Mike & Hazel Dunn - any news anyone ?

[Swallowsflysouth]

This was their story published in the UK press a couple of months ago

MIKE DUNN moved to Punta Prima, near Torrevieja just over two years ago with wife Hazel.

They made the move after Mike, 61, took early retirement from his job at the Vauxhall plant on the Wirral, Merseyside.

Mike sold the two-bedroom home he had renovated in England and bought a Spanish apartment, hoping to relax in the sun and supplement his pension with some part-time work.

But Mike and Hazel, 58, have now returned to England in desperate financial straits.

They are staying with their daughter in Derbyshire, sleeping on their grandchildren’s floor while their apartment languishes on the market.

Mike said: "I am desperately worried. If we can’t sell our apartment soon, it will be repossessed as we just can’t afford the mortgage payments.

"In Spain, mortgage payments rose as my pension went down. Not long after moving I realised I was going to struggle to earn extra money.

"I advertised as a gardener and offered lifts to the airport but for everything I tried, there were 40 others trying to do the same thing. You can’t get decent paid work unless you speak Spanish.

"We have ten grandchildren at home and my wife missed them desperately. She found herself bored just sitting in the sun reading books and wanted to come home.

"She also needed a throat operation so we had to rush back for that. I didn’t take out any health insurance because I couldn’t afford it — and because I wasn’t working or of pensionable age I couldn’t get free medical care in Spain.

"I enjoyed the life over there but soon realised blue skies and sunshine weren’t going to pay my mortgage.

"Our apartment is on the market for £107,000 — the same as what I bought it for — but I know I might have to negotiate.

"I hope it sells but there is so much on the market.

"Once we pay off our mortgage we won’t have enough to get back on the property ladder in England — but at least we won’t be bankrupt."


They were lovely people but I don't suppose their story is unique with times being as they are. I can certainly sympathise with them. How I miss home and how lonely I have become out here.

[Drewth]

I saw this story. Their flat is still up for sale knocked down to the equivalent of £87,000 if I have the right people and right property. As you say, they are not alone.

[Chrisdee]

It's all very sad when things go pearshape but some people just do not do their homework. How can you expect to move to a foreign country and work when you don't even speak the language. So many people come unstuck because they do not think ahead, sorry but no sympathy.

[simmy]

Agree what they did was very naive if not stupid.

[Swallowsflysouth]

They came in search of a dream which became a nightmare. How could anyone possibly have foreseen what would happen to the Pound. Even now, people in the community here who are in receipt of old age pensions have seen what they can spend decrease by a huge amount through no fault of their own. I mean, who would ever believe the pound would drop by 20% in under a year and that the Spanish banks would put up mortgages because of their losses elsewhere. It is a terrible tragedy. It is happening more and more.
I do sympathise and in my case, could never have forseen what has happened to me leaving me very lonely and alone in a foreign country. More again. I am in tears now at the thought of all this.

[Mazzer]

Unfortunately the most dreadful things do happen in life and although I do feel sorry for people left in these situations I also agree with Chrisdee and Simmy you have to go through everything thoroughly before moving to another country especially when you don't speak the language, and have a contingency plan in place just in case things go wrong. I know of many people that have moved out here and their partners have died and left them alone again this is dreadful beyond words but it does happen and it is something to think about seriously before moving over. I wish anyone well that is having to sell up and go home but I think in the present financial climate you would have to give your house away to sell it I wonder if renting it out would be an option it could still be on the market but at least there would be some revenue coming in. Anyway I wish them luck and all those in the same situation.