We have moved the blog to www.spainsurvivalmanual.com where you can get free downloads and view job lists for expats.
See you there!
One of the most important pieces of advice I give in my book is that you should always seek professional advice rather than simply doing research on the internet of taking information from a guide book.
Listening to Brian Deller on REM.fm bought this home yet again as he mentioned the case of an expat involved in an accident who while legally using a UK licence had not had the medical that is required by law in Spain. Because of this, he says her licence was deemed invalid, she lost the case and her insurance would not pay.
I stopped looking when I read that UK licences were valid! So of course I will be straight down to Trafico tomorrow to get my licence changed.
And for those who kept them (like me) because they don´t need to be renewed until you are 70 will be disappointed to hear that they are talking of bringing in the same renewal procedures in the UK.
Brian Deller is author of Motoring in Spain and you can find his website at: www.spainvia.com
According to the website www.spanishtaxreclaim.co.uk
If you sold your property in Spain between 2003 and 2006 you could be entitled to reclaim thousands of pounds back of the Capital Gains Tax you paid.
In the past non-residents were liable for 35% capital gains tax on property sold in Spain compared to only 15% that was payable by residents. The EU has ruled that this was discriminatory and the rates were lowered to 18% with the resident rate increased to this same amount.
To qualify they state you must fulfill the following criteria:
- You sold a Spanish property between May 2004 and December 31st 2006.
- You were NOT a fiscal resident in Spain when you sold it.
- You paid the Capital Gain Tax to the Spanish Authorities.
- You sold your Spanish property as an individual; not as a company.
- You have, or can obtain, a copy of the Spanish Tax Form “Modelo 212” you completed when you sold the property
They also have a calculator on the site which allows you to estimate how much you are entitled to. Based on a €200,000 property purchased in October 2005 and sold for €250,000, they calculate you could be entitled to approximately €10,000! Not to be sniffed.
Rush over to their site and see if you qualify - www.spanishtaxreclaim.co.uk
Thanks to Steve Clark of www.euro-cheque.com for bringing this to our attention.
Need a new laptop or some computers accessories but find it impossible to navigate your way through the jargon in Spanish? Computer Pitstop is based in Spain but with English-speaking staff and some great bargains!
They have laptops starting from just €305.74 as well as pc accessories, MP3 players and more.
According to their website:
Computer Pitstop engineers are all qualified and certified to the highest standards set by companies such as Microsoft, CISCO and Linksys.
Visit their website at www.cheaplaptopsinspain.com to see what they have to offer.
For any new property buyers in Europe there is a new forumwww.thesnaggingforum.com which is dedicated to helping only withbuilding and construction issues and has lots of useful information,guides and photographs
Those expats who are living in Spain and have yet to renew their passport are in for a shock - as of the 9 January the prices have seen an increase in fees (doubtless due to the new biometric passports).
If an adult wants to renew a passport they will pay €170 plus 11€ courier fee for a 32 page passport or 206€ for a 48 page passport!
Even children´s passports are not exempt from the increase with an under 16 renewal costing 109€ plus courier fee.
Just want to change your details? It will still cost you 139 €.
Time to start saving then if your renewal is due in the next couple of years!
For more information on passports in Spain visit www.britishembassy.gov.uk
Talking of weddings..... Lyndyloo offer a professional wedding planning service in Spain for those who want someone to take care of all the details for them. With so many destinations to choose from in Spain it can be hard to know where exactly to go to make your wedding day truly special.
In their own words....
"With our base in Spain combined with our Local Knowledge and contacts, Lyndyloo can offer you an affordable Wedding either by choosing one of our wedding packages or use us to tailor make your bespoke wedding package around you, most of all within a realistic budget."
It can not be underestimated how helpful it can be to have someone with local knowledge to help you find a venue, process all the necessary paperwork, arrange flowers, hotels and the million and one things associated with weddings.
Visit their website at www.lyndylooinspain.com
I discovered recently that Gibraltar is becoming a popular wedding destination.
There is no requirement to be a resident and you simply need to turn up at the registry office to present your documents - just 24 hours before you want to get married.
For those who want to escape to get married, yet want an internationally recognised marriage certificate, in a destination that speaks English, Gibraltar could well be a good choice.
Once you are married you can simply walk across the border into Spain for your honeymoon!
For more information on Gibraltar visit: www.gibraltar.gi
Two new mobile phone operators have recently appeared to rival the big three - Movistar, Vodafone and Orange.
Simyo is trying to attract clients by offering just 9 cent per min to any operator or landline and Pepe Phone which will ´refund´every euro you spend on calls with flights.
Compare this to the likes of Vodafone which charges up to 56 cents per minute to call other operators including IVA depending on your ´plan´ and there is no doubt that these companies offer an attractive alternative with a one price fits all scheme.
The first real competition was Yoigo which still appears one of the best option as their website allows you to see all the fees including IVA, messages are in English, you can view your current call summary and costs online and call between Yoigo clients are only charged the connection fee, with no charge for the rest of the call.
Pepephone has a higher connection fee and calls between other Pepe Phone users cost 6 cents per minute. Their fees do not include IVA so this will be a little higher in reality. However, for those mobile users who have high mobile bills each month, this company offers an attractive proposition as you have the ´free´ flights option - each euro spent on your mobile equals one euro in flights.
Simyo does not have any ´cashback´scheme but does have cheap calls at just 9 cents per minute and 9 cents for SMS (not including IVA). Do not be put off by the €10 charge for a SIM charge as they give you 10 euros back when you join and a further €10 if you bring your number.
Yoigo has the lowest connection fee at only 12 cents but calls are also charged at 12 cents per minute unless you are calling another Yoigo mobile in which case it is free.
Confused? Each has its benefits depending on how you use your mobile:
- Pepe Phone: Good for those with high mobile phone bills who will take advantage of the ´free flights´
- Simyo: Good for those who tend to make long phone calls and will benefit from the lower per minute charge
- Yoigo: Good for those who make short calls with the lowest connection fee and for those who have friends and family on Yoigo as the calls will be free.
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