http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=536195

my only adivise to anyone thinking of buying in Goa is dont!!!!! i brought my apartment in 2002 had done everything legally, correct visa, transfered money from UK to bank in india, done the 183days as stated by the government, now all people that have brought legally are being investigated which we have been in 2007, and still the government will not let me sell. if you open a company you have to pay tax even if you dont trade because if you dont trade they consider it not to be an legitimate business!!!
and you have to be given a long term business visa and cleared by the RBI.
those people who were conned into buying properties on 6 month tourist visas will never own their homes as they have done everything illegal you only have to look on the ex pats site to see what nightmares we are going through and maybe losing our homes!!!sorry so many people are trying to get out, sir trevor macdonald is doing a show on this subject and his researchers are taking calls and emails from people in our situation ther is also a petition being put forward to the PM in UK

I know what you are saying Thirdparty, but as we have had genuine family amd friends staying as often as we have, who is to know? We will still use it and will probably only let it at Xmas and Easter in any case. We have a property letting company in the Uk and will put all of the monies through this company, thus paying tax in the UK. As the money will never leave the UK, who is to know what we are doing? We fully expect to have to walk away in a few years in any case, as I say we may as well get some of our cash back first. One thing though we will definitely be in Goa less and will spend less there in future.

Eddie Fernandes from the "GoanVoice" eddie@fernandes.u-net.com would like to hear from any property owners FN's who are experiencing problems selling their properties, the BBC radio is doing a show on the subject and would like to interview people,your identities will be concealed, if you wish.
He also wants peoples stories of their own various situations and dealings with the goan government and the problems with selling etc. again your identities will be concealed.
please e-mail him we need all the support we can muster.

Just out of interest- how many own property in Goa? Are you at all worried about the present situation re ownership?

We are in that situation, and I think that everyone like us is concerned. We do not let our apartment, but are considering doing so from next year, in order to get some of our cash back to the UK. If we have to walk away I am certain that none of the nearly two dozen friends and family who have stayed with us over the last few years will ever go back to India. However, I think that some of the politicians are so desparate for votes, that I think that they will try to confiscate properties if they can.

I am fed up reading in the Goan papers about how foreigners are stealing their heritage. You only have to look at the state of some of the old Portuguese houses to see how much they really value their heritage. Some of the buildings in Panjim are literally falling down around their ears, but nobody cares. They would rather believe the racist rhetoric spouted by a few corrupt politicians and the rags that pass for newspapers in Goa. I do not believe that this is the view of the majority of the Goans, but there seems to be an ever increasing minority who are of the same opinion. I feel it is only a matter of time before Goa changes beyond all recognition, I am sorry to say.

The present situation will not stop us going to our apartment, but we will spend less time there in the future and will certainly spend less as well. I suspect that many people feel the same.

I don't own property in Goa but my ex' owns a timeshare which she kindly lets me use. It was intended that more use would be made of it, but that's not the case due to the Goa 'bug' wearing off, increased management charges and the major changes in North Goa. It will probably be sold (if that's possible).... anyone know of any timeshare sales sites?

We had thought of buying but quickly realised that the whole Indian/British situation was volatile. I've met many people who so desperately wanted to buy property in Goa and told them to think seriously about it. For a little bit of research on the internet and word of mouth in Goa you will always find somewhere to rent. I suppose it's the security/convenience aspect that people want.

In spite of all I have said about building etc in Goa, I DO feel sorry for those who have bought in Goa and find themselves at risk of losing everything that they have worked hard for and for having their dreams shattered. We, like Neil did consider the option many years back but after seeing a friend of ours ripped off big time, decided it was a can of worms and decided when the time comes for longer term visits (if we still go there) we will rent. I am not a racist but I do wonder if the UK was wise to allow so many asians to set up home here over the decades past - after all India doesn't want us to buy there, they have made that very clear. Definitely a case of double standards. I do hope people get their title deeds eventually or at least can sell their property and get their money out. As Sandyboy said too, a lot of the older Portuguese properties would just be a dust mound had they not been re-built or re-furbished by foreigners - they themselves don't have the money or the inclination to do this. At least these properties have been saved for posterity even if it has been at someone elses expense - another reason for some of them to gloat no doubt. The art of getting something for nothing seems to have been perfected over there. Anyhow, good luck to those who are in this dreadful position - hope there is some good news for you all soon.

Yes - we have done so for a while. Not losing any sleep over the situation as we paid about the same as a new car for it and anyway I don't want the stress of thinking about it. Read about what everybody thinks is going to happen but until it does - then what's the point of worrying.
Lots of people have paid lots more money than us and they have also taken mortgages out to buy them so I do feel sorry for them as they, like us, we taken in by builders, lawyers, the government who took fees and the stamp duty etc. Not going to get into the discussions about "we should have known better etc" as I have been quite happy living in my apartment and hope to do so for time to come. (and I havn't got my head buried in the sand).

FOREIGNERS AND PROPERTY PROBLEMS IN GOA
Threatened confiscation of property of FN's
henriette.harrison@bbc.co.uk you and yours BBC radia 4 is doing a programme on this subject abd would like to hear from anyone having problem it is strictly confidential, please contact her with your details and a summary of your case by wed 21st.thank you poppetjay

I certainly wouldn't be saying, " you should have known better." I looked at it a few years ago and thankfully got an Indian lawyer who insisted I could not own property in Goa. The whole situation is so complicated and a total nightmare for many.

Although the whole situation is very confusing, I believe that a foreigner can own property in India. It is land that foreigners cannot own. I know many people who have their deeds and have paid all of the stamps and taxes. The problem now is that the Goan mafia, sorry Government, are preventing these legally owned properties from being sold. The problem with India in general and Goa in particular, is that you hear so many contradictory stories that nobody knows what to believe. All I know is that a family from Kerela have recent bought a house beside me. They are a nice family, and I have no problems with them, but I do question why I cannot do the same thing in India. If I wrote to the local newspapaer here demanding that their house be confiscated, I would be lucky to have any windows left in my house, and would rightly face prosecution.

is it not the case though that the proceeds of the sale cannot be taken out of the country? Is that why sales are being stopped?

Fiona I believe that the same amount of money legally imported in to the country can be taken out again, it is the surplus that cannot be repatriated. I really think that it is something more sinsister than this. If people were allowed to sell, the Government would get taxes and stamp duties both from the seller and the buyer. Why would the Government turn money down, I have never heard of any Government anywhere in the world turning down an easy source of revenue. I really do expect them to start confiscating properties, begining with the Portuguese houses which have land attached. Think of how much would be going around in bribes when this starts.

sorry- of course you are right- I should have said the profits from the sale

we purchased in 2002 and are now under investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement.
Why I don't know - we had a 5 year x visa. monies certified by banking channels. 183 days in financial year. etc. etc. We have been told that we cannot sell the property as we are unable now to comply with the 183 days on an x visa, as new 5 year x are no longer issued. As somebody else pointed out our home in Goa cost as much as a new car, and that would depreciate in value. We have had 6 6month holidays out of it, and hope to have many more. Just going to tomorrow on BBC radio 4 keith Vaz and eddie from goanvoice. on You and Yours 12-1 with people who are unhappy with the current purchasing situation. If you miss the programme you can hear it again online - Radio 4 YOU AND YOURS

Advertising the problems re purchase should stop others from buying hopefully. And I hope they do something about agents who do not tell the whole truth when selling Indian property. I don't have much faith though in the situation changing for those caught up in it all now though. I don't suppose you have either though

Fiona we have got to shout out loud for people NOT to purchase in Goa. Please friends listen to those of us who are caught in this black hole. It is very upsetting your retirement savings may go down the pan, but the worst is the stress you live under.
It is no good you going to Advocates, as no two give the same advice. Not like in the UK were you have comeback on the Solicitors.
Developers and Agents should be stopped being allowed to sell in this country, our Government should step in and ban them from selling Goan properties to FNs.

Good news !!!!!!

Sign this petition from 10 Downing street, it needs 200 signatures for the prime minister to get involved in the situation.

http://www.petitions.pm.gov.uk/goa-properties/

There are already 187 signatures and there must be lots of people who still don't know about this petition, if anyone has trouble getting into the site conact me via a PM message.

Don't listen to all the rumours, our silicitor has told us there is no way the Goan goverment will take your property away from you, the only person legally allowed to take property, if something has been done illegally, is the Indian Prime Minister. So hold tight guys it might not be as bad as the scaremongers are making out, also on the bright side there is no where in FEMA which says a foriegner cannot buy property in India / Goa and it does not say you have to have an X visa to buy either. Don't forget Goa is only a state ( yes i know a real state ) and when all said and done they will have to do as the Indian goverment tell them.

Regards

Mike