The histories of the countries with coastlines brushing the Med are intrinsically linked with this romantic Sea and today they are some of the most attractive and fascinating countries in the world in which to holiday. This article examines some of the main attractions of four of the favourite Mediterranean countries.

Turkey

Turkey is the country where east really does meet west and where European and Asian influences combine to create a vibrant and passionate mix. The Turkish people are sincerely welcoming of overseas visitors and charm growing numbers of tourists every year. These visitors are attracted by the stunning sandy beaches of the Med and the five star resorts, facilities and amenities offered all along the Turkish Riviera.

If you choose to holiday in Turkey you will be visiting a land where many ancient civilisations and cultures were born, where two of the seven wonders of the ancient world were found and where Cleopatra once holidayed and basked in the sumptuous sunshine. Turkey is a land of contrasts where thousands of years of history have been preserved, where brand new state of the art resort facilities can be enjoyed and where the mighty mountains reach right down into the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Greece

Greece and the Greek Islands like Crete and Corfu are blessed by the inimitable Mediterranean climate that provides long hot and balmy summer days and temperate, mild short winter months. Visiting Greece you will be charmed by the tiny fishing villages that have been little changed for the last hundreds of years and where you can dine in the evening on the day?s fresh catch whilst watching the sun setting into the sea.

Pristine whitewashed villages are scattered all along the Mediterranean coastline of Greece like pebbles and you can sail from island to island on a mini-Mediterranean cruise and take in the different sights, sounds and flavours offered on each Greek Island.

Spain

Once upon a time the beautiful Spanish coastline was also dotted with tiny fishing communities whose whole lives and histories revolved around the Mediterranean tides and treasures. Today the Spanish coastline to the south of the country is much changed and visitors can enjoy some fantastic five star resorts offering an array and abundance of nightlife, day time excitement and evening entertainment. The resorts on the Costa del Sol, Costa Calida and Costa Blanca are vibrant, beautiful and hugely popular.

For those in search of the old Spain just head north and take in the rugged and impressive Mediterranean coastlines along the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are dominated by magnificent cliffs, rocky coves and secret sandy beaches.

Cyprus

Last but not least is possibly the most stunning of all of the Mediterranean Islands ? namely the island of Cyprus. It is not the Med?s largest island but it is the Med?s most famous and most popular and it offers visitors acres and acres of lush interior, miles and miles of sandy beaches and two incredible mountain ranges where you can ski in the morning before travelling down to the seaside to enjoy an afternoon swim and a barbeque beneath the setting sun.

The southern two thirds of Cyprus are inhabited by the friendly and lively Greek Cypriots, and the most popular resorts in Southern Cyprus include Ayia Napa and Paphos where the nightlife is world famous and where the daily activities on offer are plentiful.

Northern Cyprus faces the stunning Turkish coastline which is strikingly visible on clear days. The people of the North are probably some of the most friendly and genuinely hospitable people in the entire Mediterranean region and their main resort town is Kyrenia where you can take in the perfectly preserved ancient harbour and the wonders of the ancient castle and the old town before spending your afternoons and evenings lazily whiling away the time dining on beautiful and fresh local food and drinking the best Turkish wines.

Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose many articles about international travel and living abroad have appeared in publications around the world. Visit this link to read her latest articles about Northern Cyprus

Spain- the lesser known

It is probably fair to say that most people only have a limited knowledge of this large and diverse Country. Everyone has heard of the Balearics, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and perhaps Barcelona but few have visited the Rioja, the delights of Valencia and Tarragona or discovered the unspoilt Costa de la Luz or the Tabernas region on Costa Almeria where the famous ?Spaghetti Westerns? were filmed. Few have probably visited the famous Monastery in the peculiar but breathtaking mountains of Montserrat or ventured inland from Torrevieja just 30 minutes into the mountains to visit unspoilt Spanish villages now popular with Brits.

My advice to the new traveller of this country as well as the frequent flyer is to stay away from the heavily populated tourist areas and venture into the interiors of Spain itself. Here you will find your own treasures and experience the real Spanish way of life. Of course if the coast is essentially what you want then lets try and tempt you to a hitherto unknown area rather than into the suburban sprawl.

Costa Calida to the west of its illustrious neighbour the Costa Blanca and to the North of the large Costa Almeria is one of the smallest Costas in Southern Spain, and still boasts many unspoilt villages and coastline. Travel the coast between Mazzaron and Aguilas and there are beaches where man does not daily tread even in July. Discover the villages in this area and find the Tapas bars to tempt the discerning palate. Travel tip: avoid the end of July to the 3rd week in August. This is when the Spanish take their holidays and clog the roads and hotels in their own quest to find their favourite location.

Spend sometime in the Province of Alicante, but not in the usual haunts occupied by the frequent traveller or holidaymaker. Venture into the inland areas behind the mountains that gently welcome the airborne into Alicante airport. Here you will find the small medi-evil town of Sax with its ancient castle posturing on the mountain top itself and overlooking the mountain and valleys below it. Wander through the narrow cobbled streets and breathe the rarified air. Surrounding Sax you can make your way to many other interesting smaller villages that are spread over this unspoilt area with its outstanding night views and excellent local cuisine.

hugoraymond@mypropertypal.com

Spain- the lesser known

It is probably fair to say that most people only have a limited knowledge of this large and diverse Country. Everyone has heard of the Balearics, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and perhaps Barcelona but few have visited the Rioja, the delights of Valencia and Tarragona or discovered the unspoilt Costa de la Luz or the Tabernas region on Costa Almeria where the famous ?Spaghetti Westerns? were filmed. Few have probably visited the famous Monastery in the peculiar but breathtaking mountains of Montserrat or ventured inland from Torrevieja just 30 minutes into the mountains to visit unspoilt Spanish villages now popular with Brits.

My advice to the new traveller of this country as well as the frequent flyer is to stay away from the heavily populated tourist areas and venture into the interiors of Spain itself. Here you will find your own treasures and experience the real Spanish way of life. Of course if the coast is essentially what you want then lets try and tempt you to a hitherto unknown area rather than into the suburban sprawl.

Costa Calida to the west of its illustrious neighbour the Costa Blanca and to the North of the large Costa Almeria is one of the smallest Costas in Southern Spain, and still boasts many unspoilt villages and coastline. Travel the coast between Mazzaron and Aguilas and there are beaches where man does not daily tread even in July. Discover the villages in this area and find the Tapas bars to tempt the discerning palate. Travel tip: avoid the end of July to the 3rd week in August. This is when the Spanish take their holidays and clog the roads and hotels in their own quest to find their favourite location.

Spend sometime in the Province of Alicante, but not in the usual haunts occupied by the frequent traveller or holidaymaker. Venture into the inland areas behind the mountains that gently welcome the airborne into Alicante airport. Here you will find the small medi-evil town of Sax with its ancient castle posturing on the mountain top itself and overlooking the mountain and valleys below it. Wander through the narrow cobbled streets and breathe the rarified air. Surrounding Sax you can make your way to many other interesting smaller villages that are spread over this unspoilt area with its outstanding night views and excellent local cuisine.

hugoraymond@mypropertypal.com

The histories of the countries with coastlines brushing the Med are intrinsically linked with this romantic Sea and today they are some of the most attractive and fascinating countries in the world in which to holiday. This article examines some of the main attractions of four of the favourite Mediterranean countries.

Turkey

Turkey is the country where east really does meet west and where European and Asian influences combine to create a vibrant and passionate mix. The Turkish people are sincerely welcoming of overseas visitors and charm growing numbers of tourists every year. These visitors are attracted by the stunning sandy beaches of the Med and the five star resorts, facilities and amenities offered all along the Turkish Riviera.

If you choose to holiday in Turkey you will be visiting a land where many ancient civilisations and cultures were born, where two of the seven wonders of the ancient world were found and where Cleopatra once holidayed and basked in the sumptuous sunshine. Turkey is a land of contrasts where thousands of years of history have been preserved, where brand new state of the art resort facilities can be enjoyed and where the mighty mountains reach right down into the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Greece

Greece and the Greek Islands like Crete and Corfu are blessed by the inimitable Mediterranean climate that provides long hot and balmy summer days and temperate, mild short winter months. Visiting Greece you will be charmed by the tiny fishing villages that have been little changed for the last hundreds of years and where you can dine in the evening on the day?s fresh catch whilst watching the sun setting into the sea.

Pristine whitewashed villages are scattered all along the Mediterranean coastline of Greece like pebbles and you can sail from island to island on a mini-Mediterranean cruise and take in the different sights, sounds and flavours offered on each Greek Island.

Spain

Once upon a time the beautiful Spanish coastline was also dotted with tiny fishing communities whose whole lives and histories revolved around the Mediterranean tides and treasures. Today the Spanish coastline to the south of the country is much changed and visitors can enjoy some fantastic five star resorts offering an array and abundance of nightlife, day time excitement and evening entertainment. The resorts on the Costa del Sol, Costa Calida and Costa Blanca are vibrant, beautiful and hugely popular.

For those in search of the old Spain just head north and take in the rugged and impressive Mediterranean coastlines along the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are dominated by magnificent cliffs, rocky coves and secret sandy beaches.

Cyprus

Last but not least is possibly the most stunning of all of the Mediterranean Islands ? namely the island of Cyprus. It is not the Med?s largest island but it is the Med?s most famous and most popular and it offers visitors acres and acres of lush interior, miles and miles of sandy beaches and two incredible mountain ranges where you can ski in the morning before travelling down to the seaside to enjoy an afternoon swim and a barbeque beneath the setting sun.

The southern two thirds of Cyprus are inhabited by the friendly and lively Greek Cypriots, and the most popular resorts in Southern Cyprus include Ayia Napa and Paphos where the nightlife is world famous and where the daily activities on offer are plentiful.

Northern Cyprus faces the stunning Turkish coastline which is strikingly visible on clear days. The people of the North are probably some of the most friendly and genuinely hospitable people in the entire Mediterranean region and their main resort town is Kyrenia where you can take in the perfectly preserved ancient harbour and the wonders of the ancient castle and the old town before spending your afternoons and evenings lazily whiling away the time dining on beautiful and fresh local food and drinking the best Turkish wines.

Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose many articles about international travel and living abroad have appeared in publications around the world. Visit this link to read her latest articles about Northern Cyprus

But there?s a darker side to moving abroad that few people ever consider ? did you know that last year 191,000 people relocated overseas from the UK?and 105,000 Britons also returned to the UK last year having failed to establish their new life overseas?

Some people simply fail to survive a move overseas and it certainly isn?t a case of ?no going back? for the thousands of disillusioned people who flock ?home? to their mother country year after year?therefore if you?re thinking of moving to Spain you need to understand the main reasons people cite when they return. By understanding these reasons you will avoid the pitfalls and pain and succeed where others may fail thereby fulfilling your dreams of a new life in Spain.

The Practicality of Your Location

You need to make sure that you choose the very best location in Spain to fulfil your practical needs on a day to day basis.

Consider the accessibility of a location for family and friends to visit you and for you to reach a doctor, the supermarket, a school or even a hairdresser. Find your perfect location, location, location by visiting the areas you?re interested in and considering them thoroughly from the point of view of how easy and practical your day to day life there will be.

Accessibility & Homesickness

Wherever you choose to live, consider the accessibility of the location with your old home country in mind. Sure, you may be sick of the sight of certain people right now but you never know what tomorrow will bring and how are you going to feel if you can?t get back to visit, or if the important people in your life can?t afford to visit you?

Spain is very well serviced by airports and cheap airlines, it has one of the cheapest rail networks in the whole of Europe and the Spanish government spends millions each year on the travel and transport infrastructure so wherever you choose to locate you should never be so far away from decent transportation. But do bear this point in mind as ?homesickness? and ?inaccessibility? are some of the main reasons people cite when they give up on their dream of a new life abroad.

Being Accepted

The first two years in any new country are by far the hardest?it takes this amount of time to build up enough knowledge of the local areas, customs, people and language to make your new house feel like ?home?.

It also takes a significant investment and effort on your part to find true acceptance and getting to the stage where you really feel you ?belong? in your Spanish community will take time, effort and above all perseverance.

Expectation versus Reality

Moving abroad won?t necessarily ?fix? your life – if you do move abroad you won?t escape your history, you won?t escape who you are, you won?t escape all of the day to day grind and you may not always improve your quality of life! So make sure you have realistic expectations of your new life in Spain before you go and know that living in Spain will be very different to holidaying in Spain.

YES your new life abroad can offer you so much more ?but just make sure your expectations can match the reality and remember the saying ? life isn?t necessarily a beach just because you live beside one!

Health & Wellbeing

One of the saddest reasons people cite when giving up their dream of a new life abroad is health and wellbeing. The trap is the price, availability and quality of health care in their ?new? country. Please look at the local Spanish health care facilities, think about long term and respite care, consider health insurance for all your family and basically don?t bury your head in the sand! If you consider the worst case scenario and protect yourself against it, chances are you will be prepared for everything and will financially survive.

Last But Not Least – Money

THE most common reasons for people returning ?home? with their dreams shattered is that they simply run out of money.

If you?re moving to Spain and hoping to find work you need to know that unemployment in the country is way above the EU average, if you don?t speak Spanish you?ll struggle and some of your qualifications may not be recognised in Spain. If you?re considering downsizing when you move to Spain it can be more than just a shock to the system to leave a well paying job to become a pool cleaner. If you?ve sold up and released equity to live on have you honestly thought about how long you can practically live on this amount? What about affording your retirement years, trips back to your home country, health care, transportation and the unexpected costs that spring up when we least expect them?

There are ways to afford to live on less and there are ways to make what you have go far further. The bottom line is – to survive in Spain you simply MUST consider your financial position before you make ANY move.

Good luck in realising and securing your dream.

Rhiannon Williamson is the publisher of http://www.shelteroffshore.com/ – the online resource for investment property abroad, offshore investing and living overseas articles, guides and resources.

Click the following link for Spanish property and moving to Spain articles, guides, resources and recommended reading.

Beautiful beaches, white sand coves, crystal clear shorelines and deep-sea waters are within minutes drive of anywhere. The island?s interior is home to dense pine-forests, refreshing rolling hills, traditional whitewashed villages and extremely friendly locals.

Ibiza Old Town itself is steeped in culture and history and the island’s capital, with its mediaeval walls and dominating Cathedral is one of the most beautiful towns in the Mediterranean.

Of course if it?s nightlife you?re after ? look no further. Ibiza is the summer party capital of the world, and features spectacular night spots and world famous DJ?s.

The level of service has improved greatly on the island, with activities such as water sports, hot air ballooning, mountain-biking, boat rental and yoga easy to find and well-priced. For the full rock-star service, I would recommend hiring a villa complete with chef, maid and chauffeur; some villa rental agents are even offering a concierge service through which you can book tables at exclusive restaurants, get VIP tickets to the best clubs, hire boats or arrange other services such as masseurs in your villa. They can take the strain out of organising events such as weddings, and can arrange photographers, make-up artists and chauffeurs to make your special day as perfect as possible

If you are planning your summer holidays, take another look at Ibiza?I think you will find yourselves as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Check out the following websites for great accommodation options and a free concierge service:

http://www.internationalvillas.net http://www.specificallyibiza.co.uk

Beautiful beaches, white sand coves, crystal clear shorelines and deep-sea waters are within minutes drive of anywhere. The island?s interior is home to dense pine-forests, refreshing rolling hills, traditional whitewashed villages and extremely friendly locals.

Ibiza Old Town itself is steeped in culture and history and the island’s capital, with its mediaeval walls and dominating Cathedral is one of the most beautiful towns in the Mediterranean.

Of course if it?s nightlife you?re after ? look no further. Ibiza is the summer party capital of the world, and features spectacular night spots and world famous DJ?s.

The level of service has improved greatly on the island, with activities such as water sports, hot air ballooning, mountain-biking, boat rental and yoga easy to find and well-priced. For the full rock-star service, I would recommend hiring a villa complete with chef, maid and chauffeur; some villa rental agents are even offering a concierge service through which you can book tables at exclusive restaurants, get VIP tickets to the best clubs, hire boats or arrange other services such as masseurs in your villa. They can take the strain out of organising events such as weddings, and can arrange photographers, make-up artists and chauffeurs to make your special day as perfect as possible

If you are planning your summer holidays, take another look at Ibiza?I think you will find yourselves as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Check out the following websites for great accommodation options and a free concierge service:

http://www.internationalvillas.net http://www.specificallyibiza.co.uk

But there?s a darker side to moving abroad that few people ever consider ? did you know that last year 191,000 people relocated overseas from the UK?and 105,000 Britons also returned to the UK last year having failed to establish their new life overseas?

Some people simply fail to survive a move overseas and it certainly isn?t a case of ?no going back? for the thousands of disillusioned people who flock ?home? to their mother country year after year?therefore if you?re thinking of moving to Spain you need to understand the main reasons people cite when they return. By understanding these reasons you will avoid the pitfalls and pain and succeed where others may fail thereby fulfilling your dreams of a new life in Spain.

The Practicality of Your Location

You need to make sure that you choose the very best location in Spain to fulfil your practical needs on a day to day basis.

Consider the accessibility of a location for family and friends to visit you and for you to reach a doctor, the supermarket, a school or even a hairdresser. Find your perfect location, location, location by visiting the areas you?re interested in and considering them thoroughly from the point of view of how easy and practical your day to day life there will be.

Accessibility & Homesickness

Wherever you choose to live, consider the accessibility of the location with your old home country in mind. Sure, you may be sick of the sight of certain people right now but you never know what tomorrow will bring and how are you going to feel if you can?t get back to visit, or if the important people in your life can?t afford to visit you?

Spain is very well serviced by airports and cheap airlines, it has one of the cheapest rail networks in the whole of Europe and the Spanish government spends millions each year on the travel and transport infrastructure so wherever you choose to locate you should never be so far away from decent transportation. But do bear this point in mind as ?homesickness? and ?inaccessibility? are some of the main reasons people cite when they give up on their dream of a new life abroad.

Being Accepted

The first two years in any new country are by far the hardest?it takes this amount of time to build up enough knowledge of the local areas, customs, people and language to make your new house feel like ?home?.

It also takes a significant investment and effort on your part to find true acceptance and getting to the stage where you really feel you ?belong? in your Spanish community will take time, effort and above all perseverance.

Expectation versus Reality

Moving abroad won?t necessarily ?fix? your life – if you do move abroad you won?t escape your history, you won?t escape who you are, you won?t escape all of the day to day grind and you may not always improve your quality of life! So make sure you have realistic expectations of your new life in Spain before you go and know that living in Spain will be very different to holidaying in Spain.

YES your new life abroad can offer you so much more ?but just make sure your expectations can match the reality and remember the saying ? life isn?t necessarily a beach just because you live beside one!

Health & Wellbeing

One of the saddest reasons people cite when giving up their dream of a new life abroad is health and wellbeing. The trap is the price, availability and quality of health care in their ?new? country. Please look at the local Spanish health care facilities, think about long term and respite care, consider health insurance for all your family and basically don?t bury your head in the sand! If you consider the worst case scenario and protect yourself against it, chances are you will be prepared for everything and will financially survive.

Last But Not Least – Money

THE most common reasons for people returning ?home? with their dreams shattered is that they simply run out of money.

If you?re moving to Spain and hoping to find work you need to know that unemployment in the country is way above the EU average, if you don?t speak Spanish you?ll struggle and some of your qualifications may not be recognised in Spain. If you?re considering downsizing when you move to Spain it can be more than just a shock to the system to leave a well paying job to become a pool cleaner. If you?ve sold up and released equity to live on have you honestly thought about how long you can practically live on this amount? What about affording your retirement years, trips back to your home country, health care, transportation and the unexpected costs that spring up when we least expect them?

There are ways to afford to live on less and there are ways to make what you have go far further. The bottom line is – to survive in Spain you simply MUST consider your financial position before you make ANY move.

Good luck in realising and securing your dream.

Rhiannon Williamson is the publisher of http://www.shelteroffshore.com/ – the online resource for investment property abroad, offshore investing and living overseas articles, guides and resources.

Click the following link for Spanish property and moving to Spain articles, guides, resources and recommended reading.

In Part one we dealt with a new Spanish law change, obliging car owners who are driving in Spain on UK or Irish number plates, to change to Spanish plates within 30 days. This rule actually applies to residents but not to non-residents who may use their car for 6 months of any year in that country. However Spanish Police are not really too worried about drawing a difference between the two and are very happy to impound any car for a week until you can prove which you are! As a non-resident you need to carry all your vehicle documentation and a document in Spanish explaining you are a tourist staying in the country for less than 6 months, may help solve a volatile situation. For residents there is another danger lurking amongst the ex-pat population. Just when you think you are receiving good information about your car and its future in Spain, you could be lured into an information trap. There are now ex-pats offering the service of conversion of non-Spanish car to a Spanish registration. This could be a genuine offer. It might not be!

Janet Long moved to Malaga in the Spring. She drove her car out last month and was made aware of the law change on number plates by an English friend who did not know all the facts but put her in touch with someone who did! She had heard that this chap could do all the paperwork for her and change everything over to a Spanish registration for about 550 euros. Paul Meadows was an ex-pat who had lived in the area for many years, he had many jobs in his life and knew his way around the local police stations and tax office. He offered to help Janet with her problem and indeed confirmed it would cost little more than 550 Euros. He advised her to go to the local British Consulate and obtain an importation certificate for 36 Euros and have her passport stamped. Then she needed to go to her local Town Hall and obtain a ?Padrone?, a certificate showing she was a resident in her local Authority. He offered no help in these matters and it proved fairly difficult to obtain the ?Padrone? and took her a whole day! Then Paul suggested he would order the new lights for her car, a Chrysler Voyager.

One day later he called back. The lights were more expensive than he had thought and would cost 950 Euros plus fitting. The bill was likely now to be 1500 Euros. A week later he rang again and said the additional MOT paper would cost another 100 Euros and that VAT would be payable. Yes you can calculate like me that Janet is now in for 1600 Euros. The day of the appointment came and Paul rang again to advise her to bring at least 2000 Euros in cash so that there would not be any problem! Later that day the final bill came to 1864 Euros.

When I caught up with her last week it was too late and it had all been done, and so had she!

The British Consulate advised me what a person should do if they wished to convert their car to a Spanish registration. Yes you need their import declaration form, the ?Padrone? and a valid MOT certificate which would only be given if the correct lights were fitted. Armed with all this documentation Janet should have gone to the local Tax office and submitted her case. Having bought the new car one year ago in a legitimate deal in the UK she had paid English VAT and purchase tax, she had the bill of sale and the DVLC document which she had filled in to state that she was exporting the car to Spain. (After this DVLC would have no further interest in the vehicle.)

The Spanish tax office would agree that tax has already been paid and that the British Consulate had checked that she was a declared bone fide UK citizen. Her document would be further stamped.

At the Traffic department with all these documents, she could obtain her Spanish registration and her number. Back to the Garage to fit the new plates and she was done! This sounds horrendous, but it?s not, just a few days of your life, which someone may charge a fee to help you achieve or a Spanish speaking friend can hold your hand.

It?s that fee really which worried me. I checked with the Chrysler dealer in Malaga. The price of 2 new headlamp units was 800 Euros total. The price fitted was 850 Euros, 30 minutes work and fairly charged at a minimum hourly rate. The labour carries VAT at 16%, 8 Euros. The MOT should cost no more than 150 Euros depending on whether there is other work involved. My maximum estimate for the total was 1050 Euros.

You may draw your own conclusions.

Hugoraymond@mypropertypal.com

http://www.mypropertypal.com http://www.UKinSpain.com

In Part one we dealt with a new Spanish law change, obliging car owners who are driving in Spain on UK or Irish number plates, to change to Spanish plates within 30 days. This rule actually applies to residents but not to non-residents who may use their car for 6 months of any year in that country. However Spanish Police are not really too worried about drawing a difference between the two and are very happy to impound any car for a week until you can prove which you are! As a non-resident you need to carry all your vehicle documentation and a document in Spanish explaining you are a tourist staying in the country for less than 6 months, may help solve a volatile situation. For residents there is another danger lurking amongst the ex-pat population. Just when you think you are receiving good information about your car and its future in Spain, you could be lured into an information trap. There are now ex-pats offering the service of conversion of non-Spanish car to a Spanish registration. This could be a genuine offer. It might not be!

Janet Long moved to Malaga in the Spring. She drove her car out last month and was made aware of the law change on number plates by an English friend who did not know all the facts but put her in touch with someone who did! She had heard that this chap could do all the paperwork for her and change everything over to a Spanish registration for about 550 euros. Paul Meadows was an ex-pat who had lived in the area for many years, he had many jobs in his life and knew his way around the local police stations and tax office. He offered to help Janet with her problem and indeed confirmed it would cost little more than 550 Euros. He advised her to go to the local British Consulate and obtain an importation certificate for 36 Euros and have her passport stamped. Then she needed to go to her local Town Hall and obtain a ?Padrone?, a certificate showing she was a resident in her local Authority. He offered no help in these matters and it proved fairly difficult to obtain the ?Padrone? and took her a whole day! Then Paul suggested he would order the new lights for her car, a Chrysler Voyager.

One day later he called back. The lights were more expensive than he had thought and would cost 950 Euros plus fitting. The bill was likely now to be 1500 Euros. A week later he rang again and said the additional MOT paper would cost another 100 Euros and that VAT would be payable. Yes you can calculate like me that Janet is now in for 1600 Euros. The day of the appointment came and Paul rang again to advise her to bring at least 2000 Euros in cash so that there would not be any problem! Later that day the final bill came to 1864 Euros.

When I caught up with her last week it was too late and it had all been done, and so had she!

The British Consulate advised me what a person should do if they wished to convert their car to a Spanish registration. Yes you need their import declaration form, the ?Padrone? and a valid MOT certificate which would only be given if the correct lights were fitted. Armed with all this documentation Janet should have gone to the local Tax office and submitted her case. Having bought the new car one year ago in a legitimate deal in the UK she had paid English VAT and purchase tax, she had the bill of sale and the DVLC document which she had filled in to state that she was exporting the car to Spain. (After this DVLC would have no further interest in the vehicle.)

The Spanish tax office would agree that tax has already been paid and that the British Consulate had checked that she was a declared bone fide UK citizen. Her document would be further stamped.

At the Traffic department with all these documents, she could obtain her Spanish registration and her number. Back to the Garage to fit the new plates and she was done! This sounds horrendous, but it?s not, just a few days of your life, which someone may charge a fee to help you achieve or a Spanish speaking friend can hold your hand.

It?s that fee really which worried me. I checked with the Chrysler dealer in Malaga. The price of 2 new headlamp units was 800 Euros total. The price fitted was 850 Euros, 30 minutes work and fairly charged at a minimum hourly rate. The labour carries VAT at 16%, 8 Euros. The MOT should cost no more than 150 Euros depending on whether there is other work involved. My maximum estimate for the total was 1050 Euros.

You may draw your own conclusions.

Hugoraymond@mypropertypal.com

http://www.mypropertypal.com http://www.UKinSpain.com