Capo Boi's activity

Questions Asked

We have just completed the eleventh year of renting out our house for the summer. As I think I said before in previous posts, in all this time we have only had two vacant weeks.

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 12:05

Despite the bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal the euro has been very strong of late. There is currently a growing view that if "weaker" nations are forced out of the euro zone then the euro will strengthen further. (Italy is probably the mi

Wed, 04/20/2011 - 14:48

Just been billed for Tassa rifuiti. Wait for it................... Wait for it................... Wait for it................... Wait for it...................   Year 2004.

Fri, 03/11/2011 - 14:55

What have the EU (and David C) ever done for us? The aqueduct, sanitation, roads, irrigation, medicine, education, health.... Hearing the BBC iplayer is shortly to be made available overseas at a subscription of around £7.50 per month.

Thu, 03/03/2011 - 17:34

I know pv has been covered extensively in the past, but I thought that it may be helpful to post the current numbers and maths that are being advertised here. (Sardinia). This is for a carport installation roofed by 3kw of pv panels.

Thu, 02/17/2011 - 14:46

First of all, I would like to say that other than the odd bottle of wine or meal, I have no financial interest whatsoever,  in any property or estate agency business. That said, just speaking around, there does seem to be a general feeling that th

Sun, 02/06/2011 - 17:06

Feels to me, £ is too high.

Tue, 09/21/2010 - 07:57

For anyone looking to run a bed and breakfast (or already running one) there is an excellent article in this month's "Cose di Case" magazine (August).

Tue, 08/03/2010 - 12:58

Has anyone got a really good method of cooking/recipe? Have loads in the l'orto but never seemed to be able to cook these with satisfactory results. I've only got a frying pan, so cannot deep fry.

Sun, 06/06/2010 - 04:37

It seems that the conventional wisdom that sterling would collapse on a hung parliament is being turned on its head.

Fri, 04/23/2010 - 17:00

Comments posted

Tue, 09/06/2011 - 18:55

I looked at the licence a few months ago. I really can't be bothered doing it again but I think its has less than a year to run. Given that Ron, bought-was given from Poundbury on the demiss of the magazine and has not been on here for maybe two years, you can draw your own conclusions. (Val, Paz etc of the Poundbury staff, I believe are gone, (Great hotel room booking site though Ron.....or maybe not). Anyway, this forum is now a complete waste of time for me so logging off, deleting e-mail ping and goodbye. Best Wishes CB. ps, not going to but there is the temptation to use the f word or even promote the Scunthorpe problem. Bye, bye, bye.

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 09:37

Whatever you may think, the Italian tax regime is actually quite sophisticated. One can always disagree with the rules but there is always a tendency to pick up and be backdated, though it may take years. Tarsa rifuiti is administered at the state level. Individual comunes have the right to set their own rates but must apply to each and every house regardless of occupancy. Casa Monal is correct. m2 applies to exterior space, not internal. ICI rules may mean that you have to pay twice unless you nominate and have accepted your prima casa. What is going to be interesting is, if the "tourist tax" is going to be rolled out throughout Italy and will be retrospective. Its already here in some comunes in Sardinia, focal attention being on B&B's. .http://italianmedia.com.au/w4/index.php/english-magazine/english-features/179-english-section/top-stories/7141-venice-tourist-tax-goes-into-effect

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 16:37

A very useful post Penny. This is my understanding as well and was what I was trying to say. You just write much better than me.

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 21:03

Penny, We are talking about two different thing here. The legislation that you point to is essentially business to business and here Italy is no different to most of Europe. Its predominately to stop tax allowances and deductions being applied by Italian companies overseas subsidiaries where there is no rational economic interest for doing so. On a personal level, provided that you are not a suspected (and can prove) drug dealer, money launderer, "tax evader" etc, you can freely transfer money in and out of Italy to IOM, Guernsey etc. without any withholding taxes being applied. Switzerland is on the Italian "tax and fiscal" list, "(blacklist"), but probably the biggest personal buyers of Italian property in the last three years have come from Switzerland.

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 05:09

Hello Fillide, I'm very sorry. I did actually know that. Typed without thinking. A friend of mine in Bergamo was actually responsible for arranging two international Caravaggio exhibitions. Think one was at the New York Met last year.

Thu, 08/25/2011 - 18:54

I think Fillide is really spot on here, especially his comments on the corrosive nature of salt water. I'd go quite a bit higher than his €20,000 estimate for a standard 8x4 pool but I have to say that I have no experience of liner pools and have never really looked at prices. That said, we bought into the idea of a salt water pool here in Sardinia. We operated it as such for two years and it was OK ish in the spring and autumn but in summer no amount of salt or filtration could keep the water clear. We were forced to use big quantities of anti-algae chemicals which rather defeated the object of having a salt water pool in the first place and found that we were having to clean the pool every day. Are you really sure that you want to go down this route? Since we reverted to good old chlorine the water quality and clarity has improved no end. Good luck though, maybe it will work for you.

Wed, 08/24/2011 - 19:12

Penny, BTW Isle of Man, Jersey & Guernsey are all blacklisted. If you are referring to the OECD list of uncooperative tax havens (commonly known as the "blacklist") that is incorrect. All three now meet agreed international standards and rank on a similar basis to the UK, US, France, Germany etc.  

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 14:35

I concur with Ram. For designated "deprived areas" or buildings of a particular historical nature its possible that EU funding could be available but I've always been told that this goes to the comune first and is administered by them. I'm no expert though. It could be that you are referring to various schemes that I've seen promoted in the past whereas capital expenditure on a holiday letting business through a perceived loophole in the UK tax regime is deductible from UK income tax. If I remember correctly there were fairly onerous conditions to meet and there would be a claw back on any sale. I never really studied these schemes closely as they would not affect me and I've no idea whether they ever worked (work) or not. Someone else on here may know.

Wed, 08/17/2011 - 19:33

Guardian and Economist gone a bit quiet now. (As have other forums). 10 year Italian bond yields now below 5%. Euro comfortably above $1.40. Its only a matter of time imo before the hedgies have a go at £. Why? Because (1) £ is overvalued (2) they can and (3) would suit govt. Only my opinion but I think we will see £/€ at 1.05 or below in the not too distant future (Currently 1.145). 

Tue, 07/26/2011 - 18:33

Glad you enjoyed your stay Alan H. Next time have a look at Kussnacht, Weggis or Vitznau. All are minutes from the autostrada but situated directly on the lake. (Viervaldvatersee...lake Luzern) and have the "Queen of the Mountains" (Mt Rigi) in their background. Mark Twain described Weggis as the place that he believed to be  "the loveliest in the world".