14 Jan 2014 3:07 PM:

I have heard/read about something similar regarding a non-resident certificate if you owned a car at your holiday home.  I have a bank account here in Spain and pay x amount every two years for the bank to apply for a certificate.  I believe it's dealt with by the local police.

Does this mean that I should apply for this certificate, take it to my bank for them to take a copy and keep it with my other car documents to show police/gardia civil/traffico office should I be stopped?

This all get very confusing, last year when this was first broached it was also claimed that non-res cert only lasted 3 month, then I heard that if had to be applied for at Alicante and it lasted 5 years.

Thread: moving at the start of 2014 (hopefully)

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14 Jan 2014 12:08 PM:

Your NIE is similar to your National Insurance number in the UK.  I believe this stands for National Identity so I'd be surprised if it's only valid for 3 months.  You need this unique number if you want to work in Spain, buy a property or a car.  I have to quote this number when I pay my non-resident tax, I've also been asked for this number for my utility bills and when having work done on the house.

I always thought the padron was only valid for 3 months from date of issue but maybe things have changed since I bought a house 10 years ago.

 

Thread: moving at the start of 2014 (hopefully)

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07 May 2013 6:26 PM:

I wasn't sure about buying a car but finally took the plunge 31/2 years ago when hire charges went through the roof.

Within 2 years what I would have paid in hire fees paid for the car, now it's just the annual cost of running it.

My husband told me that when we come out in July it would cost us 790e for a Nissan Micro, still more than we are paying yearly.

Any fuel we put in the car is still there for our next visit and I can also get a bus to the airport so no longer have to pay airport  storage fee.

Best decision we made, should have done it sooner. 

Thread: Having a car in Spain for Hilidays - Is it a viable option

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29 Mar 2013 9:05 AM:

Reading through your answers it appears that the only area that you need to check fully is the healthcare.

As you are both under retirement age then you may have to go down the route of applying for the new health insurance deal offered or being offered by the foreign office.  Haven't heard much about it lately and having reached retirement age it doesn't affect me so I haven't researched it fully.

Currently Spain is having problems with the cost of supplying medication to pensioners.  If you or your partner have to take regular medication then this could cause an extra expense.  It's still in the early stages but the new system is earnings related.  Only those pensioners with a low income are exempt or pay a minimal amount per year.

Having friends who live in the area should give helpful advice regarding yearly living expenses.  If you have enough income to cover this and the healthcare then give it a go.  You have a foothold in UK so if it doesn't work then you can return.

The only other plus item for renting rather than buying is what would happen if the worst case scenario should happen.  Have you researched the inheritance tax, this will be high for your age and marital status.  I believe the costs are reduced if you are a pensioner, married and have been resident in Spain for x amount of years.  This tax has to be paid before the property can be sold.  Joint bank accounts are also frozen when the death certificate is taken to bank.  This explains why the Spanish don't rush to legally register the death certificate. 

I found the books by David Searl, buying a property in Spain and you and the law in Spain very helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thread: moving at the start of 2014 (hopefully)

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01 Jan 2013 11:21 AM:

 Here in Costa Blanca Iberdola sent out registered letters to all household which need to have the ICP fitted.  I received 2 notifications when I arrived at Easter that a registered letter was awaiting collection but as the dates had passed I never collected them.  Instructions of what to do were included with a bill so I followed them.

A friend who lives near by never received anything as her house was built in 2002/2003.

There were reports that anyone who didn't have the ICP fitted would be paying higher bills as they would be increasing the charges by default to encourage consumers to conform.  

My neighbours have returned to UK, I collect their mail and forward it to them on my return.  They never had the ICP fitted and I've often seen yellow registered letter notifications in the post for them and the previous owners of the house.  The amount of electricity they use each year is minimal as it's only turned on when estate agent shows someone around.

T - When and if Endessa wants you to put an ICP in then you will definately know.  

As I said previously it will be up to the individual consumers to decide whether they need to upgrade to 5.5.  If I was having a lot of problems then I would definately upgrade.

Thread: What happened to the ICP?

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