# thinking of emigrating away from UK!!! HELP!!!



## KerryG (Nov 4, 2008)

Hi 

I am new to this board and wanted some advice and guidance from people who are already in Andalucia, Spain. Myself (aged 31) my husband (33) my son (4) are looking at options of relocating. Neither of us can speak the lingo but willing to sort out a course!

I have seen a number of properties around Martos and La Alcala Real but all in need of repair / renovation but up for a challenge!

What laws are there for renovating houses? do people have to have specific certificates etc for electrics, joinery etc?

My husband is a qualified joiner and locksmith in the UK and very good at it (even if i do say so myself!) so would do most of the work himself and his friends in different trades would help with everything else but are there jurisdictions in doing this?

What are the job availablity for joiners/locksmiths around these areas, as this would be what type of work he would be looking to do? What are the salaries like?

Also what schools are near this area for my son as we need to ensure there are the right facilties for him?

Thanks in advance

Kerry


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

So many questions. I guess you can buy properties and do themup, I dont know what rules are in place, but I do know they arent cheap to start (although property prices here are falling) and there are a lot of rules, regulations and legalities to be looked into when you buy. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along to help you with that.

Jobs are few and far between over here, there is mass unemployment amongst the Spanish, evenmore amongst the British. I know lots who are trying to scratch a living by gardening, cleaning pools, anything - and these are qualified tradesmen. IT is about the only thing thats up and coming over here, but you would need to be totally fluent I think.

Its no diferent or better here than the UK financially. In fact at least in the UK you have the social security system to fall back on in a crisis.

Think long and hard before buying. Maybe come out and have a look around, maybe even rent for a while to make sure its the right thing to do. Dont burn your UK bridges just yet

Jo


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

I concur with the good advice from Jo. However, I would just like to add that when purchasing a property to renovate, check, check AND check again that you're buying the WHOLE property and not part of it. When parents have passed away, the property is left to the offspring (if any), I've heard of one person purchasing a derelict property that was owned by 7 brothers.....unfortunately for the buyers, they only purchased 1/7th of the property!!!

Be VERY aware of scams!!!!


----------



## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

KerryG said:


> What laws are there for renovating houses? do people have to have specific certificates etc for electrics, joinery etc?
> 
> My husband is a qualified joiner and locksmith in the UK and very good at it (even if i do say so myself!) so would do most of the work himself and his friends in different trades would help with everything else but are there jurisdictions in doing this?


BE VERY VERY CAREFUL. The main issue is PERMITS and TAXES. In Spain you cannot simply "renovate". You would need to make sure BEFORE that all the work planned is permitted via the Town hall assessors.

Violation of this CAN result in demolition.

It's especially hazardous to go this path with RUSTIC properties - DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES believe an agent or THEIR lawyers. Many Properties are only there because of some prior PRIVATE agreement - but are in reality often illegal.

The other BIG downside in Spain is that OFTEN without the correct business papers you have problems buying materials at Wholesale. Counter/Cash sales are rare. make a friend of a local (and I'd recommend local Spanish ) Builder.


----------



## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Ok, see through dozens and dozens of similar answers and don't have a temper tantrum when you are told FACTS from people like pasanada and Chris 

1) If you intend to live in Martos you will have to speak Spanish. Punto. "Willing to sort out a course" is just not nearly enough. 

Martos is in deepest Jaén where they speak an incredible variant of Spanish - think heavy Geordie with a lisp, spoken from the back of the throat and leave out the "s". I have a friend who comes from just up the road from there, Torredonjimeno. I have to hang on to his every word. Alcalá la Real will be little better/different. Have you any idea just how far off the beaten track these places are? Are you sure that your child will cope being cut off from any contact with anybody who speaks English? Do you realise, that you are two and a half hours away from expatshire? 

2) Renovating? As Chris says, check everything for yourself and with an INDEPENDENT lawyer. Ask yourself why is it available? As you don't speak Spanish and know nobody there then you are at the mercy of the town hall. There is a Spanish expresiion "falta un papel" - if you don't know it or don't accept it .......don't come. It means "There is always one poxy little piece of paperwork missing. If you are "in" at the Town Hall this does not apply but if you are not and especially if you have upset the planning department (or in fact any other department) then you will go through hell. Your lawyer, advisor, gestor, bloke in the bar will tell you to ignore it and so you do until your house is precintado. At that stage they all disappoear into their offices or beers and you are left completely stuffed." Funny how 3 words in Spanish need such a long translation for those who do not speak the language!
Remember it - " falta un papel" 
3) With your husband's skills I would say he could survive on the coast - if he were prepared to work long hours for little pay among the expats. When you have finished your home who will employ him in deepest nowhere? Brits? - there are none Spanish? ¡Qué va! 

¡Os deseo mucha suerte! 

Steve


----------



## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

SteveHall said:


> As you don't speak Spanish and know nobody there then you are at the mercy of the town hall. If you are "in" at the Town Hall this does not apply but if you are not and especially if you have upset the planning department (or in fact any other department) then you will go through hell.


It does to no small extent depend WHICH bit of paper. It's however VERY rare since the Marbella scandals for ANYBODY to bend any rules ime, any more. 

In small towns - The Mayor, Deputy mayor and planning councillor are folk with power of signature. There will be a subcontracted assessor/architect - who normally say NO first if there's any doubt - and if so you wont get to them anyway - Unless of course you can plead your case in (rural) Spanish. 

I can confirm - Castillian will be a struggle for some rural types. I've just been to a family (my wife's Spanish) funeral in the wilds of Extremadura. Even between villages as close as 30kms away they have occasional issues. 

As "Honorary Guiri" I get spoken to slowly during these visits in regional Extremeño, and can JUST cope with those from my wifes village - Once you've been there a while - they'll hit you with the local version of Spanish at full speed. 

Oh btw - Certainly for electrical work - you'll need certification or the Insurance companies WILL NOT pay out if anything happens. It will open you for all sorts of civil suits. I'll guess the same applies to other branches like plumbing. Joinery I doubt - but timber as in joists/beams is not that common ime. Except VERY rural adobe type structures. 

Also make sure as well as a lawyer who's on you side - That it's all notarised.- Do not fall into the private deal trap - just to save a penny or two. BIG MISTAKE.


----------



## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

We had a look around Alcala La Real and Alcaudette when we first came here three years ago. Scenically it's a nice area with miles of olive trees everywhere. Houses are relatively cheap too. But it's very remote, and I'm not sure there's many Brits out there.

As far as the dialect goes I didn't know enough Spanish at the time to be able to notice a difference, but a lot of rural Andalucia does have strange variations. We live in Huescar (Granada) but locally it's pronounced "Wecka"......and a lot of other words get simarly *******ised, so it's sometimes necessary to do two translations. From the dialect, to classical Spanish, to English. And if you reply in classical Spanish you will get corrected to say it in the dialect form cos they think they're helping.
That's fine for around here, but if you go to somewhere like Madrid and start talking like that everybody will laugh at you. Cos to them you'll be the equivalent of the Julio Geordio character from The Fast Show....a Latino talking in a Geordie accent!

As I said, that area is very nice.....but as for work in your husband's trade, I wouldn't get your hopes up.


----------

