Spain Forum Copyright (c) 2008 ExpressionEngine tag:spainexpat.com,2008:07:20 Buying a car tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3339 2008-07-19T22:18:30Z davengill Hi everyone. Can I buy a car in Spain, if I don’t have a Spanish driving license? I want to pay in cash, so the dealer is happy but I read something, somewhere once.........?

Dave

]]> English / US television in Spain (Barcelona) tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3331 2008-07-18T21:19:57Z shale Hello,

I’m a bit confused by the article on getting English TV in Spain. In the US, you basically choose DirectTV, DishNetwork, or Comcast Digital, and you get a pile of channels, with some international choices if you pay extra.
...All this stuff about pointing dishes, and free-air stations, and cards has me scratching my head.

basically I’d like to watch some American sports (NBA, MLB, NFL,) as well as some other English speaking choices from the US or UK. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

]]> Moving from Massachusetts to Barcelona end of August. Need some advice please! tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3327 2008-07-18T03:59:33Z shale Hello,

We’re moving to Spain (Catalonia) at the end of August (1 month!) and are looking for some advice…

I’m pretty sure we’ll have to arrange for a container to ship furniture, books, etc. I hear that the smallest containers are 20 feet long. I ‘m not sure we have enough to fill that. Is there any other viable shipping option?

I’ve read that it’s important to use a shipper that has offices in Spain (so he knows how to deal with local bureaucracy, etc I assume). Is this crucial? any recommendations?

We have free accommodation for 2 weeks upon arrival. Do you think that’s enough time to find a place? (I’ve read the thread about neighborhoods in BCN, but any other thoughts on a young, family-friendly neighborhood with good train connection to Barbera Del Valles would be appreciated)

We’ll have between 40-50 thousand euro as a yearly salary to support 2 adults and one child. Sound good?

Any advice at all would be fantastic!

Thank you so much.

]]> New property and receiving mail tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3228 2008-07-03T15:48:45Z Jacko I have moved into a new building in La Cala de Mijas and am having difficulty receiving post. The building name is clearly signed above the door and I have a postbox next to the door with my name and Apt number. Having “tested” by way of sending myself a letter some 3 weeks ago and having had no mail from others I conclude that will never receive mail. How do I set my mail up. I collared the local postman but he directed me to the Correos in Fuengirola - having phoned and visited I was unable to speak to anyone in English
Please help

]]> NIE NUMBER********URGENT********PLEASE HELP******** tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3309 2008-07-15T16:17:55Z kris Hi, sorry about my panic title, i recently moved to Barcelona and want to know, will the NIE number i got when working in Ibiza 4 years ago still be valid, i was told once you have it, it’s yours for life, but just wanted confirmation before i go to social security office tomorrow.

anybody help please???? Thanks, Kris.

]]> Giving Blood tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3298 2008-07-14T18:51:18Z 2008-07-14T18:52:10Z shaggymon Hi. After many years of being a blood donor in the UK I had to give up when I moved to Spain. I believe that I can still give blood in here and I seem to remember reading about where and how to register/do it but have lost that info. Can anyone help?

]]> IVA REDUCED (FOR SOME) tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3167 2008-06-25T16:14:15Z ROBI If you are under 35, EU citizen, resident in Spain and buying a new property as your main residence with a mortgage the IVA will be 4% - a saving of 3% on the normal rate.

]]> The developer misappropriation of funds in the Spanish criminal law tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3297 2008-07-14T15:53:36Z spanishlawyer Although criminal law is complex and behavior that you think ought to be criminal could turn out not to be, we have in our Criminal Code and in many sentences quite a lot of examples about how Spanish law deals with developers refusing to pay funds back to buyers, when they don’ t hand over houses in time.

Section 252 of the Spanish Criminal Code provides that a person who to the detriment of another misappropriates or embezzles money or all other property real or personal received in deposit, custody or administration or by another obligation of return will be punished by imprisonment of up to six years.

This section affects all developers selling off-plan and receiving monies before completion because they all are under an obligation to retain and deal with this funds in the way stated in section 1.2 of 57/1968 Act.

Section 1.2
All developers who sell off-plan and receive any payment from buyers must deposit the funds into an special account separately of any other funds belonging to them. Such funds may be used only for payments linked to building costs.

By law the developer is not free to administer the funds received in relation to a development, he is a depositary and if he wishes to draw from the guarantee account must be aware of the compulsory use that is stated in Law.

Even if the developer were acquitted by a criminal court it doesn’t mean he is not obligated to refund the monies since subsequently a civil court could declare the civil liability.
Our courts don’t agree about if it is sufficient in order to qualify the offence to use the funds in unrelated development costs or if it is necessary animus lucrandi or intention of profiting.
We can distinguish between misappropriation strictu sensu which implies adding the funds to the defendant personal assets and dealing with the funds detrimenting the interests of depositors

Some judgements of our Superior Court to illustrate this issue

SSTS 17 22 Oct 1998 ‘It is not required the benefit of the criminal but the economical detriment to the plaintiff’

SS. 30.11.89, 7.2 and 30.3.91, 10.2, 11.6 and 2.8.92, 16.4 and 2.11.93, 14.3 and 5.11.94, 1123/95 of 11.10, 715/96 of 18.10, 896/97 of 20.6, 955/97 of 1.7, and of 19.1.98
SS. 3-4-98, 17-10-98 and 840/2000 12-05) (STS 2-11-01 .  SS. T.S.  3-04 and 17-10-1998, 12-05 and 21-07-00

]]> We want to emigrate to Spain tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.2753 2008-04-22T19:52:25Z tranced Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on emigrating to Spain.

We are planning to move at the end of 2009, me, my wife, 2 year old daughter and baby daughter.

We plan to sell our house and rent somewhere. We will have enough money to see us right for a year if the worst case scenario happens, that I can’t find work. We currently have our own home cleaning and ironing business here in Bridlington UK. We hope to set up with this service in Spain or find a suitable job.

My questions would be to you are firstly do you think this would work?

Am I likely to find work? I am 35 and male. Also are we likely to find long term rental accommodation? And where in Spain would you recommend us to fulfill our plan?

And what about schools for when my daughters start? Is it easy to get into a Spanish and English teaching school? Where do the English expats take their children to school?

I am most grateful for your advice as I realise you can never get enough advice!! Also I know that you can’t always believe what you read in books. I always take the reading seriously but I think it’s obviously best to ask those, yourselves, that have actually done the move!

We are happy to take the risk of things not working out as we will get a good year in Spain whatever happens at least.

We love Spain and would love to make it our home.

I will have a good daily look on this excellent website and trail through the Forums to see what everybody is up to in Spain!

Many thanks

Carl

]]> Living in Madrid with kids tag:spainexpat.com,2008:spain/forum/viewthread/.3290 2008-07-12T23:08:28Z palomablanca21 Hello to all fellow expats,

I moved to Madrid 6 years ago as a single parent with no idea where to start looking for schools and so on. As a result I have put together as a hobby a website (yep, I am a computer nerd...) with info in English for parents either living in Madrid or visiting Madrid with kids. It’s called http://www.kidsinmadrid.com
Please feel free to post any criticisms/comments - it really is work in progress but i am happy with the result and I think the info will prove to be useful.

Cheers,

Paloma

]]>