Hi

As a family of 4 (kids age 4 and 7) and with partner planning on working in gibraltar but us living in southern spain, i have the task of trying to put together a budget as i normally do our “books” - so many things i dont know but wondered if anyone can confirm any information for us please??

i have looked at the tax pages and from what i can tell you get a basic tax free allowance of 5151 Euros then do you add on BOTH the 1st child and 2nd child tax allowances of 1836 and 2040 Euros giving a total tax free allowance of 9027 Euros?  and then tax the remainder of your wages as per the table. 

Also i understand there is no council tax or equivilent if renting in Spain?  Any other help on Utilities charges would be greatly appreciated too as i dont know whether they are the same as the UK or more or less still.

Thanks to anyone who can help in any way!!

Sarah

Hello Sarah:

If you rent an apartment/house in Spain you will not be required to pay rates/council tax (IBI).  You will, of course, have to pay for the electricity, gas, water etc. that you consume.  The landlord will also pay the condominium service charges (cuotas de comunidad).
In any case, it is MOST important that you have a properly drafted tenancy agreement setting out all these aspects of the tenancy.

I feel it would be highly advisable to consult a tax advisor, that is to say an expert,  in Spain (and/or in Gibraltar) on your situation. 

All the best
Patricia

Definatley as Campana says - get a legal rental contract in place (A ‘temporada’, which is for 11 months fixed is best. It is likely to be in Spanish, so make sure you know what you are signing.)

If you can find a good ‘gestor’ (sort of like a paper advisor/actioner - to save you queing in the myriad of places you have to fill in paperwork to be ‘legal’) will be a godsend (Esp if they also speak English 😉

I remember if you are working in Gib, but want to be covered under the Spanish Health System etc, you MUST ask your employer for form XXXXX (sorry don’t know the number/name), but this will say you are paying Spanish National insurance.  (You will need to submit this to the relevant authorities in Spain.)
I think they will only pay/register you for Gib health care/benefits if you are actually living there. (Which as I am sure you are finding out is way way expensive - perhaps your reason for wanting to rent in Spain.) 

We rent, have a good landlay. We pay fixed monthly rent, our own phone, water, elec costs, but no ‘basura’ or rubbish bill, or the IBI - rates as mentioned by Patricia. They have to pay that. (Likewise any private community fees - for pool use/shared facilities etc that come with the property.) PS - Gas is usually bottled variety (so cost that in too if any gas applicances in property.) Our total monthly outgoings (for 2 bed rural property, modest use/2 people) is around Eu 750pcm.  (Not inc food/car etc, etc) But we use little except elec! (Phone/interenet is fixed cost at approx Eu50pcm)

Try and get a good rental agent (I may have one a friend used.) And beware of bad landlords/ladies. Eg - A border customs/police officer (Brit/Gib side) rented his second home to friends for 3yrs, and ripped them off when it came to returning their deposit (and they had improved the property as he never repaired the things they asked!)

If in doubt, there is a Citizens Advice office in Gib. (But they will only be able to advise you on British/Gib law.)

Good luck for your move!

hi

Thank you both for your replies, i am gradually compiling a list of estimated costs and getting there bit by bit.

Susan spain, you mention it is possible if my partner pays NI in gibraltar to obtain a for to get healthcare in spain, i dont suppose you know if this just covers the employed person or us as a family?  (sorry only that i wont be working to start with)

Again thanks for your help!

Sarah

HI Sara,
My info is only second hand (the husband of a friend here worked for a UK co in Gib, was paid there, but chose to pay Spanish NI rather than UK/Gib coverage. This is quite normal it seems.) So he had to ASK (they will not do it automatically for you, as I assume, they assume you are living in Gib??).... for the relevant form. It was something to say that whilst he was being paid in Gib for his wages? He was choosing to pay NI in Spain (possibly he was taking his money out of Gib, or even being paid directly into a Spanish Bank account and being taxed in Spain as wel. But the accounts dept of your husbands employers should know!) 

If the NI is in Spain in the main breadwinners name, then yes, the whole family is covered. (Not for offspring over 18 tho!)

Hope you get it sorted.

Just keep asking Q’s!

SJ 😊

Hi SJ

Thanks for that thats great news - so he would need to pay tax and NI to spain - then we can request the forms for healthcare.  i was trying to find a quote for healthcare insurance for us as a family and struggling with it!

Do you by chance know anything about dental insurance?  i have heard that its not covered by NI or Tax and if not do you know any good companies who can quote for cover?

Also i have been reading lots of threads on this site and my monthly estimate so far consists of
Eu 650 for rental of a 2/3 bed house/flat (anywhere from the Manilva area across to Cadiz area)
Eu 50 for electric (not sure what accomm would have gas or electric or both so mostly guess work!!)
Eu 50 for gas
N/A for water (included in rent as far as i can tell)
Eu 15 for a mobile on PAYG
Eu 25 for broadband (although not sure if this incudes line rental or if that would be ontop)
Eu ? for dental
N/A for schooling as both my boys are (4 and 7) of a school age
N/A Council tax as renting so included in rent (paid by landlord)
Eu 200 Petrol (for what would cost about ?280 in the uk - about ?65-?70p/w)

as you seem so helpful what do you think of my estimates?  feel free to be honest and tell me if its laughable!

Thanks again for your help
Sarah

Hello Susan:

Re insurance you can check Sanitas (private insurance), or BUPA INTERNATIONAL   You can google these.  Bupa International provides an excellent service.  As with most things, you get what you pay for…..
Do you by chance know anything about dental insurance?  i have heard that its not covered by NI or Tax and if not do you know any good companies who can quote for cover?

Electricity in Spain is relatively expensive I find.  My personal preference in a house or apartment is for electricity on all appliances.  Have always disliked those Butane gas bottles and the inconvenience.  But that is me. 

My own personal preference is for a contract mobile service, and I have been with Movistar for more years than I can remember.  I travel quite a bit, and yet including roaming my monthly Movistar bill rarely exceed ?45 to 50.

I have lived in Spain practically all my life, and as the saying goes “been there, done that.”  LOL.

Good luck with everything.

Patricia

Hi Sara,

[iThanks for that thats great news - so he would need to pay tax and NI to spain - then we can request the forms for healthcare.  i was trying to find a quote for healthcare insurance for us as a family and struggling with it!

Please don’t quote me on this/read as Gospel. You really will have to find out from his new employer. (It can be a bit like pulling teeth, but if you are moving to Spain you will need a whole lot of patience, cunning and persistence - even for the simple things in life!

Do you by chance know anything about dental insurance?  i have heard that its not covered by NI or Tax and if not do you know any good companies who can quote for cover?

I think many health insurers also offer dental plans, but they can vary.  Most offer a ‘xxx % ’ discount on their preferred list of dentists - which sometimes is not cheaper than just walking in off the street!
I would check once in Gib if there are any local dentists who do a ‘Denplan’ type thing. (I don’t think you would have to be resident to mix and match.)  There is an English dentist in Fuengirola who does his own ‘memebership, which includes 2 check ups and cleans and up to xxx Euros worth of work in year. But I personally don’t rate him!!!! 
Our own dentist is pay as you go and we are extremely happy with him. (I am told dental costs are cheaper here than UK, but you would have to do a price comparison for yourself.)

Also i have been reading lots of threads on this site and my monthly estimate so far consists of
Eu 650 for rental of a 2/3 bed house/flat (anywhere from the Manilva area across to Cadiz area) I am sure you can get much cheaper - it is a buyers market!

Hope this helps….

All the best, SJ

Hi Patricia & Sara,
Think we got crossed wires/were posting at the same time…
But hope all is clear!

As I say, we PAYG for dentist.

Patricia - if you think you qualify??? (check with them?) BT were offering a great mob phone deal. But it sounds as though you might already have this tied up.
It really is a personal preference re gas/elec. I like to cook with gas. I think we would have been better off with a gas water heater too… but it is all elec in the new place (still yet to move in!) I will try it, but for the little we use, I think we may switch over to gas for cooking at least at sometime in future, (Also looking at back boilder for proposed log fire as/when we have the cash!)

Best regards all,
SJ

thank you very much - all info so far is so helpful!

gonna work on the figures for now, see if i can adjust a little

thanks again everyone
sarah

Hi,

if it helps you we have the following apartments in La Linea at Santa Margarita Area. Good for people who wants to work in Gibraltar and find a peaceful area to live. Two beds apartments with two WC, ground and first floor, terrace, fully furnished and english speaking.

Should you be interested we have some of them for sale and other to rent.

Our contact: info (at) goycamanagement.com
Tel. +34 661863683