me me

It would be very interesting to see how the Spanish government could actually take away a house in the UK to pay a fine for none declaration of the asset.

they would have to go through a court process, and imagine the uproar if the local MP in the UK did not help his constituent.

Razorbill

Going non-resident is the first step. The next is moving all the bank accounts so they can't get to the money!

me me

Very sharp, hence the name Razorbill.

snikpoh

But he wouldn't be a constituent would he (as he's resident in Spain)?

Razorbill

You cannot vote in Spain even if you are a resident. You get a postal vote for your UK member of parliament.

me me

I am sure that if someone who was being threatened by having their UK property confiscated by Hacienda, they would take every step to drop their Spanish residency and get back to the UK sharpish. They would not hang around and watch the proceedings from afar.

I know I would, I would be drumming up a huge stonking protest group, and with the feelings of the British public that are against the EU (running higher every week)and its rules, there would be no shortage of protesters against the measure taken by hacienda.

It is one thing to knock down what is classed as an illegal build in Spain, as in the case of the Priors, but quite another when the asset is on British soil.

jennieJ

Non residency is the first step and then change accounts to different ones, even things like premium bonds can be cashed & re-bought a few months later, seemto get more wins if you do this every couple of years for some reason.

It will be pretty difficult to get money out of accounts declared on the 720 that are subsequently closed and monies spent on an offsprings wedding, uni fees or new car for an 18 or 21st birthday.

Dick Dasterdly

On a side note, it's interesting to note just how many people this thread has attracted in 3 months.

Not only posters, but most especially viewings.


I reckon there must be a hell of a lot of very worried people out there !!!

jennieJ

Or maybe not worried at all, just taken the information they needed to know and decided what is the best course of action for their own individual circumstances and acted accordingly, without plastering their business all over t'intenet.

At least the thread is acting as a good information source with a bit of debate thrown in for good measure.

me me

Good points Jennie.

Some see it as an on going re-adjustment.

Taking it step by step and doing each bit as and when possible.

a lot of people are not prepared to roll into a ball and wait for the storm to hit

jackytoo

Not that simple, the exchange of information doesn't work like that. forms have to be filled in and there has to be a good reason for passing on info' ie. money laundering etc

Dick Dasterdly

Something of an understatement I think as far as many others are concerned.

I certainly didn't come down here with the intention of spending half my life filling forms in then wondering or worrying if I got it right.

I hoped I'd left excessive bureaucracy behind in the UK.

bobd22

Yes agree with that. I informed the people I spoke to of that but as MeMe says they were prepared to make the declaration then looking at possibility of becoming non resident in order to protect their assets from what? may come. Could of course be an over reaction but that is the problem who knows what the big plan is. One of the Gestors mentioned to them that it was a forerunner for wealth tax changes. Speculation no doubt but given the uncertainty no wonder people are worried/scared.

bobd22

That is true but the house would be in their old constituency and lets not forget they are British Citizens who to comply with Spanish law have become Spanish Tax resident not Spanish Citizens.

bobd22

Me too hence staying non resident until the dust settles I will also re looking at our wills and their wording to prevent possibility of paying inheritance tax in Spain on our UK property.