I am a UK citizen and resident but I spend a lot of time in Italy. I am being offered a small amount of paid work in Italy. The money will not be very much - probably less than £1000 (in the year) to start with.
We have a house which is in a terrace of medieval origin. There was a house next door which fell down about thirty years ago and now a developer seeks to build a house on the empty plot.
I am a UK citizen and I own a house in Italy. I go back and forth between Italy and the UK frequently but I am not an Italian resident. What are the benefits and disadvantages of being a resident, both from the Italian and UK viewpoint?
What is the best way to transfer money from Italy to the UK? We will soon be selling a house in Italy and we wish to transfer the funds safely and quickly and as cheaply as possible to our UK bank account.
What is the consensus / opinion on not using a lawyer if the sale is being handled by a registered estate agent and if one speaks pretty good Italian and has experience of the process through having bought and sold before? We are soon to buy a house through a registered estate agent and I would appreciate the thoughts of those who have done this as we have only bought through 'finders' before. Thanks.
This could be ok or it could be a disaster! I have had both when buying property without an estate agent in Italy. I would suggest getting a guide to buying property in Italy and following it, identifying possible pitfalls and asking/checking yourself, directly with the relevant authorities. Friendly (seeming?) sellers may not know of problems or may be hiding them, with the onus on you to be careful - 'caveat emptor' originates as an expression in ancient Rome - "Let the buyer beware". If your Italian is not very good, then get the assistance of an English speaking lawyer would be my advice, even if only to look over the deed of sale in advance, if not to attend the signing with the notary. And for those who say that the notary's work should ensure there are no problems, well, all I can say is that I was told that as well, and it did not work out that way.
Does this mean that if you don't have an EpiPen and get stung by one of these supersized wasps you are at risk of death? Or only those with 'wasp allergy'? Worried now...
Much as Ryanair keeps us on our toes by changing routes, times, procedures, costs etc the simple truth is that without low cost flights I would have never been able to afford to have the life I have had since 2001 with regular trips between Sardinia and the UK. I read the small print, travel light, choose my dates of travel with discernment, cultivate a patient attitude should there be a delay (and I have had memorable ones...) and therefore I have not joined the "I hate Ryanair" club. I can even tolerate Michael O'Leary's publicity stunts and the girly calendar now...!
Well I am 'new' to this forum, although technically I have been a member for a while, but I did not look at it much until fairly recently. I don't know anything about past problems or successes or bans or who used to be here and is now gone. From what I have seen so far it seems that there are many helpful and interesting comments and a lack of bitchiness and slander. Some online forums seem to consist of a lot of malicious sentiment and this one so far is a breath of fresh air! Thanks to everybody who does post - it has been good to read the various postings - including the sometimes heated discussions and disagreements.
Is it possible to simultaneously have residency status in both the UK and Italy if one spends approximately half the year in both countries? Is any official "tally" kept of how many days in total per year one spends in either place? I currently frequently go back and forth between both and truly do not know where I will spend more time in any given year.
I have travelled around a lot of Sardinia, and I especially like the NW of the island as it more unspoilt and authentic. The most unspoilt and authentic areas are of course in the interior of the island, but these often do not attract tourists. The coastline between Bosa and Alghero is spectacular and legally protected. Bosa itself is a small working town, not just a resort and has a very special welcoming atmosphere as well as fantastically beautiful countryside and many beaches of different types - not just your classic sandy strand. Wherever you go, do hire a car, as although public transport is inexpensive, it is infrequent, timetabling is confusing if you don't speak Italian (and even if you do!) and does not go to the areas you may wish to explore. Costa Smeralda is gorgeous, yes, but expensive, and strangely suburban in its built environment. You could be anywhere - it doesn't seem very Sardinian to me.
Comments posted
Don't suppose any of this would work using a chiavetta for internet rather than a phone line?
Ram, what is the name of your book?
What is the consensus / opinion on not using a lawyer if the sale is being handled by a registered estate agent and if one speaks pretty good Italian and has experience of the process through having bought and sold before? We are soon to buy a house through a registered estate agent and I would appreciate the thoughts of those who have done this as we have only bought through 'finders' before. Thanks.
This could be ok or it could be a disaster! I have had both when buying property without an estate agent in Italy. I would suggest getting a guide to buying property in Italy and following it, identifying possible pitfalls and asking/checking yourself, directly with the relevant authorities. Friendly (seeming?) sellers may not know of problems or may be hiding them, with the onus on you to be careful - 'caveat emptor' originates as an expression in ancient Rome - "Let the buyer beware". If your Italian is not very good, then get the assistance of an English speaking lawyer would be my advice, even if only to look over the deed of sale in advance, if not to attend the signing with the notary. And for those who say that the notary's work should ensure there are no problems, well, all I can say is that I was told that as well, and it did not work out that way.
Does this mean that if you don't have an EpiPen and get stung by one of these supersized wasps you are at risk of death? Or only those with 'wasp allergy'? Worried now...
Much as Ryanair keeps us on our toes by changing routes, times, procedures, costs etc the simple truth is that without low cost flights I would have never been able to afford to have the life I have had since 2001 with regular trips between Sardinia and the UK. I read the small print, travel light, choose my dates of travel with discernment, cultivate a patient attitude should there be a delay (and I have had memorable ones...) and therefore I have not joined the "I hate Ryanair" club. I can even tolerate Michael O'Leary's publicity stunts and the girly calendar now...!
Well I am 'new' to this forum, although technically I have been a member for a while, but I did not look at it much until fairly recently. I don't know anything about past problems or successes or bans or who used to be here and is now gone. From what I have seen so far it seems that there are many helpful and interesting comments and a lack of bitchiness and slander. Some online forums seem to consist of a lot of malicious sentiment and this one so far is a breath of fresh air! Thanks to everybody who does post - it has been good to read the various postings - including the sometimes heated discussions and disagreements.
Is it possible to simultaneously have residency status in both the UK and Italy if one spends approximately half the year in both countries? Is any official "tally" kept of how many days in total per year one spends in either place? I currently frequently go back and forth between both and truly do not know where I will spend more time in any given year.
How does having Italian residency affect access to UK health care? How does Italian residency affect access to Italian health care?
I have travelled around a lot of Sardinia, and I especially like the NW of the island as it more unspoilt and authentic. The most unspoilt and authentic areas are of course in the interior of the island, but these often do not attract tourists. The coastline between Bosa and Alghero is spectacular and legally protected. Bosa itself is a small working town, not just a resort and has a very special welcoming atmosphere as well as fantastically beautiful countryside and many beaches of different types - not just your classic sandy strand. Wherever you go, do hire a car, as although public transport is inexpensive, it is infrequent, timetabling is confusing if you don't speak Italian (and even if you do!) and does not go to the areas you may wish to explore. Costa Smeralda is gorgeous, yes, but expensive, and strangely suburban in its built environment. You could be anywhere - it doesn't seem very Sardinian to me.