rent "misappropriated" by agent

I've only just found this website and, speaking as somebody whose ownership of a Spanish property has turned into a nightmare, I've found it really useful.
My husband and I bought a 3 bed-townhouse in Cabo Roig in December 2005 and have now seen the mortgage quadruple in size. However, this post relates to a more recent problem which has added to our woes. Our property was let for seven months last year from March 2008- October 2008. We have only received four months rent ( some of that after a fight), and the agents never put the utilities into the tenants name so we have also paid all their bills for the given period. The agent admits that they received the rent from the tenants but said they were in financial trouble and would pay us when they could. I have since been told that they have wound up the business but it is reopening under a different name, the owner isn't bankrupt. How do I proceed please?

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Originally Posted by sally

I've only just found this website and, speaking as somebody whose ownership of a Spanish property has turned into a nightmare, I've found it really useful.
My husband and I bought a 3 bed-townhouse in Cabo Roig in December 2005 and have now seen the mortgage quadruple in size. However, this post relates to a more recent problem which has added to our woes. Our property was let for seven months last year from March 2008- October 2008. We have only received four months rent ( some of that after a fight), and the agents never put the utilities into the tenants name so we have also paid all their bills for the given period. The agent admits that they received the rent from the tenants but said they were in financial trouble and would pay us when they could. I have since been told that they have wound up the business but it is reopening under a different name, the owner isn't bankrupt. How do I proceed please?

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Dear Madam,

Excatly what amount owed to you are we speaking of?

We are owed about 2000 euros. I know this isn't a huge amount but there is a principle involved.I received an e mail today informing me that we are not alone and we know of at least five other landlords to whom rent has gone unpaid over the last few months. Could we take a joint action against him? All our villas are rented out at approximately 550 euros per month, so I would imagine that there are similar amounts involved for everybody. Also, there is a problem in retrieving our keys, this man has gone to ground and we are now faced with paying 100 euros to have our locks changed.