I have just heard the latest from my friends (who are going to Goa in late January) about some other friends of their's who have recently moved back from Goa and it's dreadful beyond belief, even though in hindsight they have been very naive indeed.
Their friend's family have recently won a substantially amount of money on the national lottery and have given them a million which they decided to put towards starting a new life in Goa. The husband, who has been to Goa many times before, was friendly with a taxi driver who usually texts him every year at Christmas etc and was essentially almost like his personal chauffeur whenever he is in Goa. As he knew him for many, many years, he entrusted the taxi driver to help him find someone to build a villa for him, and open an Indian bank account. Unfortunately they didn't get a solictor of their own to check anything and soon found out afterwards the taxi driver has signed the property to himself and put the money into his own account. The couple were staying elsewhere whilst the property whilst it was being built, which I believe was absolutely spectacular, but once it was completed the taxi driver told them that the villa in his name, as was the money. Currently the husband is still in Goa trying to sort this out while the wife is back in the UK in rented accommodation doing likewise.
Personally I think they have been very stupid indeed. My friends say that there is nothing they can do about it as house is in the taxi driver's name and it is up to the couple to prove that the property is theirs, as well as the money not being a gift. However, at the very least, there are records of the money being transferred from the UK to India and, who would in their right mind give their entire life savings to someone as a gift. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what they should do next? Personally I think they should go to the papers maybe and see if something might come out of it, as well as obviously see a solictor in the UK although I don't reckon much on their chances. ...Like someone said in an earlier post, Goa is a poor country and it's hardly suprizing for something like this to happen especially if you got someone who has nothing at all to sort out all your financial undertakings in a foreign land. That said, this could happen in any country not just Goa.
edit
names removed to protect against libel
Fiona ht mod
Give a Goan advocate the promise of a large sum if he fixes it, along with money for bribes. They will have more money that the taxi driver, and in the end it will come down to who can pay the most bribes. The problem will be if he sells it, they need a judge to put an order on it preventing sale.
I open myself to serious criticism through this post but what has to be said " needs " to be said.
At the outset one must understand that you are in foreign country and its easy to be taken for a ride. Society in India is split up into many segments with most lines being drawn on the caste/profession system rather than your wealth as opposed to other parts of the world where the biggest divide is Race !
Dignity of labour is something that does not exist in Goa and a Plumber or a Truck driver is looked down upon as they come from the lowest part of society for any local Goan. And then comes a patient of mine who swears that he could entrust his life into the hands of this man who has lived hand to mouth for most of his life and puts his life savings into his hands and says to him I want to buy some land and build a house or setup some business. Obviously a foreginer cannot ( without due process ) own land on his own name so he looks to someone local. Who better than the local taxi driver who spends 10 hours a day with you of your 2 week holiday and whom you think you can trust.
Now think about this... you are talking about taxi drivers and waiters who earn about 30 pound a month. You give them a chance of a lifetime to own property and perhaps some cash ... what would you do if you were in his shoes ?
There are exceptions to what I am saying and I mean no offense to anyone here who is succesfully running some venture or co- owning a property but this is happening everyday. Loads of tourists come to Goa, love the place and want to buy property/apartments. You have 2 maybe 3 weeks in Goa. How much information can you gather ( the legal side ) to execute a proper sale.
Foreigners cannot Buy property here without going through due process. I will end with a line of my own. There are only 2 people you can really trust...One is yourself and the other one is the Almighty.
At the outset one must understand that you are in foreign country and its easy to be taken for a ride. Society in India is split up into many segments with most lines being drawn on the caste/profession system rather than your wealth as opposed to other parts of the world where the biggest divide is Race !
Dignity of labour is something that does not exist in Goa and a Plumber or a Truck driver is looked down upon as they come from the lowest part of society for any local Goan. And then comes a patient of mine who swears that he could entrust his life into the hands of this man who has lived hand to mouth for most of his life and puts his life savings into his hands and says to him I want to buy some land and build a house or setup some business. Obviously a foreginer cannot ( without due process ) own land on his own name so he looks to someone local. Who better than the local taxi driver who spends 10 hours a day with you of your 2 week holiday and whom you think you can trust.
Now think about this... you are talking about taxi drivers and waiters who earn about 30 pound a month. You give them a chance of a lifetime to own property and perhaps some cash ... what would you do if you were in his shoes ?
There are exceptions to what I am saying and I mean no offense to anyone here who is succesfully running some venture or co- owning a property but this is happening everyday. Loads of tourists come to Goa, love the place and want to buy property/apartments. You have 2 maybe 3 weeks in Goa. How much information can you gather ( the legal side ) to execute a proper sale.
Foreigners cannot Buy property here without going through due process. I will end with a line of my own. There are only 2 people you can really trust...One is yourself and the other one is the Almighty.
Hi, colie1, this has happened before to a friend of mine - a German lady who has been visiting Goa for nigh on 20 years! She was good friends with a local staff member of one of the hotels there. Now, this staff member had apparently some problem / medical ailment with her vocal cords and her voice had turned kind of squeaky. She told my friend that the doctor had said that it was on account of stress generated by living with her married brother and his family and she did not have the money to buy a separate apartment. And the story was the same each year, till finally, after a few years of hearing this story, my friend wsa moved enough to give her a loan of enough money to buy an apartment of her own. It was to be an interest free loan and was to be returned in due course of time. Time passed, the apartment was bought, and the staff member seemed to be doing well. Also, guess what my friend found out from others - the apartment was leased out to tourists every year. And the lady made no sign of returning the money. When my friend finally asked for the money to be returned, the lady said, 'oh i thought it was a gift!'. You can guess the reaction of my friend. She was most upset - there was no paper / paper work to support her, only good faith. But she found a good lawyer in Panjim, who helped her out. She won the case, and the money was returned in due course - a year or so. While I agree that your friend and mine are pretty naive, I would like to look upon them more generously and say that they have far more faith in the goodness of people, than I do. Should you need the contact number of a good lawyer, let me know. I dont know if he can help out, but perhaps your friend can meet him or speak to him and get a legal opinion.
Bests, Smartpati
Bests, Smartpati
Unfortunately there are only a few people that I would trust in Goa, I have had my fair share of disappointments.. For example one person who I had worked with for 8 months - decided to rip me off about 30,000 Rs/- and others who try it on at any chance they can. I'm not saying everyone is like that but it seems to be more apparent in Goa than anywhere else I have been. I have given over £1500 to friends here with the understanding that it will be paid back, but I have ONLY given it with the thought that it might never be paid back. Nothing in life is certain so I always consider that money given will not be returned, then if it is returned, it's a bonus and friendships and trust can be generated, if it isn't then you know not to give in the future.
It would be a sad world if we couldn't trust anyone...
It would be a sad world if we couldn't trust anyone...
well said Goandentist. Never a truer word said. me and the missus thought of buying an appartment in Goa and use 'our' taxi driver to help us thru , as much as we get on with him and contact him when we are at home, we thought better of it. At the end of the day the workers in Goa are in it for as much as they can get, its the same the world over.
By the way my wife is very pleased with her teeth and our friends and family are amased at the change in her smile.
Neil
By the way my wife is very pleased with her teeth and our friends and family are amased at the change in her smile.
Neil
I agree with what others have said. I have been going there for years but would trust no-one fully, also crime is on the increase, a few years ago you never heard of any crime! Enjoy their friendship but don't share your cash!! Don't forget, there are a lot of outsiders now in Goa, many from Kashmir and Karnataka, it can be quite difficult to find a true Goan!
Thanks Goandentist and Rob for sharing your thoughts on this matter, I hope it stops many others from being taken for a ride
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