Interesting article Nigel and I'm sorry that these poor people have had such a negative experience.  I really hope that their court case brings them a satisfactory conclusion.

On a positive note I would like to say that the staff that we have dealt with for our purchase have been just the opposite of whatever 'pushy' is.

They have given us excellent advice and actually curbed our enthusiasm.  Because we are buying a listed building all the permissions are taking ages (still in Tortosa we think!) but it is (becoming increasingly) obviously better to be patient now  than experience the bulldozers of  bureaucracy!

Are local people becoming anti-British?  Or are the authorities just trying to stop illegal building?