Hello nice people

I'm a "newbie" to this website so be gentle with me....

I've found your various comments (especially on Abruzzo region) very useful and I have a few questions that perhaps someone might be able to help me with?

1. Have most people who have bought property used an official Legal Representative/Lawyer (English/Italian) as is often recommended and if so, could you recommend someone in the Abruzzo area?

2. Is there any reason (apart from being stuck in Snow in the higher regions) why all agents I've been in contact with presume you want just a holiday home? We plan to move permanently at the end of August 2008.

3. I'm hoping one of the estate agents will help on setting up a Codice Fiscale and Bank Account - are there any agents/individuals who you could recommend to help with this?

4. We plan to either use a French removal company (as we are currently based in France) or move ourselves to Italy in August of this year - would anyone recommend a company from France, or indeed an Italian company who might be interested in the job (my Italian is pretty poor at the moment!).

5. We're house-hunting between 15th and 17th June, staying at the Hotel Sole on the coast in Pescara. If any Brits (or others) would be interested in meeting up for a chat/swap horror stories, etc. we would be most interested (drinks are on us!).

6. Has anyone been stopped at Customs to check status of pets (cats), i.e. recent jabs, etc. especially from France?

I think that's all for now folkes, thanks in advance for any advice.....

Noodlepip

Hi Noodlepip,
I'm sorry that no-one seems to be able to help you so far. I can't answer all of your questions but I'll try with some of them.

(1) Legal Representative
The law requires you to use a Notary. They work for BOTH parties, drawing up the contract, making sure that all interested parties are involved and, as a point of law, ensuring that buyers or sellers who don't speak Italian properly understand what they are agreeing to and that translation services are available if necessary. Usually the agent selling the property will direct you to a Notary and it's safe to use them as they are independent. You should, however, appoint your own Geometrica to survey the property for you.
(2) Holiday Homes
It's what they are generally asked for. It also depends on which agent you're using. Some specialize in holiday homes, some in restoration projects and some in properties for locals. If the agent you're using keeps sending you to the wrong type of properties, get another agent.
(3) Coda Fiscale
Agents can help, and will usually have an arrangement with their favourite bank, but I can give you the name and number of an English speaking Italian chap who helped us and was a mine if useful information. Let me know if you need him.
(4) Removals
Can't help you on that one - I usually drive one of my vans from the UK when I want to transport anything.
(5) House hunting
Would like to meet up but not due in Pescara until the middle of July. Have you made arrangement to meet any agents or do you want some pointers?
(6) Don't have a cat but have never, ever, been stopped at the Frejus Tunnel, in either direction.
If you think I can help with any more info get in touch. Good luck with your house hunt.

Regards

Hello Pescarapest

Thank you SO MUCH for replying (cos no-one else did).

I take your comments on-board and am very grateful. The issue of a legal representative was because I read somewhere that English people should employ one ADDITIONALLY to the Notary provided. If a translator can be present, no probs.

Yes, I wouldn't mind the details of your contact, as suggested. Thankyou. can you pick up my email address from the forum somewhere or should I provide it on a subsequent reply like this?

I have set up several appointments with agents in the area for viewing properties to buy (this coming weekend for a few days) and we will continue to look when we come over to Italy permanently at the end of August. Finding a rental property for us to live in for 6 months from August is the real problem - they all seem to be glorious villas and holiday homes and we just want a basic (and cheap) base for our continued house-hunting. I will preservere with this in due course (I just didn't want to be "homeless" when we arrive (with all our stuff) in August! Argghhhh!

Again, many many thanks for your assistance and hopefully we can meet up sometime to buy you a drink when we're over in August onwards?

Best regards

Noodlepip x

I would have replied but I don't live in that area of Italy.

I bought my home several years ago through a normal Italian estate agent and a notary (notaio)

I lived here for a long time before that renting and I already had a codice fiscale and bank account: I came here with nothing basically so have never needed a removals firm.

The offer of a few drinks was tempting though ............ hope you get the help you need right on your dorrstep .... and haggle all the prices. It sometimes works .... I got my agent down from 3% to 2% !!

yeah me too. would have replied that is but dont live there. we have just sold our house so if you need any info on the stages of buying and expenditure etc I am sure between us we could give you a clear picture. oh and why were you advised to have another leagl rep present? I ask because the notary is working for you, and for the other side, and at the same time they are expected to remain impartial. It shouldnt be in their job description to do you over.

AND the blood sucking notary is getting paid by both sides !!!!!

Mine actually told me and Oh that if we wanted a full invoice it would be amount A - but -
if we wanted to pay a bit in cash then invoice amount would be C !!!
I know lots of them do this and I wish I was so rich that I could turn around and say .....
"listen mate ..... I have no chance at all of getting around taxes in this country so give me a FULL inovice and pay your bloody taxes on it"
but because we were pretty poor and the savings of around one thousand euros would pay for new boiler and something else etc - we went for the "bit in black" option ..... but I still wish I was rich enough to stop them all playing this game and make them all pay up properly !!!!

Thank you Lorna and Lisajhb for your comments. Shame you guys aren't in the area but am obliged for your comments - all been noted well!!

Very best wishes

Noodlepip xxxx

Hi Noodlepip,

I moved to Abruzzo two years ago and our Lawyer did a fantastic job making sure everything was written and anounced in both English and Italian.

The firm is from Lanciano and an English guy helped us to set up our bank account and get our codice fiscale etc. I'll drop you an email to say who they were as i believe that advertising isn't allowed on this site.

All the best with your move

A.