"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place."
But are you moving because of the UK's government and economic policies? Or have you just reached the age where retirement to somewhere warm seems attractive? |
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
But are you moving because of the UK's government and economic policies? Or have you just reached the age where retirement to somewhere warm seems attractive?"
Both. And because of the general decline in the UK over the past few decades.
The UK is a much worse place to live than it used to be, more crowded, more traffic, more pollution, dirty, badly maintained, more litter, less respect, no pride in the country or the environment.
This is due to the actions of successive governments but has accelerated recently. |
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I (Mr) left almost 22 years ago. Blair was still PM then.
Decided to give it a year and see how it went. I'm still here.
Wouldn't dream (nightmare maybe) about going back. I keep my rare visits to the UK as short as possible. My old home town was never great but it's a proper shit hole now.
Nowhere is perfect but I'm happy enough where I am.
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My feelings too. I hopped over to Ireland in early 2000s. Makes me incredibly sad now go home, it's a tip. The dirt, s and litter around my home town are disgusting, the town center full of addicts, the roads there are shocking, my old friends children stuck in shitty zero hour contracts. Not to mention trying to engage any kind of services for my aging parents is impossible.
I thought hard about leaving at the time because, Blair was still a new kid on the block and there was a huge feeling of optimism, but definitely since the economic crash there isn't a day past where I am not grateful that my children are being brought up here and not there, because, sadly it's not a place I'd want them to be and I don't see much of a future for their generation in the UK. |
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By *I TwoCouple 24 weeks ago
near enough |
"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
But are you moving because of the UK's government and economic policies? Or have you just reached the age where retirement to somewhere warm seems attractive?
Both. And because of the general decline in the UK over the past few decades.
The UK is a much worse place to live than it used to be, more crowded, more traffic, more pollution, dirty, badly maintained, more litter, less respect, no pride in the country or the environment.
This is due to the actions of successive governments but has accelerated recently."
A lot of France is going the same way as the UK, neglect and run down, poor roads etc
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By *deepdiveMan 24 weeks ago
Canterbury and France (26) |
"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
But are you moving because of the UK's government and economic policies? Or have you just reached the age where retirement to somewhere warm seems attractive?
Both. And because of the general decline in the UK over the past few decades.
The UK is a much worse place to live than it used to be, more crowded, more traffic, more pollution, dirty, badly maintained, more litter, less respect, no pride in the country or the environment.
This is due to the actions of successive governments but has accelerated recently.
A lot of France is going the same way as the UK, neglect and run down, poor roads etc
"
Is it?
Living here I certainly find that the roads, villages etc. are well kept but perhaps you know something that I don't?
Can you tell me why and where France is going the same way as the UK (neglect and run down, poor roads etc) and I don't see it where I live and travel pretty extensively through France and Europe. |
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By *hirleyMan 24 weeks ago
Wine bar |
"
A lot of France is going the same way as the UK, neglect and run down, poor roads etc
"
Western nations are entering what I like to call late-stage capitalism; a period where decline, under-investment, and general deterioration are becoming harder to ignore.
France is no exception, much like most nations across Europe and beyond. It’s the main reason I voted Leave in the EU referendum, and I’d do so again in a heartbeat, even knowing then it would be detrimental to the UK economy. The EU, is a neoliberalist institution, and Brexit has only accelerated its demise along with other factors. Soon there will be no hiding place for them, and hopefully people will begin to unite again. |
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"
Can you tell me why and where France is going the same way as the UK (neglect and run down, poor roads etc) and I don't see it where I live and travel pretty extensively through France and Europe."
Not the original poster. But I felt that way when I visited Paris this year. Definitely got worse when it comes to littering and state of public places compared to how it was when I visited a decade back. Maybe it's just a city thing and the other parts are fine? |
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"Must be awful having a second home  "
That's a rather unnecessarily churlish statement. I know plenty of people who have a very ordinary house here and an equally small and ordinary 1 or 2 bed flat in Spain. And just as many who have two 70 or 80 grand cars parked outside. |
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"Must be awful having a second home
That's a rather unnecessarily churlish statement. I know plenty of people who have a very ordinary house here and an equally small and ordinary 1 or 2 bed flat in Spain. And just as many who have two 70 or 80 grand cars parked outside. "
Not at all, complaining about the country and moaning about what house to live in is pretty crass and there's nothing ordinary about having a house in the UK and a house abroad.
I get that people have "probably" worked very hard to get enough money to buy a second property, but that freedom and ability was given by the very country people are complaining about.
I've got no issues with people moving abroad, but don't then sit in another country complaining about this one.
It's a issue that alienates probably 99% of the counties population, owning homes abroad is something most people can only dream about.
What's the phrase ?
"First world problems"
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
But are you moving because of the UK's government and economic policies? Or have you just reached the age where retirement to somewhere warm seems attractive?
Both. And because of the general decline in the UK over the past few decades.
The UK is a much worse place to live than it used to be, more crowded, more traffic, more pollution, dirty, badly maintained, more litter, less respect, no pride in the country or the environment.
This is due to the actions of successive governments but has accelerated recently."
Isn't France the same though? Perhaps it's where in the UK you are that's the problem? |
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"Must be awful having a second home
That's a rather unnecessarily churlish statement. I know plenty of people who have a very ordinary house here and an equally small and ordinary 1 or 2 bed flat in Spain. And just as many who have two 70 or 80 grand cars parked outside.
Not at all, complaining about the country and moaning about what house to live in is pretty crass and there's nothing ordinary about having a house in the UK and a house abroad.
I get that people have "probably" worked very hard to get enough money to buy a second property, but that freedom and ability was given by the very country people are complaining about.
I've got no issues with people moving abroad, but don't then sit in another country complaining about this one.
It's a issue that alienates probably 99% of the counties population, owning homes abroad is something most people can only dream about.
What's the phrase ?
"First world problems"
"
As someone who lives in the first world those are the problems I care about.
We split our time between our 2 houses (although neither in the UK) but I absolutely reserve the right to criticise/complain about the UK whenever I think fit.
I was born there, I lived there for nearly 50 years and my kids and grandkids still live there. So trying to put anyone on some kind of guilt trip because they own more than one house is churlish in the extreme.
There are plenty of posters on here who love to criticise the US and have never had so much as a day trip there.
We own 2 houses and are fucking PROUD of it.
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"Isn't France the same though? Perhaps it's where in the UK you are that's the problem?"
We have bought a semi-rural house / barn for renovation in France. Near enough to a small town with all the amenities to walk there for a croissant but far enough away over the hill that we can't see or hear the town at all. The property came with an acre and a half of land, outbuildings and outline planning permission. Services are all there including full fibre internet and there is good 5G mobile signal. Full planning permission has been obtained by us without any issues. The town has all amenities, services and a selection of shops both on the high street and a supermarket. The town and local roads are clean, litter / graffiti free and well maintained. Parking is free in all the local towns and (apart from market days) is rarely a problem. Total cost of the renovated property should be about half the selling price of our fairly ordinary northern semi.
In the UK similar properties are few and far between. Where they are available the total cost will be 2 or 3 times the price of our existing house so we can't afford it. Rural broadband is poor and expensive, mobile signal is patchy, roads are poorly maintained, parking is expensive, town centres are dying unless a tourist area, litter and graffiti are issues. On a country walk in France it is rare to see any litter, in the UK it is rare not to see any.
This used to be balanced a bit by higher cost of living in France, both taxes and goods, but due to UK tax changes and high inflation recently this has pretty much balanced out. |
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I'm a bit opposite.
I work overseas and do miss this place when I'm away. No better view than the green from a plane window and roads with signs, lighting and marked edges...
I know, I know, its got its problems but compared to the places I work this little island is a paradise and we are all very, very lucky to have a place like this to call home but I believe we won't realise this until it actually falls apart at the seams and then we'll all cry with righteous indignation and look for others to blame.
The "nothing to do me me gov" shouted from the rooftops.
I retire soon and can't wait to get a holiday home, not too sure where yet but half the fun is shopping around, maybe winter in the sun, spring and summer here.
Feel free to criticise or recommend nice places, whatever takes your fancy.
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"Must be awful having a second home "
It is often aggro which many of us can well do without, particularly as you get older.
My sign-if-I-can't other and I have been hampered by this situation for years. It is time and money consuming. I have also closely observed the lifestyles of others I know who have alternative residences. The benefits and disadvantages vary from case to case.
In some cases, the second location is no more than appartment but saying "I've got two houses" is a more impressive brag.
Whatever the case, if you don't have family etc. to share the benefits and problems of owning additional estate, it is likely to evolve, with time, into a backrod creation scheme. Even more so when more than one country is involved. |
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I’ve been offered a chance numerous times to move to Barcelona and run our office there, all paid for by the company and visa sorted etc. but of the times I’ve been there I don’t think it’s a better move than staying. |
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"Must be awful having a second home
That's a rather unnecessarily churlish statement. I know plenty of people who have a very ordinary house here and an equally small and ordinary 1 or 2 bed flat in Spain. And just as many who have two 70 or 80 grand cars parked outside.
Not at all, complaining about the country and moaning about what house to live in is pretty crass and there's nothing ordinary about having a house in the UK and a house abroad.
I get that people have "probably" worked very hard to get enough money to buy a second property, but that freedom and ability was given by the very country people are complaining about.
I've got no issues with people moving abroad, but don't then sit in another country complaining about this one.
It's a issue that alienates probably 99% of the counties population, owning homes abroad is something most people can only dream about.
What's the phrase ?
"First world problems"
As someone who lives in the first world those are the problems I care about.
We split our time between our 2 houses (although neither in the UK) but I absolutely reserve the right to criticise/complain about the UK whenever I think fit.
I was born there, I lived there for nearly 50 years and my kids and grandkids still live there. So trying to put anyone on some kind of guilt trip because they own more than one house is churlish in the extreme.
There are plenty of posters on here who love to criticise the US and have never had so much as a day trip there.
We own 2 houses and are fucking PROUD of it.
"
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place."
Digital nomad visa ?
If it wasn’t for the new rules, I think I’d be in Italy now permanently. We have golden visas for UAE but it’s not somewhere we want to live permanently.
Imagine how many more would’ve left uk by now if it wasn’t for Brexit. |
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"Seriously thinking of leaving. Country is fucked and Im being taxed to Kingdom come. Lack of leadership, vision and policy."
40/45 % isn’t actually that high compared to some countries but it’s the fact that you get nothing for it anymore |
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
Digital nomad visa ?
If it wasn’t for the new rules, I think I’d be in Italy now permanently. We have golden visas for UAE but it’s not somewhere we want to live permanently.
Imagine how many more would’ve left uk by now if it wasn’t for Brexit."
Unfortunately France doesn’t have a digital nomad visa.
Also, nowhere for our stuff until the majority of the work is done on the house. |
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By (user no longer on site) 24 weeks ago
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"Seriously thinking of leaving. Country is fucked and Im being taxed to Kingdom come. Lack of leadership, vision and policy."
So, roughly the same as it's been for the last decade and a half. |
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"Seriously thinking of leaving. Country is fucked and Im being taxed to Kingdom come. Lack of leadership, vision and policy.
So, roughly the same as it's been for the last decade and a half."
Country has been in decline for a long time sadly. |
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"Must be awful having a second home
It is often aggro which many of us can well do without, particularly as you get older.
My sign-if-I-can't other and I have been hampered by this situation for years. It is time and money consuming. I have also closely observed the lifestyles of others I know who have alternative residences. The benefits and disadvantages vary from case to case.
In some cases, the second location is no more than appartment but saying "I've got two houses" is a more impressive brag.
Whatever the case, if you don't have family etc. to share the benefits and problems of owning additional estate, it is likely to evolve, with time, into a backrod creation scheme. Even more so when more than one country is involved."
40 years ago I visited Playa Blanca is Lanzarote. Back then it was a small unspoilt port. Seriously looked at buying an apartment there, until a friend suggested it might be better to buy in the UK, rent it out and holiday on the proceeds in PB or more importantly anywhere in the world.
PB is now a large holiday resort, and in my view lost all its charm. So glad I didn't tie myself to a property there and have been able to travel the world instead at very reasonable prices.
Each to their own but my horizons are about exploration rather than familiar. |
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"Must be awful having a second home
It is often aggro which many of us can well do without, particularly as you get older.
My sign-if-I-can't other and I have been hampered by this situation for years. It is time and money consuming. I have also closely observed the lifestyles of others I know who have alternative residences. The benefits and disadvantages vary from case to case.
In some cases, the second location is no more than appartment but saying "I've got two houses" is a more impressive brag.
Whatever the case, if you don't have family etc. to share the benefits and problems of owning additional estate, it is likely to evolve, with time, into a backrod creation scheme. Even more so when more than one country is involved.
40 years ago I visited Playa Blanca is Lanzarote. Back then it was a small unspoilt port. Seriously looked at buying an apartment there, until a friend suggested it might be better to buy in the UK, rent it out and holiday on the proceeds in PB or more importantly anywhere in the world.
PB is now a large holiday resort, and in my view lost all its charm. So glad I didn't tie myself to a property there and have been able to travel the world instead at very reasonable prices.
Each to their own but my horizons are about exploration rather than familiar."
If you bought a place anywhere in Lanzarote 40 years ago, you'd be quids in today.
Prices are crazy at moment. |
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
Digital nomad visa ?
If it wasn’t for the new rules, I think I’d be in Italy now permanently. We have golden visas for UAE but it’s not somewhere we want to live permanently.
Imagine how many more would’ve left uk by now if it wasn’t for Brexit.
Unfortunately France doesn’t have a digital nomad visa.
Also, nowhere for our stuff until the majority of the work is done on the house. "
The way I understand it as long as you get digital nomad in any Schengen country you can then live anywhere in Shengen because it’s a free movement zone. Your Shandon Visa is just issued by the first country you arrive into. |
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By *coptoCouple 24 weeks ago
Côte d'Azur & Great Yarmouth |
“If you bought a place anywhere in Lanzarote 40 years ago, you'd be quids in today”
We and our friend bought neighbouring apartments on the Mediterranean coast thirty years ago, hers was £40,000, ours £54,000. We’ve owned them for over thirty years, so under French rules there’s no “capital gains tax” applicable. Because of the 90-day restriction* our friend doesn’t use hers so much and is thinking of selling, and just last week asked us to have hers valued. The Estate Agent has said that it should be put on the market for 240,000 EUR as it is, more if she were to remove all the furniture and have it professionally decorated. Ours is worth at least 380,000 EUR.
Haven’t bothered to work out whether or not that was a good return on our investments, but we’re definitely “quids in”
* And no, the Spanish DNV doesn’t allow one to over-stay in France, you’d have to try another option. We can only live here permanently ‘cos I’ve got a Titre de Séjour and she’s German. |
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"
Not at all, complaining about the country and moaning about what house to live in is pretty crass and there's nothing ordinary about having a house in the UK and a house abroad.
I get that people have "probably" worked very hard to get enough money to buy a second property, but that freedom and ability was given by the very country people are complaining about.
I've got no issues with people moving abroad, but don't then sit in another country complaining about this one.
"
You clearly conflate having a property abroad with having a second "house". For most of the people we know who have a second property downnin Spain it's usually little more than a one bed studio apartment that you can still pick up for €40k or about the cost of a family saloon.
Maybe a dose of aspiration might ameliorate your envy. |
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
Digital nomad visa ?
If it wasn’t for the new rules, I think I’d be in Italy now permanently. We have golden visas for UAE but it’s not somewhere we want to live permanently.
Imagine how many more would’ve left uk by now if it wasn’t for Brexit.
Unfortunately France doesn’t have a digital nomad visa.
Also, nowhere for our stuff until the majority of the work is done on the house.
The way I understand it as long as you get digital nomad in any Schengen country you can then live anywhere in Shengen because it’s a free movement zone. Your Shandon Visa is just issued by the first country you arrive into."
I'm not sure about that.
Maybe the digital nomad visa is different but I have German residency and a UK passport, Mrs is German.
If we stay in Spain for more than 180 days we should apply for Spanish residency. In the total number of days we are no different to the UK. Other than we can do a full 180 rather than 2 x 90.
In reality no-one seems to enforce it and with no passport stamps or control we can pretty much do what we like.
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"Need to restore the house in France and then get a visa.
Then we’re off. Can’t wait to get to a more peaceful place.
Digital nomad visa ?
If it wasn’t for the new rules, I think I’d be in Italy now permanently. We have golden visas for UAE but it’s not somewhere we want to live permanently.
Imagine how many more would’ve left uk by now if it wasn’t for Brexit.
Unfortunately France doesn’t have a digital nomad visa.
Also, nowhere for our stuff until the majority of the work is done on the house.
The way I understand it as long as you get digital nomad in any Schengen country you can then live anywhere in Shengen because it’s a free movement zone. Your Shandon Visa is just issued by the first country you arrive into.
I'm not sure about that.
Maybe the digital nomad visa is different but I have German residency and a UK passport, Mrs is German.
If we stay in Spain for more than 180 days we should apply for Spanish residency. In the total number of days we are no different to the UK. Other than we can do a full 180 rather than 2 x 90.
In reality no-one seems to enforce it and with no passport stamps or control we can pretty much do what we like.
"
I think this is correct. Once our main residence is in France we will need the appropriate French visa and Titre de Séjour. |
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"“If you bought a place anywhere in Lanzarote 40 years ago, you'd be quids in today”
We and our friend bought neighbouring apartments on the Mediterranean coast thirty years ago, hers was £40,000, ours £54,000. We’ve owned them for over thirty years, so under French rules there’s no “capital gains tax” applicable. Because of the 90-day restriction* our friend doesn’t use hers so much and is thinking of selling, and just last week asked us to have hers valued. The Estate Agent has said that it should be put on the market for 240,000 EUR as it is, more if she were to remove all the furniture and have it professionally decorated. Ours is worth at least 380,000 EUR.
Haven’t bothered to work out whether or not that was a good return on our investments, but we’re definitely “quids in”
* And no, the Spanish DNV doesn’t allow one to over-stay in France, you’d have to try another option. We can only live here permanently ‘cos I’ve got a Titre de Séjour and she’s German."
I make your neighbours return 9.4%pa, yours 10.25%.
That is better than the new build flat I bought in Bratislava in 2006 for €63,000, today iro €180,000; 5.7%pa. And now we are out of the EU I’m unsure of capital gains position. |
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