durobird

Many thanks to all for these replies,especially Rosalindann for the info.
We will bear it all in mind in relation to any offers we make on a property.

Kenny and Moe

The town hall contacted the guy I took with me as a translator, we went up there and I collected my papers, I had to show both mine and my wifes' passport again and take two 'government stamps' purchased from the tabbaconists with me, cost €28. (They have a specific name but I cannot remember it just now) One goes on their paper and one is on mine. I don't think your paperwork is valid without the government stamp on it. He also gave me another official bit of paper with regards to my wife and residency. We can collect Italian ID cards whenever we wish from the local town hall.

Lindaf,
I don't think being a resident or not has any impact on Gas at the moment, electric and water Yes but not gas.

I made an offer on Friday night, completed the Compromesso and am now awaiting to hear if it has been accepted (fingers crossed)

Regards Kenny

Lorna at Vicenza

Electric bills will say "uso domestico residente" on them when you are paying resident prices. You are the one who has to inform the electric board that you have residency though. It is not automatic.

I have been a resident for a long time and it has never made any difference to gas, and yes - the prices are horrific. I jokingly told an old woman in a shop last week that soon I won't be able to afford to use the central heating and I'll have to strap a hot water bottle to my front and back. She told me that she sits with a hot water bottle already in the evenings to try and save.

Our house was like an igloo when we got back from England. The fastest way to warm up an icy bed is to blast the bottom sheet and the air under the quilt with a hair dryer. It works a treat and my kids had lovely warm cosy beds in just a few seconds !

lindaf

I wish I'd thought about using the hairdryer on the bed sheets. Twice I've had a freezing house in the last month - when I went back to the UK for Christmas and then when we came back here after Christmas.

In fact the day we got back to Padova we bought a portable electric heater. I'm sure it's not the most cost-effective way but it was very necessary at the time!

debra

Good luck with the offer.

By the way who did you use in the end to transfer monies, was it Moneycorp or did you find a better company. I have been holding off transferring funds, but getting down to my last few euros so will need to do it pretty soon and will need to shop around for the best deal.... if there is one.

On the subject of electricity when we became residents we informed ENEL, they changed the tariff and charged us a 75 euro fee, bless um

37100

You usually sign-up for a residents contract and sign an autocertificazione to say that you are resident. Or you have 6mnths to give them a residents cert. That way you don't incur any change of contract charges.

Boyde

I am thinking of buying a property in southern Sardinia (land with a ruin on it) but seem to have come up against agents who think they can get vast sums of money from their commisions for selling a clients scrub land with a ruin on it.

The price of these properties is nearly always 50% to 70% of what you would then be able to sell the property for once it is completed (you have then all the taxes and fees), this is before you start paying for materials and labour

I am going on the developers remit of 30% price for the ruin and land against whatever the cost is of the same (for the finished building) in that area.

If prospective buyers keep paying these ridiculous sums of money for what is basically scrub land with a pile of stones on it we will never get anywhere near realistic prices for property.

And agents always ask "what is your price limit" I wonder why!!!!!!

Sto pensando a comprare una proprietà in Sardegna del sud (terra con una rovina su esso) ma sembro venire in su contro gli agenti che pensano che possano ottenere a somme di denaro ampie dalle loro commissioni per la vendita i clienti freghino la terra con una rovina su esso. Il prezzo di queste proprietà è quasi alweays 50% - 70% di che cosa allora potreste vendere la proprietà per una volta esso siete completati (avete allora tutte le tasse e tasse), questo siete prima di voi cominciate pagare i materiali ed i lavori Sto andando sul rinvio degli sviluppatori del prezzo di 30% per la rovina e della terra contro qualunque il costo è degli stessi (per la costruzione rifinita) in quella zona. Se i compratori futuri continu aare pagare queste somme di denaro ridicole per che cosa sono basicamente fregano la terra con un mucchio delle pietre su esso che non otterremo mai dovunque vicino ai prezzi realastic per la proprietà. E gli agenti chiedono sempre il " che cosa è il vostro limit" di prezzi; Mi domando perché!!!!!!

Lorna at Vicenza

Any reason why you felt the need to put that in Italian for us all as well as the English?

Good try though - and I do agree that prices are fairly ridiculous but even Italians have cottoned on to Brits wanting to leave England. It's not just the French and Spanish anymore. Italian estate agents and solicitors all get far too much money... from Italians themselves as well and not just foreigners.

Boyde

The reason I tried for a (inaccurate) translation is that I thought some of the agents / agencies or persons who are trying to rip us off might read it.

I am english and cannot read / speak Italian so why should i expect all who see my reply to undestand english.


My message is pay about 2 euros per m (forget about the ruin, it is a ruin and worth nothing) for agri land and any other basically work out what is 30% of a finished plot taking in prices for the like in your area

Lorna at Vicenza

I wasn't criticising or trying to be mean.

It would be a good idea for agents to know how ripped off people feel but why would Italian agents be on here? And if they are English agents selling properties in Italy then they will be able to read English.

I don't expect all people to read English but as this is a site for British expats I would presume that the people on here can read and write in English.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I guess you are are also aware that tradesmen and building materials can also be very expensive here. It would probably work out cheaper these days to buy most stuff at B&Q or the equivalent and drive it all over in a van .......... including the builders

Boyde

Lorna, no offence taken, I am a carpenter (now turned jailer, construction health and safety adviser) and can turn my hand to most building tasks
(roofing/tiling/stonework/1st & 2nd fix etc.) except electrics / plumbing, any idea on how many english persons there are in sardinia that have purchased a property?

I am willing to trade trades, as they say, or help others in any way i can if i ever get a property.

chris120

Boyde - Forget Sardinia and come to Rome, if you are English and can do all those things you'll be swamped with work from all the Brits and Yanks fed up with dealing with Italian builders.

paquita

Hi<answering the original post in part:i have just bought a place in Sicily and have found that all my buying costs work out at a third the cost of my property.I hope that helps.

durobird

A third sounds awful!!! 33% of the price of the property????

Lorna at Vicenza

sounds a bit steep ............