louisephillips

my partner and i are thinking of buying a bar in costa del sol ,we are really confused about the resident non resident issue.a problem we have is my partner has recently had breast cancer she is ok now but has to have back up treatments and regular mammograms in the uk,she also requires tablets for the next five years,we have several questions if anyone can help.we already own a spainish property and pay for it etc ,plus we have NIE numbers
1.do we need to take spanish residency
2.can we keep uk residency
3.will we lose our nhs status if we leave the uk
4.do we need to keep a uk address
5.we have 3 uk properties that are rented out and are taxed
is this enough to keep uk residecy
6who needs to pay the soicial security and tax in spain (one or both of us)
alot i no and im sure there is more but its a start ,finally if anyone has done this how long did the process take form start to finsh,i look forward to any helpfull replies

Jerseygirl

Hello and welcome to BE.

I have moved your thread over to our Spain forum...the people who post in there are in a better position to answer your questions about Spain.

With reference to UK residency...owning one or more UK properties does not make you a UK resident or entitle you to NHS treatment. Neither does currently paying UK council tax, income tax or NI contributions.

louisephillips

thanks,we have been uk residants all our lives, some 50 years,we know some stories of ill people coming and going from spain back to the uk for treatment,do you have to have a postal address?
what does make you then??

Jerseygirl

To be a UK resident you actually have to live in the UK. Having a postal address just doesn't cut it.

fionamw

I would love to be helpful but I seem to ask questions more than give answers...
Have you run a bar before? Do you speak Spanish? Where on the Costa del Sol? Is the other property in Spain near where you propose to buy a bar? Have you a clear understanding of the current economic/tourist/etc situation in Andalucia at the moment?
Not to mention your existing health questions, I wish I could say hand on heart 'good luck' without adding the caveat 'you're going to need it'.....

jojojojojo

If you leave the UK for more than 183 days then you are considered a Spanish resident. You need to get EHIC, which will cover you for medical emergencies in Spain. If you dont live in the UK then technically you dont qualify for health cover there. Once in working in Spain you pay autonomo (250€ a month) to be self employed and will be covered fully, but by a different doctor with different criteria

Personally I would say dont do it!! You obviously dont need the added stress of running a failing bar and losing money.

Jo xxx

Mitzyboy

Yes you probably have been Uk residents all your lives, but you are deciding to go and live in another country ... therefore you will not be a resident in the Uk any more and will not benefit from all the things that come with that residency.

Yes, there are those that are Spanish residents but go back to the UK, but most of those are actually doing it fraudulently. When you become resident in Spain you lose your right to NHS treatment and the many benefits associated with living there.

However, being self employed here (as stated above) you will benefit from the Spanish health system.

Most people you ask here will tell you to think of another line of employment (if you can find one). Taking on a bar can often be fraught with problems and the last thing you want to be left with is a long lease and not enough business (in an incredibly competitive area) to pay for it. Dont forget also, you will be open from the early morning TO the early hours of the morning.

Good luck


PS ... the EHIC card is for emergency treatment in Spain only when you are a UK resident on holiday, so wont help you that much when you are a Spanish resident living here. You should get up to 18 months or so health care cover here at first by applying to DWP Newcastle, depending on your recent contributions in the UK

snikpoh

This is wrong. The EHIC card is only whilst on HOLIDAY outside of UK. By filling in form S1 from the DWP, you may be entitled up to 2 years, reciprocal, medical cover against any NI contributions you have paid. After that, and before you become a pensioner, you will probably need private cover. Yes, I know that many Brits abroad use their EHIC cards, but this is wrong (maybe even illegal as it's fraud).

Also, AFAIK, the 183 days is for tax residency whilst you have only 90 days before you SHOULD get your 'residencia' - Spanish residency.

From your questions, don't be confused with citizenship or dimicility!

jojojojojo

Yes I know, but for the first couple of weeks during that settling in period it maybe of use. Interestingly, in my experience, the Spanish hospital and doctors receptionists do insist on having a copy of it even when they know you are residents

Jo xxx

louisephillips

thanks to you both,and i understand what both of you are saying about timing and the stress ,the bar is not failing it is turning over what we feel we need to support our living without dipping into saving etc it is only three years old still like new and kitted out with leather seat and nice decor, we feel its depressing times everywhere especially with the added things on our minds ,yes its a bit scary and it maybe a mistake ,im not sure really, we feel we have offered a decent price but it is well below the asking price, alot below! our main worries are the health issues but ive seen in a survey that spain rank 6th in the world for healthcare as opposed to the uk in 24th,i guess its more the language,we have started learning Spanish but would not cope well under pressure with it just yet

JLFS

Prescriptions are not free for working age people in Spain.

BTW have you seen the bar in action.......looked at the VAT returns, counted the customers/passing trade, staff contracts breakdown of food/drink prodiucts etc,etc....?

lynnxa

answers in red


but as everyone says - not a great time to be doing this - bars are cheap here atm for a reason - the recession here is far worse than the UK

Hillybilly

JLFS makes a very pertinent point. I would be asking myself why a bar that is "is only three years old still like new and kitted out with leather seat and nice decor" is up for sale (and probably has been for some time).

snikpoh

Your right Jo, the main reasons that the hospitals etc. do this, is so that they can (fraudulently) collect their payments from the UK rather than claiming from the Spanish Government who, by-the-way, haven't paid them for ages!

Also, I suspect a lot of it is down to simply not knowing the rules. Even many of the officials don't know what is correct.

cricketman

If a bar is only 3 years old and being sold in these economic times... then that would cry out to me that is failing and the owners cant repay the setup costs.

Turnover isnt profit. You can easily underestimate costs. I know someone who knows a British couple who moved to Spain a few years ago, spent £50k doing the bar up and then had no money to pay the suppliers. They were back in the UK within 6 months having spent their lifesavings!

The Spanish health service is very good, but I wouldnt want to going through cancer treatment when your Spanish isnt up to it.

It sounds like you are putting yourself in a very stressful situation.