wrote on Jun 16^th, 2010 at 3:36pm:

I recently wrote to Nick Clegg about the cedula issue following a meeting he had with Zapatero last week. I copied the email to the Vice Consul, Mark Smithson, and received the reply below: "Thank you very much for your email. Although your email is not addressed to me I thought I should make you aware of the steps we have taken since we last spoke on the phone. On May 17, Andrew Gwatkin, Consul General, Manuel Vallve and myself met with Mr Joan-Vianney M. Arbeola i Rigau, Generalitat de Catalunya’s Head of the department for housing and the environment for the province of Tarragona. In that meeting we raised our concerns for the impact law 18/2007 (DOGC 5044) is having on British Nationals who in the absence of a “cedula de habitabilidad” are now unable to sell their properties. Mr Arbeola promised to inform the Catalan minister for Housing and environment of the situation. Since then, we have been in contact with the Generalitat de Catalunya and we are in the process of arranging a meeting with the Mr Baltassar, Catalan minister for housing and the environment. When this meeting takes place we will ask the minister for what advice should be given to British nationals who are no longer able to sell their properties. I will be in contact with you once the meeting has taken place to update you on the latest advice from the Generalitat. In the meantime, we would advice you to seek legal advice."

Just to follow up on the above Mark Smithson has been in contact to say they are having a meeting with 'Generalitat officials' on July 27th.

The latest information coming out of habitatge isn't good and looks at the moment like only properties that were on the land registry BEFORE 1984 will be issued with cedula's.  This is a tiny fraction of rural houses.  Debbie from the Olive Press has also let me know that she has been advised by a Spanish solicitor that the situation is getting worse as cedula's issued on rural properties within the past 4 years are now being reviewed and may be cancelled.

It's therefore really important that as many people as possible email Mark to express their concern and anger about the cedula situation BEFORE this meeting takes place.  It may be the only chance we get to get something done and to get across the scale of the problem.

email Mark Smithson at:
Mark.Smithson@fco.gov.uk