The Town Hall in Álbox, Almería has been ordered to compensate for “moral damages” caused to three British families.

In 2004 three British families unwittingly bought homes in the Urbanizacion Las Palmeras, which had been built on non-building land. A fourth couple had to rent alternative accommodation when the final touches of building work halted on their new home.

Because of this, the Town Hall has to find 142,800 euros in compensation.

The judge, however, rejects imposing a demolition order as it is possible for the housing to be legalized somewhere down the line and because the owners had bought their properties “in good faith.”

In the meantime the building developers have been sentenced to a 1-year, suspended sentence.

(News: Albox, Almeria)