sterling falling again

[Scot]

Lavanda the families I know that are returning are all friends made from school. We pay for our school approx 400 euros per child . Most of us have kid(s) aged 15/16 at a crucial time in their education. The school has an uncertain future which can't be helped by non payment of fees and lots of the Brits returning. There are no decent local schools for this age group. Many of us have worked here and not been paid. We all have a partner working in the UK so now running two households. It is impossible in the current climate to make a living here even as a Spanish speaker. My friends husband is a Spanish speaking lawyer and after 2 years of trying, has returned to the UK, found a job for 6 months (unemployed again) leaving the family here. Two families invested in the property market here and are now almost broke. Two others have handed the keys of their homes here back to the bank (one had property in New Zealand). Now, right away (child benefit aside ), a return to the UK means running one household and no school fees. I save approx 2,000 month immediately - a huge saving I think you'll agree. We no longer have the disadvantage of the exchange rate pound vs euro. I'm hoping to find a part time job We can also run one car. So, for many of us, it is without doubt the only thing to do. I do have some friends who are staying put and moving to the local schools and some who are devastated at their return to the UK. Times really are bad for families here

[Scot]

Julian - dont forget the second part of my opening sentence - the families with children who need to make a living. I'm going to make an assumption that neither yourself nor Lavanda have school age children to support here? Without the kids, we'd manage better - now, there's an idea

[avellana]

Scot
I think you have explained very clearly the dilemma some British families with children find themselves in.
It's not so easy to cut costs if there are growing children with school fees and activities to pay for!

I wish you good luck.

[rt21]

Just to add my twopence to this post

I recently had separate conversations with two colleagues at work about holidays and was quite surprised to learn that they and their families would not be taking holidays abroad this year. Both are in fairly secure jobs and one is a relatively high earner. They both cited the value of the euro as being the reason.

Last year I visited my house in Spain five times but this year it will be more like twice. I suppose the value of euro in an indirect way is the reason for this as my albeit small mortgage is euro based.

These are just my personal experiences and of course may not reflect those of the wider British public.


Richard

[Lavanda]

You're right Scot. The children we have are adult with children of their own. All but one lives and works in the U.K. We are the ones who 'ran away from home'. Running two homes is an extra expense and, obviously, getting rid of one halves the bills in one go.

[silver]

The British have always been Andalucias bread and butter...or prawn tapa

Just how long is always???

[katy]

Well, since mass tourism began...late sixties. Used to be the other way round though...was our families bread and butter they sold them railway parts

[silver]

Have you ever stopped to think of how this

bread and butter

invasion has affected the everyday Spanish ..
they had a better way of life.. when a years pay would buy a home..food was fresh and affordable.. bbq`s on an empty beach.. safe environment (pre Costa del crime..which should have been.. Costa del British criminal)..and life in general was happy go lucky.. The whole place even looked better..pre high rise blocks.. the roads have improved though..
also a lot of British businessmen made a lot money from Spainish property boom...or was it the Spanish thet set up all those TV shows of live in Spain.
I think that some Brits actually think that the Spanish should kiss their feet for the privalidge of having them here.

[pigs-might-fly]

I think that some Brits actually think that that foreigners should kiss their feet for the privilege of having them in their country! - Amended quote!
Quite right too!

[katy]

Have you ever stopped to think of how this

bread and butter

invasion has affected the everyday Spanish ..
they had a better way of life.. when a years pay would buy a home..food was fresh and affordable.. bbq`s on an empty beach.. safe environment (pre Costa del crime..which should have been.. Costa del British criminal)..and life in general was happy go lucky.. The whole place even looked better..pre high rise blocks.. the roads have improved though..
also a lot of British businessmen made a lot money from Spainish property boom...or was it the Spanish thet set up all those TV shows of live in Spain.
I think that some Brits actually think that the Spanish should kiss their feet for the privalidge of having them here.

I agree and I think of it all the time. I have been coming here since a young child, my Grandfather had a place here...he was Spanish! That does not change the fact that the whole economy down here is based on tourism..mainly British, and many Spaniards have got rich by it. Most Spanish I know know it's their bread and butter. My neighbour, a Spanish Lawyer has sent his Son 4 years, to a private British school who are running a bi-lingual course..to prepare him for the future.

I don't think the British think like that at all, they do expect value for money and pleasant service, not much to ask when on holiday!

[silver]

they do expect value for money and pleasant service

I believe that most do get that..otherwise they would not return..as most do. ..but then there are others who.. get drunk,fight and moan if the sun aint shinning, whinge and expect a smile back..and put us all to shame
Then there are plenty of British shops and bars here..where they can always expect value for money and pleasant service

[Mowser]

It'll be €1.20 by summer.

[marie5]

Hi we have recently returned from living in Velez Rubio area. It is our intention to come back to Spain as we loved our life there.
We are retired so our experience will be different to those who need to find work. However we find that our food costs are not much higher than when we were in Spain. Supermarkets here have a real price war going on.Though we have a car we need never use it as travel for us is free.We can eat out for two of us for under £10 if we wish.Plenty of places do special rates for pensioners. We dont use these as mainly we go out with our adult children
Our utility costs average £126 a month for gas and electricity. Internet phone and TV around £80 pounds a month.Just had council tax which is £115x10 per month.(we actually found electric in Spain wasnt that cheap.)
I am sure for those seeking work it is more problematic. We however live very comfortably on our state and professional pensions.
The question of Spain or UK doesnt arise for us. We love both places and can survive in both. There are changes here. House prices are becoming more realistic.Today my daughters Mother in law has sold her house for 20k less than the asking price. However she has bought for almost 20k less than the seller was asking. Work is a priority and it is desparate for those losing jobs. All my children are in secure jobs and they are fortunate. Here where we live there have been at least 800 jobs lost locally. That means drastic changes for those families and we feel for them.
We accept we are fortunate but have never felt the need to knock the UK. It is after all our home and where our families are. That said we are looking forward to our return despite the exchange rate. This just our experience.
Marie

[Lavanda]

Hello marie5 and welcome to the debate.

I think, in the long term, house prices everywhere will become more realistic. Sell expensive, buy expensive, sell cheap, buy cheap, it's all the same in the end if the selling and buying are done in the same country in the same time frame. Property prices everywhere have been silly for ages. I remember getting my first mortgage in the U.K., 2.5x my salary with a 10% deposit. Last time I looked it was something like 6x a salary and no deposit. Madness. Now the U.K. government have reintroduced the idea of mortgage lending linked to salaries plus deposit. My OH thinks the average U.K. house will be £75,000 in eighteen months or no one will be able to buy a house on the low wages now offered to most AVERAGE workers. If all houses of a certain sort are that price it hardly matters, does it?

[katy]

Yes it would be better if everything fell as first time buyers could get into the market. (not very good for those getting divorced and in Negative Equity!). It was all getting silly.

I read that Northern Rock was still giving 125% mortgages at 7x income AFTER being baled out by the Taxpayers

It was reported this week that house prices had risen 0.2% in the UK. We have been looking around in the UK for a bargain...there aren't many in the areas we want to buy. I think the property that will fall most is BTL built in many Industrial Town Centres......there was never a demand for them, just like the two million in Spain, pure speculation and greed.