# Moving to costa del sol



## Bevfly (Jun 23, 2013)

Hi I am looking for any help or advice,we have just sold our house in the uk and are looking at moving over end of august,we need help on how to buy a used car,wanting to rent a furnished place for 6 months,and what do we need to do,ie do we need a spanish bank account if we are only renting or is it mostly if you are buying a place,what documents to we need for buying a car or for anything else,any help and advice is very much appreciated thank you x


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Bevfly said:


> Hi I am looking for any help or advice,we have just sold our house in the uk and are looking at moving over end of august,we need help on how to buy a used car,wanting to rent a furnished place for 6 months,and what do we need to do,ie do we need a spanish bank account if we are only renting or is it mostly if you are buying a place,what documents to we need for buying a car or for anything else,any help and advice is very much appreciated thank you x


Hi and welcome. First you need to become residents, so you need to rent a place and then get the all important NIE numbers, for which you'll need to prove income and helathcare provision - then you need to find a car to buy, using a garage may be easier as buying a car in Spain is nothing like it is in the UK and you will probably need help - either form a reputable garage or hiring a Gestoria. 

Jo xxx


----------



## Bevfly (Jun 23, 2013)

Hi Jo,


Thank for your welcome and advice,when you are just starting it call all be so daunting as theres so much to organise at home before you leave then you have the added stress of not knowing everything you need to do in spain,but thank you very much xx


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Bevfly said:


> Hi Jo,
> 
> 
> Thank for your welcome and advice,when you are just starting it call all be so daunting as theres so much to organise at home before you leave then you have the added stress of not knowing everything you need to do in spain,but thank you very much xx


Well first things first, have a good look through the forum. Theres bound to be information on here that you're wondering about. But do feel free to ask anything and I'm sure they'll be someone on here who will help

Jo xxx


----------



## DaveC70 (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi for renting you do not need an NIE at first (I did not). But to buy a car from a Dealer you will need the NIE. 

Also for car insurance you will need the NIE and also a Spanish Bank account.


----------



## HarryB (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi. We are from Fife too! Where about do you live? We used to live in Spain, but came home to Fife. We lived in CDS and had kids in Spanish school. Just ask if there is anything you thinki could help with. X


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Bevfly said:


> Hi I am looking for any help or advice,we have just sold our house in the uk and are looking at moving over end of august,we need help on how to buy a used car,wanting to rent a furnished place for 6 months,and what do we need to do,ie do we need a spanish bank account if we are only renting or is it mostly if you are buying a place,what documents to we need for buying a car or for anything else,any help and advice is very much appreciated thank you x


There's a lot of car info in the FAQ thread (post 4). The first post is about getting an NIE and residency certificate and the the last 2 links in post number one are about the financial requirements that you need to fulfill.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

I am also moving to the Costa Del Sol from Scotland (I'm due to arrive there on Tuesday!).

Add me to the list of people you can contact if you need any help, even if I'm not that far ahead of you!

I've managed to secure furnished accommodation without much issue, so if you need any advice just let me know


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Bevfly said:


> Hi I am looking for any help or advice,we have just sold our house in the uk and are looking at moving over end of august,we need help on how to buy a used car,wanting to rent a furnished place for 6 months,and what do we need to do,ie do we need a spanish bank account if we are only renting or is it mostly if you are buying a place,what documents to we need for buying a car or for anything else,any help and advice is very much appreciated thank you x


Before buying a car you need an address and, officially, to be on the Padron (that is the register of residents of the town - this is different from residencía which is in respect of the country). You will need a copy of that that for the registration of the car because car tax in Spain (VEL in UK) is collected by the Ayuntamiento of where the car is registered. The car tax is due on the 1st January each year so, by now, should have been paid by the previous owner unless the vehicle has been sat in the dealers yard all this time (in which case, you want to know why?) There is normally no provision for apportionment of the tax unless you make that agreement with the seller.

Avoid, where possible, back-street dealers and private sales. You need documentary evidence that all fines, etc have been paid and that there are no outstanding loans against the car. Don't be fooled into using anybody simply because they are Brits and speak the same language as you (always bear in mind that you are more likely to be ripped off by a Brit than a Spaniard, why? because the Spaniard probably has a house, family and other ties to where he is, but the Brit may have few or even no ties to that place and could well be hundreds of miles away by tomorrow with YOUR money!)

You will also need an address for the car insurance which, in Spain with a Spanish insurer, usually includes breakdown and recovery. Some people swear by Linea Directa (Direct Line) because they can speak English, but I've heard that they are fine until you need to make a claim.

My recommendation is, wait until you get here, hire a car for a week or two to give you a little breathing space (make sure you pay for CDW - it is easy to have the odd scrape with an unfamiliar vehicle in unfamiliar territory). Take a look at the types of vehicles that are commonest in the area you want to live (here, they are are mostly small MPVs, e.g. Renault Express, Berlingo, Partner, Kangoo, Opel Combi, VW Caddy) because that is most likely the most appropriate vehicle for the area. Many cars here are much older than in the UK. To get some idea of the age of vehicles: the registration numbers changed September 2000 (13 years ago!) from {1 or 2 letters, 4 digits, up to 3 letters} to the current format {4 digits, 3 letters}. The 3 letters started off in 2000 with 'B', 'D' is about 2005, 'G' is around 2008/9 and so on (mine is a 2008 Peugeot Partner reg: GDM). Before buying take a look at what the main dealers have to offer (their prices can often be better than the other non-franchised dealers) because their after-sales service will be far better and unless you have a private garage, DiY servicing in the street is illegal here.

Have a look at 
AutoScout24: Coches de ocasión, vehículos usados, coche segunda mano which covers private sales as well as dealers to give you an idea of the current prices for secondhand vehicles (coches de ocasión) in your area.


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

Bevfly said:


> Hi I am looking for any help or advice,we have just sold our house in the uk and are looking at moving over end of august,we need help on how to buy a used car,wanting to rent a furnished place for 6 months,and what do we need to do,ie do we need a spanish bank account if we are only renting or is it mostly if you are buying a place,what documents to we need for buying a car or for anything else,any help and advice is very much appreciated thank you x


Hi Bevfly!
If you stay exactly 6 months you do not need a Spanish bank account, an NIE or any of the other things mentioned above. If you stay 6 months and one day, you do need them!
My advice would be to keep your British car for the time being and only commit yourself on the day when your 6 months holiday ends!
KISS (Keep it simple Sweetie).
PS I am ONLY calling you Sweetie because it sounds so much better than Stupid!


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

peterinmalaga said:


> Hi Bevfly!
> If you stay exactly 6 months you do not need a Spanish bank account, an NIE or any of the other things mentioned above. If you stay 6 months and one day, you do need them!
> My advice would be to keep your British car for the time being and only commit yourself on the day when your 6 months holiday ends!
> KISS (Keep it simple Sweetie).
> PS I am ONLY calling you Sweetie because it sounds so much better than Stupid!


not quite......

if you're here/plan to be here more than 90 days you have to register as resident

to do that you have to prove that you can financially support yourself

to do that you need to show regular transfers/a decent balance in a SPANISH bank account - you might be able to open one with a passport, but many banks will now want a NIE

& show healthcare provision too, of course


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

peterinmalaga said:


> Hi Bevfly!
> If you stay exactly 6 months you do not need a Spanish bank account, an NIE or any of the other things mentioned above. If you stay 6 months and one day, you do need them!
> My advice would be to keep your British car for the time being and only commit yourself on the day when your 6 months holiday ends!
> KISS (Keep it simple Sweetie).
> PS I am ONLY calling you Sweetie because it sounds so much better than Stupid!


*That is seriously bad advice!*

From your initial post you are intending to move to Spain, not just dip your toe in the water and move back.

As Xabia has said, you *do* need an NIE, and you *will need *a Spanish bank account for the reasons given by her (you must register as a resident within 90 days). 

Once you have registered, it becomes illegal for you to have and/or use a foreign registered vehicle so you have two choices, sell it (for peanuts - RHD vehicles have little value) or have it put onto Spanish plates (homologation) which depending on whether it is a bog standard model that would have been sold in Spain (may cost you a couple of hundred Euros for headlight conversion, etc.) or a model not sold in Spain or one that has had modifications, in which case homologation could cost you €1000 or more. In addition, there may be import tax to pay depending on the vehicle's age, its value and how long you have owned it. By then you may well have spent more than you would have buying a second-hand Spanish car and the British car will still only have a value of peanuts. A RHD car causes problems in that you may well have difficulty with car park barriers and the line of sight from the "wrong side" is difficult for overtaking and seeing round corners. You will have 90 days grace to do whatever you choose to do to a UK reg car before you run the risk of having it impounded and destroyed. The best route is to sell the uK car in UK and buy a Spanish car here.

One item I missed on my previous post about buying a Spanish car is the paperwork. This is best handled by a gestor (a job that seems to be unique to Spain) who will handle everything for you (for a [relatively] small fee). Basically he/she is a facilitator cum errand 'boy'. He/she will know what has to be done, where it has to be done and what strings need to be pulled to get everything done quickly, calmly and efficiently. Another advantage of buying from a main dealer is they will often have a trustworthy gestor that they frequently use and they may even cover the gestor's fees.


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> *That is seriously bad advice!*
> 
> From your initial post you are intending to move to Spain, not just dip your toe in the water and move back.
> 
> ...


This is not correct. You only need a NIE etc if you either live in Spain or own a house here. Many people come over for an extended holiday of several months to test the water and that is the wisest thing to do. Before you commit to becoming resident and buying property, you need to find out a lot more about Spain and find out if you would feel OK here. Spanish inheritance laws are different in different parts of Spain and can be quite punitive for some people in some areas. But you don't need to bother about that until you have tested the water.
Thousands of Germans live on the campsites and apartments around Denia for many months in the winter year after year and that is enough for them. They don't have a NIE or a Spanish bank account. I would advise anyone to give Spain (or any other foreign country) a trial run of several months before deciding whether they want to live here definitively. It's just common sense when you are investing your life savings in the country, especially at a time when it is very hard to sell a house or flat in Spain.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

peterinmalaga said:


> This is not correct. You only need a NIE etc if you either live in Spain or own a house here. Many people come over for an extended holiday of several months to test the water and that is the wisest thing to do. Before you commit to becoming resident and buying property, you need to find out a lot more about Spain and find out if you would feel OK here. Spanish inheritance laws are different in different parts of Spain and can be quite punitive for some people in some areas. But you don't need to bother about that until you have tested the water.
> Thousands of Germans live on the campsites and apartments around Denia for many months in the winter year after year and that is enough for them. They don't have a NIE or a Spanish bank account. I would advise anyone to give Spain (or any other foreign country) a trial run of several months before deciding whether they want to live here definitively. It's just common sense when you are investing your life savings in the country, especially at a time when it is very hard to sell a house or flat in Spain.



you're wrong...

legally, after 90 days you are considered resident & have to register as such .. & when you register as resident they issue you with a NIE

that's a requirement

yes, I know a lot of people don't - but down the line they are only storing up problems for themselves

what happens if they get sick? 

the EHIC only covers holidays - after 90 days you're no longer officially on holiday (registered or not) so you can't legally use the EHIC.... & yes, I know that people do - but I also know that hospitals are getting wise to this now & are refusing to accept the card - upfront payment is often required

unfortunately because this has been abused so much in the past, some _genuine _holidaymakers are being made to pay


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Sorry Peter, I'm new here but even I know that Baldy is rarely wrong when it comes to this kind of thing, and he strikes me as someone who does things by the book, which is the best way to go about it I think.

I'm sure the way you've described _can_ be done, but it may not be the best way to go about things.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

peterinmalaga said:


> This is not correct. You only need a NIE etc if you either live in Spain or own a house here. Many people come over for an extended holiday of several months to test the water and that is the wisest thing to do. Before you commit to becoming resident and buying property, you need to find out a lot more about Spain and find out if you would feel OK here. Spanish inheritance laws are different in different parts of Spain and can be quite punitive for some people in some areas. But you don't need to bother about that until you have tested the water.
> Thousands of Germans live on the campsites and apartments around Denia for many months in the winter year after year and that is enough for them. They don't have a NIE or a Spanish bank account. I would advise anyone to give Spain (or any other foreign country) a trial run of several months before deciding whether they want to live here definitively. It's just common sense when you are investing your life savings in the country, especially at a time when it is very hard to sell a house or flat in Spain.


As others have said, your advice , although well-meant, is msleading and wrong.
Yes, you should do all the things you mention but you can do them without breaking the law.
Yes, thousands of people of all nationalities live here illegally. But that doesn't make it right, does it?
My son and dil own property here but are UK-based. But they got their NIEs well before purchasing.
Not everyone who lives here is investing 'life savings' either. Personally, at this point in time, I'd say that was very unwise. We certainly haven't.
When I first moved here, seeing cars with UK or German plates which were obviously owned by residents or people here for several months, didn't use to bother me but it sure as hell does now! Apart from not complying with the law and not paying due taxes, how are we to know that these vehicles have been properly maintained and are insured?
Spain deserves more respect. It isn't a 'suck-it-and-see' country, a sort of bazaar, where one can just ignore laws because it suits one's convenience.
We rightly get steamed up -or most of us do - when immigrants to the U.K. cheerfully flout our laws. Same applies to immigrants to Spain.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

peterinmalaga said:


> Hi Bevfly!
> If you stay exactly 6 months you do not need a Spanish bank account, an NIE or any of the other things mentioned above*. If you stay 6 months and one day*, you do need them!
> My advice would be to keep your British car for the time being and only commit yourself on the day when your 6 months holiday ends!
> KISS (Keep it simple Sweetie).
> PS I am ONLY calling you Sweetie because it sounds so much better than Stupid!


I think you are confusing rules for staying in Spain with rules relating to tax residency.


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> you're wrong...
> 
> legally, after 90 days you are considered resident & have to register as such .. & when you register as resident they issue you with a NIE
> 
> ...


That's not quite correct, Xaviachica, and I have to add that I find it offensive to be addressed with the words “You are wrong”. It is more polite to point out that what a person says may be incorrect, inappropriate or just different from your own experience. Forums are often very unhelpful places to turn to for advice when offensive language is used.
This forum is not the appropriate place to find information on European law. This is better done in the webpage europa.eu. The legal period is 3 months not 90 days – a significant difference in law! 
However, as we both know, law is interpreted and applied in very different ways in each of the countries in the EU and it can be useful for us all to help other people by explaining what our personal experience of the law has been in Spain. 
In this case the situation is that Spain needs to send home tourists like it needs a hole in the head at the moment. So the police here do not apply the law unless the tourist concerned becomes an inconvenience for another reason. Tourists set up camp near where I live for 4, 5 or 6 months every winter (legally or illegally) and the police drive by every day and do nothing about it. In fact I would estimate that hundreds of thousands of tourists overstay the 3 month period with total impunity every year. Now that is a useful fact to know! It takes the pressure off the situation.
Health care insurance is normally very cheap here and would not be a thing that anyone should economise on in my view, unless you live close to the border of another country where you are entitled to health care.
The NIE is appropriate when someone buys a house in a place. I had one (a NIE, not a house) 2 years before I came to Spain and I also have one for Italy, as I have a National Insurance number for the UK. It has little to do with where you live. My understanding is that it is more to do with paying taxes.
The problem I have with some of the advice being given here is that it seems to imply that there is only one correct way to enjoy life in Spain and that is by buying a house/apartment here. UK TV programmes sometimes give the same impression. Unfortunately for most people buying a house has enormous life consequences – it's not just about interior décor, nor is it just about complying with the process as advised by other people (who may not know too much about the circumstances of the person asking the question. It's also about paying taxes, inheritance, lifestyle when you get old/ill, whether you will be able to sell the house when you need to etc. If you make a mistake, you can end up in an unbearable situation, as other posters on this forum will testify. For that reason it is useful to get input from as wide a variety of viewpoints as possible.
I apologise for the length of this post. My message is actually short: KISS – keep it simple and be nice to one another.


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

mrypg9 said:


> I think you are confusing rules for staying in Spain with rules relating to tax residency.


It is confusing, isn't it. You can reside in Spain without being tax resident and you can be tax resident and pay no taxes here. I'd rather not get into legal debates. I'm not a lawyer and this is not really the place for such debates.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

peterinmalaga said:


> It is confusing, isn't it. You can reside in Spain without being tax resident and you can be tax resident and pay no taxes here. I'd rather not get into legal debates. I'm not a lawyer and this is not really the place for such debates.


This forum is a free area and we debate all sorts of things, admittedly often in ignorance.

I don't think you can reside in Spain for more than 183 days without being tax resident although it doesn't mean you pay tax in Spain as your income may be subject to DTOs.

Incidentally, since when has telling someone they are wrong been offensive Is saying 'That's incorrect' really that much better?

That's political correctness gone mad.


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

David1979 said:


> Sorry Peter, I'm new here but even I know that Baldy is rarely wrong when it comes to this kind of thing, and he strikes me as someone who does things by the book, which is the best way to go about it I think.
> 
> I'm sure the way you've described _can_ be done, but it may not be the best way to go about things.


I agree it may not be the best way to do things for some people. That depends very much on your personal situation. For wealthy people doing things the "correct" way is rarely a problem. For those with less personal wealth, the first requirement is to protect the little wealth you have got. I would also say that we all break the law every day, often without knowing it. Sometimes it's a question of weighing up the better of various evils. I never speed in the UK these days. In Spain I do speed, like most other drivers, from time to time. I've not had a speeding ticket in Spain in 11 years and I could afford to pay the fine if I got a ticket. I would find life very difficult if I lost my home but I could start over again. For some people losing their home would be life-threatening, so they need to look very carefully at life in Spain before they commit themselves.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

peterinmalaga said:


> I agree it may not be the best way to do things for some people. That depends very much on your personal situation. For wealthy people doing things the "correct" way is rarely a problem. _For those with less personal wealth, the first requirement is to protect the little wealth you have got._ I would also say that we all break the law every day, often without knowing it. Sometimes it's a question of weighing up the better of various evils. I never speed in the UK these days. In Spain I do speed, like most other drivers, from time to time. I've not had a speeding ticket in Spain in 11 years and I could afford to pay the fine if I got a ticket. I would find life very difficult if I lost my home but I could start over again. For some people losing their home would be life-threatening, so they need to look very carefully at life in Spain before they commit themselves.


Which can be reduced to 'I'll do as I please'? I'll decide which laws I can 'afford' to break?

Surely not.

Does protecting wealth justify breaking any law? Or just some?

And how do you feel about immigrants in the UK flouting laws they find disagreeable?

Just asking...


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Which can be reduced to 'I'll do as I please'? I'll decide which laws I can 'afford' to break?
> 
> Surely not.
> 
> ...


From where his pseudonym infers that he lives - he *is* on la Costa de Crimen which probably explains his attitude towards legalities. 

To anyone else thinking of adopting similar attitudes, please be aware that the authorities, in their search for new revenues, are cracking down and although many people have been able to "stay under the radar" up to now, they won't for very much longer. Among the penalties, apart from heavy fines and confiscation of assets, the opportunity to examine, first hand, the insides of Spanish jails may be enlightening. As far as I am aware, if you are still deemed to have any assets left after the above, they will be sequestered to pay for your upkeep in jail, effectively leaving you with nothing! Since you will then be deemed to be sin recursos, you will be repatriated to the country of your nationality.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> From where his pseudonym infers that he lives - he *is* on la Costa de Crimen which probably explains his attitude towards legalities.


Hey, that's where I'm moving to this weekend! Everyone who moves there isn't doing so in order to avoid legal procedure y'know


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

David1979 said:


> Hey, that's where I'm moving to this weekend! Everyone who moves there isn't doing so in order to avoid legal procedure y'know


We know but *you* aren't advocating that the OP acts illegally.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> We know but *you* aren't advocating that the OP acts illegally.


Yeah, I was only joshing, but you're right, acting in an illegal manner very rarely works in the long term. The best way to do things is correctly from the start.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

David1979 said:


> Hey, that's where I'm moving to this weekend! Everyone who moves there isn't doing so in order to avoid legal procedure y'know


I have lived within a fifteen minute drive of Marbella for five years....but sadly the CdS does have a tacky image, especially Marbella, which has nosedived in the socially desirable stakes since the arrival of the cast of a downmarket tv programme which seems to feature a load of chavs from Essex.

This area does still attract a load of shady types. Not so much dodgy Brits but Russian, Ukrainian and other Eastern European mafia types...plus the Irish drug dealer lowlifes. Just up the road from us, not five minutes away, an Irish gangster was assassinated by a Russian hitman a couple of years ago....and this is supposed to be a desirable, affluent residential area....

Marbella does have more than its fair share of wannabes and fast talkers, people who reinvent themselves when they get off the plane. I wish I had a £ tenner for every 'Prince' or 'Princess' I've read about or come across....most have ******-all in the bank and seem to free load at every party going, not to mention attending the opening of an envelope.

Of course these comic and rather sad types are in the minority. The vast majority of people who live there are decent, hard-working folk - those that have jobs, that is. But there's no denying that the old image of tackiness lingers on...When I told friends in the UK we were moving from Prague to the CdS I got a few raised eyebrows..


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

David1979 said:


> Yeah, I was only joshing, but you're right, acting in an illegal manner very rarely works in the long term. The best way to do things is correctly from the start.


Yes, you are right. Some folk seem to see Spain as a British colony...a kind of tamer Wild West where normal rules don't apply.
That only serves to reinforce the tacky image of Spain.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Would anyone agree that this kind of view is dying out with the "older crowd", if you'll pardon the term? 

With the rules and regulations being tightened, and improved methods available to the authorities to stamp such behaviour out are the younger generation of immigrants perhaps moving away from such beliefs when it comes to Spain?


----------



## peterinmalaga (May 27, 2013)

mrypg9 said:


> Which can be reduced to 'I'll do as I please'? I'll decide which laws I can 'afford' to break?
> 
> Surely not.
> 
> ...


That is an absurd distortion of what I was saying.
If people with little money do not protect what they have, they are reduced to poverty, begging, dependence on others and crime (prostitution, selling drugs etc.). At the end of WW2 even upper class German women resorted to prostitution in order to feed their children. You show no social conscience or sympathy in what you are saying. 
You also seem to have a very prejudiced view of immigrants:"And how do you feel about immigrants in the UK flouting laws they find disagreeable?" I feel a lot less angry about poor people stealing food to eat from my house than I do about wealthy bankers stealing money from my bank account! 
We are getting very much off topic now. I shall disregard any irrelevant posts in future. This argument does nothing to help people who want to move to Spain.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

David1979 said:


> Would anyone agree that this kind of view is dying out with the "older crowd", if you'll pardon the term?
> 
> With the rules and regulations being tightened, and improved methods available to the authorities to stamp such behaviour out are the younger generation of immigrants perhaps moving away from such beliefs when it comes to Spain?


Could you say which post are you referring to?


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Could you say which post are you referring to?


Sorry, I meant the view of the Costa Del Sol as a sort of Britain in the sun wild west that attracts the occasional shady character.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

David1979 said:


> Sorry, I meant the view of the Costa Del Sol as a sort of Britain in the sun wild west that attracts the occasional shady character.


I don't know, 'cos I don't live there, but from what I hear and from occasional visits I'd say there are plenty of dodgy characters around attracted by sun, cheaper drink and the younger crowd by easily available drugs. I don't see any evidence that this is lessening in recent years. HOWEVER, it's not the majority by far and of course there are more "normal" people than "not normal".
It's always the case though, sun and nearby beaches attract the seedier characters - Goa, Sitges or even Weston Super Mare on a sunny day!!


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Yeah, I can imagine! Needless to say, once I get settled here and if everything works out I'll be leaving my rental property and looking for something a bit more remote further inland


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

David1979 said:


> Sorry, I meant the view of the Costa Del Sol as a sort of Britain in the sun wild west that attracts the occasional shady character.


That should have changed with the signing of extradition treaties between the UK and Spain. Regrettably, there are still a few old hands lying low, but the image lives on in the minds of those who think that they are above the law. The vast majority of us on the forum who are immigrants (as opposed to the expats who are only here until the ice melts in their beer) abide by the law and the forum rules and respect the country we now call home. As such we don't condone nor encourage illegal activity or illegal actions by default.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

Yeah, I'm not keen on the term 'ex-pat'. When I move to Spain I'll be an immigrant, plain & simple.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

peterinmalaga said:


> That is an absurd distortion of what I was saying.
> If people with little money do not protect what they have, they are reduced to poverty, begging, dependence on others and crime (prostitution, selling drugs etc.). At the end of WW2 even upper class German women resorted to prostitution in order to feed their children. You show no social conscience or sympathy in what you are saying.
> You also seem to have a very prejudiced view of immigrants:"And how do you feel about immigrants in the UK flouting laws they find disagreeable?" I feel a lot less angry about poor people stealing food to eat from my house than I do about wealthy bankers stealing money from my bank account!
> We are getting very much off topic now. I shall disregard any irrelevant posts in future. This argument does nothing to help people who want to move to Spain.


And, with respect, neither does your advocacy of at best bending if not breaking the law.

I resent your implication that poverty is linked with crime, drug dealing etc. There are still very many people who prefer honesty however reduced their circumstances.

I also resent your comment about my implied lack of social conscience. Without going into a long CV I'd wager my record, both professional and private, matches yours or anyone's.

Poor people don't need to steal from my house. We actively help people in need in this area, of which there are many, none of them British immigrants.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

David1979 said:


> Yeah, I'm not keen on the term 'ex-pat'. When I move to Spain I'll be an immigrant, plain & simple.


Good for you! That's always been a bit of an obsession of mine since leaving the UK.

As for your question about older people being less likely to be law-abiding...no, I don't think so. I'd say the opposite.
It's the flash Harry types, the chancers, those who think they decide what's right and what's not, plus those driven to theft through sheer desperation who flout the rules and they can be of all ages.
As Baldy says, they give the rest of us a bad reputation.
You'll find many people on this Forum who will tell you that you are more likely to be ripped off by a dodgy Brit than a Spaniard.
That was my experience when I first arrived here. Now I tend to stick to Spanish tradespeople wherever I can.


----------



## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

I've always been a bit confused by this weird feeling of loyalty towards fellow Brits that some of us seem to have when it comes to hiring people for jobs and services.

Surely hiring the best person for the job should be the main objective?


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

David1979 said:


> I've always been a bit confused by this weird feeling of loyalty towards fellow Brits that some of us seem to have when it comes to hiring people for jobs and services.
> 
> Surely hiring the best person for the job should be the main objective?


Yes, any sensible personwould agree with that. There aren't that many British immigrants and no British businesses in our dozy little village, no Mafia capos either as far as I know.
PW and Baldy are right, times have changed. It's not just the CdS either that has dodgy types. I read somewhere that the Costa Blanca is now the hideout of choice for British lowlife as it's easier to hide in places with large British immigrant communities. 

When I was young, Wston-Super-Mare used to be quite posh, a quiet sort of place similar to Eastbourne. Sad how so many seaside resorts have slid downmarket.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Yes, any sensible personwould agree with that. There aren't that many British immigrants and no British businesses in our dozy little village, no Mafia capos either as far as I know.
> PW and Baldy are right, times have changed. It's not just the CdS either that has dodgy types. I read somewhere that the Costa Blanca is now the hideout of choice for British lowlife as it's easier to hide in places with large British immigrant communities.
> 
> When I was young, Wston-Super-Mare used to be quite posh, a quiet sort of place similar to Eastbourne. Sad how so many seaside resorts have slid downmarket.


lol - that's me & PW insulted in one post


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

David1979 said:


> I've always been a bit confused by this weird feeling of loyalty towards fellow Brits that some of us seem to have when it comes to hiring people for jobs and services.
> 
> Surely hiring the best person for the job should be the main objective?


I think it is less a case of loyalty, more a case of using somebody, who speaks the same language. That is usually the USP of the Brit con-man. It is far easier to rip off the dupe if you speak his/her language. Another poster who lives fairly near here was commenting about how he was conned by other Brits including estate agent, builders, etc.. So many of the latter had only ever done a bit of DiY before they stepped off the aircraft and reinvented themselves as "qualified builders". A Spaniard who talks to you about where you want enchufes and interruptores or conmutadores is more difficult to work with than a Brit who talks about sockets and light switches, even if (unknown to you) his work does not meet Spanish standards and may even be downright dangerous.

This is not to say that all Spaniards are honest, since there are bogus gasmen about. In the past, they would say that you had to have a contract for the supply of gas (true) and that everything has to be inspected (by them) and of course, that regulator is the wrong one and has to be changed and (guess what?) they just happen to have one handy which, with fitting will cost you €145. There is a fairly recent thread on the bogus gasmen and their latest scam. The only legit gasmen are those employed by Cepsa and Repsol or whoever supplies gas in your area. They will usually make an appointment or advise you by letter in advance before calling.


----------



## Mark L (Jun 25, 2013)

Course there is dodgy characters, as unfortunatly drugs is big business- lots of bars and restaurants in marbella, banus, are used purely for money laundering- specially by the russians- 

Very easy also to be in wrong place at wrong time.


----------

