# Homes from hell - Dubai



## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Did anyone see it?

Homes From Hell | Week 26 Dubai Dreams - ITV Press Centre

Is the write up...


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

They actually allowed that show to be featured on the television here ???


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

No, it was on UKTV, But I'm sure some enterprising souls have downloaded it...


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> No, it was on UKTV, But I'm sure some enterprising souls have downloaded it...


I watched it and thanked God that I didn't move to Dubai. Sorry to say this but that place looks my idea of hell, with all the huge tall buildings. People moan about the problems with title deeds etc over here, but compared to some of the stuff that is happening in Dubai these problems are nothing.:eyebrows:


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

it was a piece of cheap journalism.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Veronica said:


> I watched it and thanked God that I didn't move to Dubai. Sorry to say this but that place looks my idea of hell, with all the huge tall buildings. People moan about the problems with title deeds etc over here, but compared to some of the stuff that is happening in Dubai these problems are nothing.:eyebrows:



The resprentations of Dubai on UK TV and in the press is very biased. Many of us live in low rise areas where there are no blocks of partments for miles. We live in relatively normal houses and normal streets. The whole city is NOT comprised solely of very tall buildings. Oh yeah, and we aren't all living shallow playboy lives. 

There are certainly a few dodgy developers, but there are now escrow acounts so there should be less problems than before. It does amaze me though that people hand over tend of thousands of pounds without property reading contracts or engaging a lawyer. I also wonder what makes people think that they are _titled_ to make a huge profit on property. Very odd mindset.

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## eastern star (May 18, 2010)

Hi dubai not the only place on the planet were you get rip off with dodgy developers , it happens everywhere. People are just silly to part with lots of cash for a empty space , more fool them . As for the people selling tickets for there home .Well you made your money let go ,least you got what you payed for it . And the family did the midnight run , call me thick if you dump your car, don't the police and other goverment lot have your details back home. So where next week homes from hell .


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

eastern star said:


> Hi dubai not the only place on the planet were you get rip off with dodgy developers , it happens everywhere. People are just silly to part with lots of cash for a empty space , more fool them . As for the people selling tickets for there home .Well you made your money let go ,least you got what you payed for it . And the family did the midnight run , call me thick if you dump your car, don't the police and other goverment lot have your details back home. So where next week homes from hell .


The rogues are everywhere I agree and we have had our fair share of them here in Cyprus. Probably next weeks destination for homes from hell. Ian Beaumont who was featured in the Dubai programme ripped off a lot of Brits here and fled the island with over 3 million pounds of other peoples money. How on Earth he keeps getting away with it and can now be openly doing business in Dubai is beyond me. Before he came here there was an arrest warrant out for him in Morocco for similar scams. Why do people continue to trust him and do business with him?
The thing that put me off Dubai is those huge high rise blocks. I know many ex pats will live in villas and not in those monsterous concrete phalanxes but its like New York and other cities with huge tower blocks. I hate them and would not want to live there.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

I love Tower Blocks


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Veronica said:


> . Ian Beaumont who was featured in the Dubai programme ripped off a lot of Brits here and fled the island with over 3 million pounds of other peoples money. How on Earth he keeps getting away with it and can now be openly doing business in Dubai is beyond me. Before he came here there was an arrest warrant out for him in Morocco for similar scams. Why do people continue to trust him and do business with him?


Part of the problem is the unwillingness of a lot of countries to share information. The UAE has attracted no end of scammers and unfortunately, unless you have previously heard of or come across certain individuals, it is unlikely that you would know at first glance that they are scammers. True, people should take care and do their research before handing over vast sums of money but normally common sense and our sixth sense get switched off as soon as we smell an opportunity to make money.

I feel sorry for the people who lost all their savings and were most likely looking for a place in the sun to which to retire but I have no sympathy for those that came in to make a quick buck, with the intention of going home as millionaires after just a few hours of work or those that got blinded by greed and started buying things that they could ill afford.

Dubai is constantly getting painted in a really bad light but reality is that we are victims of our own greed. The buyers were just as greedy as the developers...this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black! Just cause people make hasty decisions and their greed consumed them, it does not make it right to paint such a horrible picture of the place and blame everything on the Government. On the contrary, all that effort may be better invested in finding a solution to the current economic crisis.

P.S I'm not a fan of high rise towers either... my apartment block is actually very much low rise.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

I watched it, quick summary

1 - Couple with young child move to Dubai, husband works in advertising. They are renting, 12 cheques and have car loan with posted dated cheques. Husband is laid off and told to leave work immediately, tries to get another job in 30 day visa period but no luck. Gets scared of prison and they all leave in the middle of the night, car left at the airport.

2 - Annoying couple who sell snake oil/motivational courses bought in 2002 for 150,000 UKP, in 2008 their apartment was valued at 750,000 UKP. They want to leave Dubai now but think that they are special enough to bypass the recession and still want 750k. Now they are putting their house up for a raffle, tickets £75 - hope they have the necessary permits and this isn't classed as gambling. Anyway, whole peice is an advert for this raffle, bloke must have connections at ITV - also a lesson in how to hate someone severly off the telly that you haven't actually met. I really wish the worst for them.

3 - Scottish couple who run a B&B liked to holiday in Dubai as its sunny when they have to take their holidays off season, started looking for a an apt. Ended up buying off plan, and putting down half the money on an apt in some stupid Snowdome development in Dubailand. Obviously not started and money lost in development by 32 Group. They keep chasing the developer and getting no answers, programme steps in and are told they will be getting refund but it never materialises. 

4 - Welsh couple have been round the GCC a bit, always loved Dubai so buy off plan a flat in the Marina. Intend to live in Wales 6 months and Dubai for 6 months. Put up the money to an Emad Adly Ayoub developer, building never gets past the foundations and the Emad flees to a nice country house in Northampton. The investors get together and complain to interpol who put Emad Adly Ayoub on their wanted list, however the UK police can't arrest him unless the Dubai authorities ask them too. Programme catches up with him says that it was misfortunate his company went bust, and he will do his best to refund the money.

5 - Bloke buys a development offplan in Cyprus from afore mentioned Ian Beaumont. Has been chasing him for years and hears he is now in Dubai. Tracks him down and after panicking initally, Beaumont agrees to speak to him away from what looks like a car show room office. Beaumont says he has no money and sorry the Cyprus development went bust. 

6- Middle aged graphic designer can't afford to get on the UK property market. Goes on holiday to Dubai and likes it. Buys an apartment off plan in International City as it is fairly cheap and an investment. Unlike the developments already there it's some huge thing called Toronto Towers, not ever been started and guy has lost his money. Phones developers all the time and is eventually told he can transfer the paid deposit to a completed place in JBR but he can't afford to make up the difference. Is told he will start to receive a full refund in 18 months time.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

OK Comments

1 - Not much to say, can't really blame them for leaving and a victim of Dubai's antiquated method of credit control.

2 - Arseh*les

3 - Seemed a nice couple, lost a lot of their life savings and you can't help feel sorry for them. Up until the point of this stupid Snowdome development. I mean it's one thing to have an indoor ski slope, like say the ones in glamour hotspots like Tamworth, Milton Keynes or Braehead. It's another to think that some stupid thousand feet glass dome would be built with a f*ck off winter city underneath it. 

4 - Proper gutted for these folk, never were in it for the money and bought what they thought was safely - a two bed apartment in the Marina. Paid on time and sadly fell for all the "you are my very good friends" BS that comes with most cons/deals here. Weren't being greedy just naive and seemed geniunely nice people.

5 - Whether he has money or not, Ian Beaumont comes across are your average wideboy, Brit commission chaser in Dubai. Apart from that, nothing to do with Dubai

6 - Seemed a nice chap, felt sorry for him but as the bloke from Business Emirates said, buying off plan is high risk. Guess it's an even higher risk when they plans resemble something off of Bladerunner and no a realistic building.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Mr Rossi said:


> I watched it, quick summary
> 
> 1 - Couple with young child move to Dubai, husband works in advertising. They are renting, 12 cheques and have car loan with posted dated cheques. Husband is laid off and told to leave work immediately, tries to get another job in 30 day visa period but no luck. Gets scared of prison and they all leave in the middle of the night, car left at the airport.
> 
> ...



The programme makers have taken the usual position regarding Dubai and told half a story. My experience is that most people bought here without taking legal advice which is plain foolish anywhere in the world.

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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Elphy,

Why hasn'r Ian Beaumont been outed then? Surely it would be good journalism and good pr for the UAE to be kicking out the scum?


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> The programme makers have taken the usual position regarding Dubai and told half a story. My experience is that most people bought here without taking legal advice which is plain foolish anywhere in the world.
> 
> -


Not true. Why are developers who supposedly arent delivering after taking money not being punished in any way?
On the other hand, if an investor doesnt deliver his installments, he is liable to lose his investment....


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Tropicana said:


> Not true. Why are developers who supposedly arent delivering after taking money not being punished in any way?
> On the other hand, if an investor doesnt deliver his installments, he is liable to lose his investment....


How is that not true? And if I had put money up for an off plan development that wasn't being built according to the schedule I had as part of my contract I wouldn't continue paying either, just throwing good money away.

I can't believe you're taking the developers view here!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I think the like of Ian Beaumont and his partner Andrew Nolan belong behind bars but they seem to find a way to wriggle out of problems. Nolan and Beaumont got hold of title deeds for a beautiful piece of land which belongs to a Cypriot born family, whited out the owners name and subsituted their own names then 'sold' several off plan very expensive villas on this land before doing a runner. This is only one of the scams they were perpetrating here in Cyprus. If they ever come back here they will find themselves in jail but of course that will never happen.
They were also operating as an estate agent under the name of Peter Stevenson and later as exclusively international and in that capicity managed to scam many many more people. There are too many of these crooks around who don't care whose lives they ruin. Why can't the international community get together and do something about this sort of scum


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## wonderwoman (Nov 14, 2009)

i to live in a very nice apartment where everyone is friendly i woudlnt want to live anywhere else, i think unless you have lived in a place and experienced the culture and the environment how can you judge that place?? i love dubai and everything it has to offer


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Tropicana said:


> Not true. Why are developers who supposedly arent delivering after taking money not being punished in any way?
> On the other hand, if an investor doesnt deliver his installments, he is liable to lose his investment....


Yes, it is true. Most people who have bought property in Dubai did so without using a lawyer, as they did not have to do so.

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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Elphy,
> 
> Why hasn'r Ian Beaumont been outed then? Surely it would be good journalism and good pr for the UAE to be kicking out the scum?


According the the legal people at a certain newspaper there are 'legal complications'...

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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> According the the legal people at a certain newspaper there are 'legal complications'...
> 
> -


Maybe they should plant some drugs on him... Ooops!


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