lgm1963

Yeah, I'm sure you would be so flippant if the table were turned and your livelihood was permanently threatened by being undercut by people who didn't have to pay the same professional expenses as you.

I look forward to that day.

bobd22

Thanks you have clarified some points. As an holiday home owner then i agree the outcome of Brexit will have little or no affect on you or your plans as you say. But that is not anything like the case for many people commenting and living or planning to live full time in their properties. As for legally driving then sorry but east European and any other foreign drivers legally must comply with British law. The fact that the British justice system i.e. courts have failed to do this as nothing to do with the EU , it is down to our UK courts .

amideislas

An equally deluded expat acquaintance once explained why foreigners are such bad drivers. It's because the only natural way to drive is on the left. Driving on the right is just bloody dangerous.

He also set me straight on a few other important facts.

Did you know that foreigners are genetically inclined to be lazy? That explains why they all live on benefits. In Europe, most of the population lives on benefits. That's why it's so poor. They're too lazy to learn or speak proper English. Really, how do you get a decent job without proper English? Also explains why Brits hold all the senior management positions in European companies.

Yes, they really do exist out there. More than you might think. It's troubling, but perhaps they'll all go back to fantasy island after Elvis leaves the room.

dougal03

Just to add another comment.IGM the lifestyle that the UK had before joining the EU which you rightly say was good,was when MY generation was at the stage in life you are now.We grew up with the notion "make do & mend" was not just an adage but a way of life.Perhaps that is why we built a growing British economy for the next generation to have.In addition to scraping together for a house deposit,we often had to help out our parents.When I was at school you were almost "posh"if you had both parents living(I come from a Naval port)so not much chance of further education.In contrast I blame ourselves as parents then because we wanted to give our offspring so much more than we had had.And the growing Welfare state.How can there be nowadays 3 generations in families when no-one has worked?My Dad started as a Building constructor on the south coast.He had little experience since he had been one of those child migrants sent away to Australia under a British Govn.scheme in the 30,s but managed to return later.However,probably like yourself,he wanted to be his own boss,& later I obviously had the same motivation.I had to overcome in reverse what you describe.I was the foreigner & the Spanish undercut me in their own country.But I believe in competing & that my skills were superior.It,s tough but you just have to get out there & sell yourself Good luck with your plan to relocate here in semi-retirement.It,s wonderful.However ,for me,semi-retirement would never work.It would have to be leave my business completely,which I did& it is still operating successfully now under a new owner.But we are all different.

lgm1963

Again you miss the point.

A Polish builder is not failing to comply with British law if they are not required to pay road tax or insurance on a Polish registered vehicle.

This is just another one of many anomalies that free movement has thrown up where domestic requirements on nationals are different to requirements on non nationals.

Free movement was a good idea in principle but a disaster in practice when cheap labour was used to undercut domestic workforce pay rates.

lgm1963

Thanks Dougal.

I have decided to work as much as I have to and spend as much time as I can in the sunshine. This decision has come following a divorce and house sale which has left me enough capital to buy outright a decent property in Spain and my pensions will be enough to allow me to work part time and pay rent in the UK and take regular trips to Spain.

I have to say that looking at some of the comments on this forum.....I do wonder if people were so cynical and depressing before they went to live in Spain or if living in Spain has done that to them lol

bobd22

I don't miss the point they legally should have the vehicle insured to use British roads, they legally can't simply keep a carpermenantly in UK on foreign plates to avoid tax. Just the same as expats in Spain with UK plates time limits are set in EU legislation.

amideislas

The least happy were like that before they came. They didn't come to live in Spain, they came to live in Britain in the sun. And if that's what they expect, they'll inevitably be disappointed. It's still Spain, and if you embrace it, you find your life improves exponentially. If not, you'll always be unhappy.

lgm1963

Hmmm

Yes the rules say if you have a vehicle in the UK for a set time then you are required to register it with the DVLA.

But if you take a trip home before the time limit is up the clock starts again.

It's not just cars.....I for example cannot opt out of paying council tax to go live in a caravan on a building site for six months while we build a hundred houses but it seems acceptable for foreign workers to do so.

There's £200 a month I need to find just to be on an even keel with council tax.

amideislas

Boy, somebody saw you comin'.

bobd22

Lgm freedom of movement does have its issues yes, however the UK does not help itself in some respects. This is something that politicians failed to outline in the run up to the referendum. The UK could like Spain for instance say people must sign on the foreigners register after 90 days which as you will know in Spain entails proving you have a Spanish address, have provided for your own health care and that you have some means of supporting yourself. Basically complying with residency rules. That is built into the freedom of movement in EU legislation. The UK chooses not to use that legislation of its own free will and not just this government but suvccesive governments. We the UK simply say once resident entitled to all same as UK citizens. Only politician i heard mention this very point to those blaming EU immigrants for fleecing our system was labours Alan Johnson.

lgm1963

I am well aware of the hows and wherefores of the system we choose to adopt.

I think it is those who no longer live here, i.e. expats like those on this forum, who fail to realise the issues that free movement has on lower paid workers and while I also totally get that expats will have their own agenda when it comes to Brexit, it certainly doesn't hurt to get some perspective from the other side.

It is fine and dandy to complain about the result of a referendum in a country that you may have been born in but chose to leave behind, those of us who still live and work here had to make a choice based on how EU membership affected us.

All our opinions are valid.

lgm1963

And for the record I have never blamed migrants for taking advantage of the system, it is always the system that I blamed.

The UK did try to adapt the system in the most efficient way it could, by limiting welfare to non UK born citizens but the EU dictated that we could not do that.

Moving the entire UK welfare system to work like the Spanish system for example would be too onerous.

lgm1963

More top quality debate.

Well done

amideislas

I don't know where you live, but you pay wayyyyyyy too much.