The Spanish Lifestyle 2024 ...
The Spanish Lifestyle 2024 ....
So, you are seriously thinking about, even looking forward, to moving to Spain? That’s great, because despite the sometimes highly questionable and often utterly misleading articles on the likes of Facebook et al, it’s a great life over here! But! Yes, there’s always a but, isn’t there? You do need to think about few things in a very clinical manner, before letting your heart take over, looking at the (still) great value and beautiful villas and apartments for sale, with their sparkling pools and verdant gardens.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of it right away. Firstly, and most importantly, Spain is no different to any other Western nation, in that it has negatives as well as positives, and these need some consideration with a cool head. Since the Brexit fiasco, there are no two ways about it, matters for Brits moving to Spain are not as straightforward and easy as they used to be in the past. The European Union HQ in Brussels, like any political body, did not take kindly to being ‘found out’ with their massive gravy train for the privileged few and desire for total control, and Britain’s exit is still deemed a punishable offence to Brits living or moving here. Not all the blame can be laid at the doorstep of Brussels, however, with the British government of the day being as inept and idle in ongoing relationship issues as it had been during the years of becoming increasingly immersed in EU controls, resulting in unfinished negotiations and in many cases, no agreements at all in place. So those of us who have left the shores of the UK and settled here in post-Brexit Spain, have had a lot of new issues to deal with that really didn’t exist pre-Brexit.
For example, if you think that you can sell up in the UK and settle in 2024 Spain where your state pension will stretch somewhat further, you need to think again. You need to fulfil minimum income requirements nowadays! Unlike the UK government, the Spanish government will not help you out if you run out of money. In other words, you cannot claim support if your pension is not high enough to support your standard of living. So you have to meet their income requirements BEFORE you arrive – and they will check! It’s not an insurmountable problem. After all, we, like many of our friends here, are not millionaires or even wealthy, but fortunately we used the opportunity early in our earning years to pay into private pensions to back up our state pensions. We didn’t overload ourselves with hire purchase agreements for new cars, buying our cars five years old and more and saving thousands in interest payments, took thoroughly enjoyable but inexpensive annual holidays instead of luxury breaks, and paid off our mortgage as early as we could. Thus we can now afford the retirement that we looked forward to. Spain is not as cheap as it used to be, so you still have to look at your means to pay, but the standard of living is certainly higher. Power costs are less, council tax is a LOT less, with water and rubbish tax being much more realistic (apart from more efficient).
Buying your dream property can be stressful, just as in the UK, but for different reasons. There can be ties to credit ratings and defaults on properties from several owners back. Modernisations and extensions to properties made over the years may not be noted on the deeds therefore the paperwork might need updating, and reforming (modernising) an old ruin can be fraught with council office issues and restrictions, most of which make no sense at all. The answer is working with a reputable estate agent and a Spanish lawyer. Ninety five percent of the problems mentioned will be quickly and efficiently answered, thus reducing the stress that may have encountered.
We made mistakes when we first arrived in Spain some three and a half years ago, but fortunately we bought our lovely villa through a well established and knowledgeable estate agent (guess who?) who put us with a local Spanish lawyer, who knew the area well and dealt with the issues on our property, quickly and efficiently. And that was during Covid! We have since become good friends with our now full-time lawyer who helped us through with our residencias, health cards, wills and the hundred and one queries that will come up when you move to Spain. Harry kept in touch with us during the crucial early days and months, putting us in touch with local trades and generally helping our confidence grow in our new surroundings.
So, let’s do a little recap.
First, do your homework before you come. Speak to your potential estate agent. Ask about recommended Spanish lawyers in the area in which you are interested. Check with the Spanish Embassy, that you will qualify for residencia and SIP cards and that you will be fiscally accepted. This will take time. You cannot push it along. So, this is where you start to learn a high level of patience and acceptance of process.
Secondly, government employees at all levels in Spain have jobs for life. They cannot be challenged or argued with and there is little chance of redress against them. They will do as little as they can get away with, so patience is not just a virtue, it is essential to your sanity. This is nothing personal. They are equally unhelpful to everyone, Spanish people included. Sometimes a process happens easily and quickly, so enjoy those times!
Thirdly, like us, most people arriving speak very little or no Spanish at all. In this area (La Safor) we are lucky, because many Spanish people do speak some English and a few will enjoy improving their English-speaking skills with you. But you will quickly realise how limiting it is in so many ways if you don’t speak at least day-to-day Espaniol, particularly with ‘Tallers’ (repair and service centres) where the lower standard of education inevitably means that they will not speak English at all, and dentists, doctors, shopping for specific items and suchlike. Fortunately, there are many good private tutors, who are not expensive and very patient, specialising in teaching Spanish to ex-pat Brits. We currently ‘nosotros aprendiendo estamos espaniol con una profesora’ down in Gandia once a week, with homework in between. It will take time, but we are getting better and it is so rewarding to be able to have even a basic conversation with our Spanish ‘vecinos.’ (Or vecina’s if they are all female).
Fourthly, don’t expect new friends to just knock on your door when you arrive. In fact, if they do, maybe you should be wary. They may be the ‘fresh meat’ hunters who have worn out their welcome with those around them! Conversely, you will find it incredibly easy to make new friends. Our social life has never been so full. In fact, it seems to have taken over from the full-time jobs that we had before we retired! There are so many places and ways to meet people. Although I am not a great advocate for Facebook and its oft-weird users, there will be several Facebook groups for your area where all manner of ‘get-togethers’ occur and days out, restaurants, music venues, cafes and events are publicised. In fact, this particular area seems to be a graveyard for ex professional musicians and new ones alike. There are bands to go and see almost every week (often free). We have made most of our enduring friendships here by accident or just being in the same place at the same time and liking each other’s company.
Oh, fifthly (is there such a word? – Ed) if you are nearing seventy years on the clock, make sure that you extend your driving licence before you come over. Once here, DVLA will not renew your licence, in their usual unhelpful way, which will mean that you will have to retake your theory and practical exams to gain a Spanish Permiso. Not the easiest matter! Although you can do the theory in a sort of English. However, if, like me, you also need to take your moto A1/A2 as well (Spanish motorcycle licence – Ed), that all has to be done in Spanish! Not easy at all unless you are fluent, which I am not!
But don’t be put off by all the above! (Well I was wondering – Ed). It seems a lot to think about, but then you are making a giant move in your life, so better to have a good idea of what you are in for, than to find out later, crushing all your false hopes and unfulfillable dreams.
Why? Well, despite this year being the hottest, most humid and driest on recent history, we enjoy jumping into the pool and floating around with a gin and it, to cool down. The view from our pool terrace still blows us away. Taking Wolfie for his morning constitutional around the local monastery forest is such a great way to start the day and ‘walk the land.’ (How kind – Ed). Gandia is a lovely, proper Spanish town, with generally friendly locals, nice shops, cafes and bars and a lovely ‘paseo’ with shading plane trees and places to just sit. A cultural centre and music venue behind under the trees, squares galore and several park and beach areas to walk, apart from two commercial centres of it’s own and a huge on just twenty five minutes down the road. The sea front is famous in the area with large fine sand beaches and many ‘chirengito’s or beach bars on the sand, again often with live music in the evening during the summer.
We enjoy a good life here. We just put up with the idiosyncrasies that are inherent living in Spain. We are healthier, happier and more rounded people for being here, mixing with so many different nationalities, who have also decided to move here from their homelands.
You should try it. Give Harry a shout today. He won’t mind. He’s never busy ……. Just joking Harry!
See ya! (Nos vemos!)
