Lost Purse

[poshtotti]

I am so angry with myself!

Somewhere between the garage & my house I have managed to lose my purse. I checked with my neighbours, nothing, checked with the garage, again nothing, what a surprise!!!

I was in the car, so it could only have been lost going from the garage to the car (parked right outside) & from the car (on the private driveway). I have been to the National Police, reported it, completed the necessary forms etc. I have cancelled all the cards I have.

The major pain is my driving licence. It's a UK licence, I dont have a UK address anymore so what do I do? Any help, would be appreciated to cheer me up on this very dull, nasty Sunday morning.

Thanks

[Marina]

Do you have a friend in the UK who's address you could use? You could then just apply for a new one with a change of address.

I know what a pain it is to loose all your bits and pieces like that. The same thing happened to me just after I arrived in Spain. At the time I didn't realise I could use my driving license for ID, so I had my passport in my purse and everything went. To add to the stress it was two days before I needed to return to the UK for a funeral.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

[dooby]

My husband lost his licence over here and obviously like you cannot get it replaced. The DVLA will however on request send you a certificate of entitlement for £5 which you should then be able to use to replace it with a spanish licence.

[julian]

wait a few days first, it might turn up at the lost property dept, inform the local police that it is missing

[rymanskid]

Just do as Marina said I did a couple of years back ,ask a good friend if they mind using there address ,the spanish police have to accept a UK licence as it is EU law

[anewlife]

Know what it is like losing something (or something being stolen). But what good would a UK driving licence be to a Spaniard, Moroccan, Bolivian, whatever - unless they want to steal your identity, which is a big thing now. Be careful and I hope you sort it out soon.

[campo babe]

I don't think its as easy now to use someone else's address. I looked at applying for a new UK licence (photocard one) a couple of years ago to replace my pink one. Because of the money laundering laws etc. they seem to have introduced such forms of identity as utility bills etc. to prove that the address is yours, and if you are using a friend's address the electricity bill will be in their name not yours.

I do hope it turns up.

[lis48]

If you have the paper counterpart it is free and easy to change an address and you need no bills to prove it. I recently had my purse stolen plus English driving license. I called them to explain I now lived abroad and they said there was no problem with my using my daughter´s address if mine in UK was no longer valid. But they won´t send forms or license to an address outside UK or let you download the form. So just get forms for a replacement (I actually asked a visitor to pick one up at the PO and bring it with them), fill them in and send them a cheque for 20 quid. At the same time if you send the paper counterpart, you can change your address to a relative´s in UK which costs nothing. The DVLA want to make it as easy as possible for someone to update an address to keep tabs on you. It is only if you are applying for a new license that they require proof. Opening up a bank account is totally different.

[Beachcomber]

...the spanish police have to accept a UK licence as it is EU law

EU law also permits member states to apply the regulations pertaining to the issue of their own national licences which means that holders of foreign licences are subject to the same age restrictions and medical requirements as the holder of a Spanish licence.

[lis48]

I have been to the National Police, reported it, completed the necessary forms etc. I have cancelled all the cards I have.

When I had my purse stolen I reported it of course to the National Police but they also advised me to go to the Local Police to report it there as well. They don´t seem to work together and it was the Local Police that called me a few weeks later to say they had found it when according to the National Police it was still missing. Cash was gone but cards and photos still there. Do contact both of them.
My main trouble has been getting replacement bank cards after cancelling everything. A new UK one came a week later but I am still without Spanish replacements 6 weeks later and it will be at least two more weeks yet.