# New in Tavira ... Advice needed (Accountant, Internet)



## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

Hi all,

My name is Etch and I purchased an apartment in 2010 in a holiday complex ... last month I decided to move from the UK here in Tavira ... such a beautiful place ... as well as the nearby towns, cities and beaches. Every weekened I will explore something new.

Having had my month of fun ... reality is sinking in. This is where the headache begins with really understanding the best way forward here regarding obtaining residency, taxes, car matriculation, etc. I've read many posts here about this and it seems like it will be a challenge in Tavira. From the research I have done, by earning the same amount as I would in the UK and in Portugal ... the take home would be much less, both personally and via a company.

My 1st step is to speak to an accountant. I'm wondering if anybody has a recommendation for Tavira or nearby .... even Faro, I need to pop their now and again to my bank anyway. I read an old post from MasterJoiner re someone called Luis De Brito ... have contacted him a few times but it seems like he's too busy to meet up. Is there another accountant here who is knowledgeable about how things should be handled for self-employed people with companies/property in the UK wanting to become resident in Portugal?

I own a few homes in the UK, seems like I'll have to declare myself as a non-resident landlord in UK too which makes matters more complicated with the way I have things set up ... plus in Portugal mortgage interest isn't allowed as an expense.

Regarding my profession, I'm a web developer ... so I could set myself up in the best way possible with the help of a good accountant. As long as I have a reliable internet connection I can acquire projects and work.

This brings me to my 2nd point ... sadly I don't have reliable internet. Where I live (Quinta do Morgado) I can get a vodafone dongle service for €30 a month ... this is limited to 15GB bandwidth a month, not ideal (but I can always buy another sim card and double this) ... the speed is good but the latency is too high ... so I can't use Skype for meetings.

I also signed up with Meo and the PT engineers came out yday to install internet/tv/landline via ADSL. Advertized at 24mbps in my area, the engineer says the max i'll get is 9, although the guys at reception use Meo and get only 1mbps, so not looking promising. Having said that, they couldn't install the service to test it ... they left saying they can't get the cable into the apartment ... sad times there (or maybe not, id have to join them for a 24 month contract).

I do have another option ... there is a special service between the complex where I live and Vodafone ... we are close to Gran Plaza and there is a dedicated line built from here to there ... yet they charge an extortionate rate ... I can buy 3 days of internet usage for €18 ... so that's a lot in a month ... ridiculous ... but it's an option. Only thing is ... this isn't as reliable as it should be either ... sometimes not connecting, sometimes getting cut off ... etc.

I wonder if anybody has bright ideas here. Fibre optics isn't an option, I know they exist in Tavira but they're not willing to invest money into extending them here. Or maybe I can hire a small office in town and work from there ... just thinking ... for me being a web developer, reliable internet is another limb.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to being a part of this forum and hopefully getting to know some of you guys, even in person. For those who live in the Tavira region, I'll be going to the Jazz festival this Sat at Quinta da Fonte do Bispo.

Keep smiling
Etch


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Contact Jerry on here about Satellite internet, but first check you have line of sight for a 80cm dish pointing SE to 9deg it's K Sat, if you can't get line of sight it's not an option for you.

Registering as a non Resident landlord is not a problem with HMRC providing they approve it, it only means that you if you use an agent or otherwise they don't deduct tax, you still produce accounts etc for UK taxation, which providing you declare income and tax paid here is not taxed twice.


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

Thanks CanoeMan,

Yep satellite isn't an option, the latency is too high and impossible to do what I need to do online.

I've been rearching quite a bit into the NRL scheme and laws here in Portugal ... although UK tax would be taken, extra tax would still be taken here because in UK, mortgage interest is allowed as an expense ... here it isn't ... so there's a shortfall to pay.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Maybe a request to Jerry to check latency/ping, but if it's such an issue for you your only way of overcoming will be to move to a fibre optic served area. 
Vodafone, Optimus, TMN all have unlimited wireless internet packages, it's finding the one that gives you the best signal or maybe 4G which is more advanced in Portugal than elsewhere.

The rental income is taxed in UK therefore you can claim any expense, relief your due under UK Tax Laws, Portugal's Tax Laws don't come into it.

From the Portuguese end you must declare Worldwide income, so you have to declare that income and amount paid in tax in UK on your IRS return here, you cannot under reciprocal tax agreement be taxed on same income twice.


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

Interesting, still trying to speak to an accountant, that will be key ... my understanding was that you'd have to pay the difference ... since in Portugal on most things tax ends up being higher (and more so in 2013).

Hahaha moving wouldn't be an option, it's an apartment I own. I'll keep this option in mind re Jerry ... the more options we have the better ... thx dude.

Do u have satellite? If so, how are things like Skype and video/conferencing if uve tried it?


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Not on same income, Accountant the key not necessarily you need an accountant that understands UK & Portuguese taxation or at the very least earning income outside Portugal. 

It was the option a nice lady from Sapo gave me to get a good connection move nearer the internet hub

Nope, I really can't justify the cost of sat + phone my OH would go ape, contact Jerry or siobhonwf on here there both sat uses or a search topics been covered recently


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## anapedrosa (Mar 21, 2011)

notlongnow is in Tavira, if you search his posts you may find additional local info - or perhaps he'll come along and connect. He also has a blog 'moving to portugal'


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## coati (Sep 12, 2012)

Hi
Im in Orique and although its quite expensive to have installed and 15GB/month costs around 70 euros, extra available for 10e/gb from Broadband algarve.
Imimpressed with mine and skype video is usable but will chew Gb.
We use I phones and facetime which works perfectly
Rich


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

coati said:


> Hi
> Im in Orique and although its quite expensive to have installed and 15GB/month costs around 70 euros, extra available for 10e/gb from Broadband algarve.
> Imimpressed with mine and skype video is usable but will chew Gb.
> We use I phones and facetime which works perfectly
> Rich


Today the PT guys came back and managed to get cable into the apartment so Ive got a MEO service, 24 month contract but ive got 14 days to test it. Speed is the max i'll get here, if I dont have the TV MEO-box on I get 10Mbps, with it on I get 8 ... which is fine for me. However, the upload speed is poor, 0.3 ... man there's always something, dongle was latency issues ... lols.

Will see if they can increase it ... then Im sorted and can Skype video conference ... essential for lining up projects.

For Meo I'm paying €50 per month, but for 1st 3 months reduced to €20, and I get landline number, they even gave me a wireless phone (free evening/weekend calls to other portuguese landlines and to chosen international numbers), TV with 140 channels, and the internet ... so as long as it works, I'm happy.

Maybe one day they'll bring Fibra into the area ... too expensive for them to do it now, they cant justify the cost for 1 or 2 clients.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

We've all had are experiences with PT, as your last connection is via traditional cable and not fibre optic to Meo, don't think that either they'll be able to increase speed/bandwidth in either direction as in my experience service just degrades if they try to overclock or you'll be happy with service longterm.

Cancelling anything with PT after the grace period is a nightmare and a 2 year contract could be an expensive mistake. Re speed tests PT-Sap-Meo will only accept their own site results Teste de Velocidade Banda Larga no one else, you might find it worthwhile keeping a record of results.


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## coati (Sep 12, 2012)

For info Hylas Avanti Sat giving 2 up 10 down rock solid


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

@canoeman, Thats a very good idea, keeping a record of results ... thx for that site.

@coati, whats the latency on the Hylas Avanti sat? Ok to skype video chat?


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## coati (Sep 12, 2012)

Skype works for us but remeber will be at a cost cos it transfers much more data than voice only- the latter hardly uses any. You could opt to pay by building something in to your price structure of course? No harm to talk to BA? They do Tooway sat as well but advised on Hylas as Tooway according to them, not as good - lol, maybe sales pitch, anyway I fell for it and I am happy.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Given you two members of Forum to check Tooway with, they could run speed tests and check speeds etc probably with Skype working, better to get some facts, every company will say there better than another don't about prices of coati's but tooway cheaper than Meo unless you really want Portuguese TV


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

Thanks guys ... plenty of options ... Ive got couple of weeks to test Meo so I'll do that ... if it works for me then I'll keep it ... cant be bothered with the hassle anymore lols.

p.s. Portuguese TV is an awesome way to learn the lingo ... I want to be able to understand any converation within 6 months ... Im pretty good at understanding subtitles now.


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## jerryceltner (May 15, 2012)

Hi Etchy Boy,
I have TooWay sat system. I have had it now for 10 months and has been down 3 times in all. Once for 2 hrs when the sky was black with smoke from fires, a 5 min break and an intermitent problem that was cutting the signal and going on line. This took 4 hrs to sort out.
I get over 18mb/sec down and just over 5.5mb/sec up although they advertise 6mb/sec up.
The latency is in the region of 680. Bearing in mind that the request has to do a 80,000 km round trip it not bad and takes about 6/7 secs to open fully. Skype is great and works well too but very occasionally you get an echo. If that happens I redial and everything is then OK.
If you play games then this system is not for you but otherwise it's fit for purpose.
You are limited to the amount of bandwidth per calander month which is 26gb and they do not cut you off but throttle you back or you can buy extra band width. The cost per month is 60 euro. I build web pages in my spare time for people and have never used more the 20gb in a month and that includes my daughter on her computer and my wife so am a happy bunny.
I got 1.71 mb/sec down and 110kb/sec up before on adsl and would go down seveal times a day and when the cable were pinched we were without internet or phone for up to 6 days which was the longest.


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

Hey Jerry,

Thanks for that ... sounds like it works pretty well ... and is defo another option to try if ADSL doesnt work out. Appreciate the info

Etch


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

Before you commit - take a look at the new 4G Offerings from Vodafone or TMN (PT) (check which gives strongest signal in your workplace) - far superior to the 3G service and some excellent offers on at the moment for early adopters.


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## Etchy Boy (Oct 16, 2012)

MrBife said:


> Before you commit - take a look at the new 4G Offerings from Vodafone or TMN (PT) (check which gives strongest signal in your workplace) - far superior to the 3G service and some excellent offers on at the moment for early adopters.


Yep looked into it, 4G not rolled out in my area yet, planned for some point in 2013


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