. "If that isn't corruption, what is?"
In 2025, Raymond and Patricia found the locks on their home changed, its contents removed, and the property agreed to be sold to another British buyer for €130,000. The sale was only halted after Raymond objected at the Land Registry, and the buyer's deposit was returned.
Lingering Legal Battles
More than two decades after purchasing what they believed would be their dream homes, many original owners are left with nothing. Some have died, while others returned to Britain after exhausting savings on legal fees and repairs. Several are now in their seventies and eighties, feeling their intended retirement was stolen from them.
Anne, now 70, expressed her ongoing distress, stating, "We are pensioners now with nothing to show for all the years we worked and paid our mortgages, to just have someone steal it all from us." John and Alice, nearing 80, added, "We are both nearly 80 and we have lost our life savings, surely this cannot be right. We never have been squatters."
Raymond's legal battle continues over 20 years later. He has taken the developer to court three times, appealed to the High Court in Murcia, and been involved in two criminal cases. "The case just goes round and round," he said, estimating €25,000 spent on legal fees and expressing frustration with the legal system's inability to resolve the issue.
Former resident Eleanor stated she has destroyed most mementos of her time in La Montana due to the painful memories. Residents reported repeated appeals to police, lawyers, and local authorities for assistance yielded little action. Currently, only one of the original British families is believed to remain on the development.
Attempts to contact the original builder, Soner, and estate agent Mark Spencer have been unsuccessful, with all online traces of them reportedly vanished. The Daily Mail has reviewed documentation supporting the homeowners' claims. Your Home in Spain, a company associated with Antonio Tovar, was contacted for comment, but Spencer and Soner could not be reached by The Daily Mail.