Do you want to go back to uk??

[kevin77]

OK Donna and Paul so you are both relaxed! And satisfied financially?
What I was saying is that Brits with a pocketful of money earned in the UK move to Andalcia and they then slag off the UK as being the horriblest country ever. At least it has put them in a position of comparative wealth and they should acknowledge that, dont you tink?

[sassy]

Hi there

I have been reading this thread with interest and agree with many thoughts on the matter. Speaking personally, running a business here in Spain is far more complicated than the UK, the employment laws for a start are a complete minefield. Yes, we came here for a better standard of living and yes we have achieved this, but a heck of a lot more hard work than ever in the UK has gone into getting this, however, we do find we work more hours than in UK, but we do have a far nicer house, environment for our children and we believe it is worth it. Our house in Spain has increased in value far more than our previous in the UK, so that is in itself a bonus, but what we find increasingly furiating is getting things actually done here, everything takes so b l o o d y long, its the mañana syndrome everywhere, ok, so we should get used to it, but it is annoying all the same!

Sass

[poshtotti]

What I was saying is that Brits with a pocketful of money earned in the UK move to Andalcia and they then slag off the UK as being the horriblest country ever. At least it has put them in a position of comparative wealth and they should acknowledge that, dont you tink?

I've not got a pocket full of money earned in the UK, OK, I sold my house & my cars but I don't have a pension.....I'm under 30! - I work as & when doing freelance work, it suits me, I live life well & don't feel the need to "keep up with the Jones's".
I find living over here that it doesn't matter what your father does for a living, what you drive, where you have your haircut, which school you went to, how many bedrooms your house has......Another reason for my NOT wanting to live in the UK & I do think it is horrible country. I've been to 3rd world countries & met happier people who have no particular reason to smile but life wherever you choose to live is what you make it.

[kevin77]

I sold my house & my cars

Err that gave it away a bit. You are not starting out from the same reference point as a Spanish kid!

[phil_euro]

I park in Spain, so I don't have to queue.

Trouble with that is that the border car parks are targets for vandals/thieves , especially if they think you are a Brit. Remember not to leave a copy of the Sun on the front seat!

Really! I must be lucky - after more than 5 years I've never had anything taken...nor has anyone I know.

Also, better than that, why not buy a scooter/motorbike and skip the queue all together? Why anyone drives into Gib is beyond me.

[poshtotti]

"Err that gave it away a bit" - I can't see what your point is Kevin.
Do you assume that the house & cars gave me a large lump sum of cash?!?!

My point is that I don't like the UK & I don't want to live there again. I come back to my believing that the mentality of so many Brits comes down to money & materialism.

Where is the reference point a Spanish kid starts out from?!
What defines a "kid"?

[katy]

When the currencies are different its difficult to compare prices, sometimes its just a favourable exchange rate. My perception is that the cost of living is more or less the same. sometime in the UK I notice something that is less expensive than Spain and vice versa.

What I do notice is that in Holland, France and Germany (Places I visit a few times a year) food and veg costs less than in Spain and seeing that a lot of the produce is from Spain find it suprising.

Posters are right that wages and conditions are sweatshop here, I couldn't work here. Just the thought of having to travel to work twice a day makes me think I would prefer the UK. Think the majority here do have a UK source of income or have set up a business. General rumour here is that many of the young families here are claiming benefits from the UK. Also there is no safety net here if something goes wrong. I know a few Spanish here who have two jobs.

[frank]

Reply - who cares about the cost!.
Here in London today it is blowing a gale is cold and rainy, the tubes all running late, headlines in the papers about sleazy politicians and foiled terror attacks.

Are you suggesting that Spain is free of sleeze and foiled terror attacks. To the best of my knowledge, politicians the world over always have their snouts in the trough, but I think the UK lags a long way behind the likes of Spain, France, Greece etc. They are in a different league to us! And terror attacks?
Terror blasts kill at least 198 in Spain

Have you never heard of ETA ?
As of the end of 2003, ETA had killed 817 people

Slag the UK off by all means, but let's not suggest that the UK is the only country suffering these problems.

[katy]

3 policemen were reprimanded in Marbella last week because they arrested the Mayors nephew who was driving at excessive speed and refused to stop....no sleaze here.

[frank]

3 policemen were reprimanded in Marbella last week because they arrested the Mayors nephew who was driving at excessive speed and refused to stop....no sleaze here.

Katy, the Spanish could give us a master class in sleaze, we're mere beginners in the UK compared with them. And they all seem to be in on it., from the local mayors up.

[daneinspain]

I think we have established that wages are different and therefore costs of living are proportional.

For those brits who are the scum that deteriorate the coast with their petty criminal activities, scams, cowboy outfits, drunken hooligans there should be a special charity set up to pay for them to be sent back to UK I would be ready to contribute. Maybe even better there should be a special local task force that extradite them so that the coast can be a little bit more like what it used to be.

[frank]

For those brits who are the scum that deteriorate the coast with their petty criminal activities, scams, cowboy outfits, drunken hooligans there should be a special charity set up to pay for them to be sent back to UK

Blimey, don't send them back, we were mighty relieved to get rid of them!
And if you run out, let us know, we have thousands more you can have! Trouble is, if you take them all, there will only be a few of us left here! You're also welcome to all those that made their "fortune" here, that now sit around on the patio with their drinks, slagging off you UK! ¡Que aproveche!

I would be ready to contribute. Maybe even better there should be a special local task force that extradite them so that the coast can be a little bit more like what it used to be.

Those days are long gone, I´m afraid. The coast has changed beyond recognition, and you´re welcome to it!

[silver]

Can´t go back now cos
Taxpayers are set to be charged hundreds of pounds extra a year if they are in a conservation area, next to an open space, have a swimming pool or tennis court or enjoy full or partial views of the sea, hills, mountains, lakes or rivers.
Extra charges are also expected to be levied on homes with more bedrooms than average, conservatories, large patios or gardens, roof terraces or balconies. Homes in "gated communities" will also face higher bills.
Official documents show that ministers are going to extraordinary lengths to build a detailed database of properties across England, with the intention of placing them in a higher council tax band.