moving back to UK with property sale funds
Jul 31st 2016, 9:34 pm
#16
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 6
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated! Our sale is complete and we did this as non tax residents as we had not done tax declarations so despite our residency and no other assets anywhere but here, we had to give the 3% retention but we are okay with that as just can't wait to leave! My partners bank in the UK was notified of the transfer and they are okay about it, we will see an accountant when back to discuss how best to deal with things and obviously get back in the Social Security system and sign up with a doctor etc.
Our bank (La Caixa) have been a nightmare in terms of transferring the funds from the sale. I used a company called Transferwise who we used last year for a small amount and they were very good. However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws. I went to see our bank manager before making the transfer as was told she could do us a deal and she said the best she could do was 100 euro off and what did I expect as I was closing my account! I am disgusted by her treatment after being loyal customers for 14 years! This shows that the fees they have charged are not legal and they can make it up as they go along, when we moved the money from the UK 14 years ago our bank charged nothing! Here they tax you for absolutely everything and we cannot wait to go.
I am actually half Spanish and could have had Spanish nationality any time but never wanted it and most definitely don't want it now, Brexit or no Brexit, I don't want any part of a country that cherry picks the bit of the EU it wants and then does exactly what it likes for everything else. Aside from this, Spain is in serious crisis as is Greece and Italy so I don't think people should be too worried about the UK right now, there is enough wrong with the EU without worrying about us! Rant over, it's been a very stressful time but I am looking forward to seeing the back of here!
Our bank (La Caixa) have been a nightmare in terms of transferring the funds from the sale. I used a company called Transferwise who we used last year for a small amount and they were very good. However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws. I went to see our bank manager before making the transfer as was told she could do us a deal and she said the best she could do was 100 euro off and what did I expect as I was closing my account! I am disgusted by her treatment after being loyal customers for 14 years! This shows that the fees they have charged are not legal and they can make it up as they go along, when we moved the money from the UK 14 years ago our bank charged nothing! Here they tax you for absolutely everything and we cannot wait to go.
I am actually half Spanish and could have had Spanish nationality any time but never wanted it and most definitely don't want it now, Brexit or no Brexit, I don't want any part of a country that cherry picks the bit of the EU it wants and then does exactly what it likes for everything else. Aside from this, Spain is in serious crisis as is Greece and Italy so I don't think people should be too worried about the UK right now, there is enough wrong with the EU without worrying about us! Rant over, it's been a very stressful time but I am looking forward to seeing the back of here!
Jul 31st 2016, 10:04 pm
#17
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 990
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
Thanks for all the replies everyone, much appreciated! Our sale is complete and we did this as non tax residents as we had not done tax declarations so despite our residency and no other assets anywhere but here, we had to give the 3% retention but we are okay with that as just can't wait to leave! My partners bank in the UK was notified of the transfer and they are okay about it, we will see an accountant when back to discuss how best to deal with things and obviously get back in the Social Security system and sign up with a doctor etc.
Our bank (La Caixa) have been a nightmare in terms of transferring the funds from the sale. I used a company called Transferwise who we used last year for a small amount and they were very good. However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws. I went to see our bank manager before making the transfer as was told she could do us a deal and she said the best she could do was 100 euro off and what did I expect as I was closing my account! I am disgusted by her treatment after being loyal customers for 14 years! This shows that the fees they have charged are not legal and they can make it up as they go along, when we moved the money from the UK 14 years ago our bank charged nothing! Here they tax you for absolutely everything and we cannot wait to go.
I am actually half Spanish and could have had Spanish nationality any time but never wanted it and most definitely don't want it now, Brexit or no Brexit, I don't want any part of a country that cherry picks the bit of the EU it wants and then does exactly what it likes for everything else. Aside from this, Spain is in serious crisis as is Greece and Italy so I don't think people should be too worried about the UK right now, there is enough wrong with the EU without worrying about us! Rant over, it's been a very stressful time but I am looking forward to seeing the back of here!
Our bank (La Caixa) have been a nightmare in terms of transferring the funds from the sale. I used a company called Transferwise who we used last year for a small amount and they were very good. However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws. I went to see our bank manager before making the transfer as was told she could do us a deal and she said the best she could do was 100 euro off and what did I expect as I was closing my account! I am disgusted by her treatment after being loyal customers for 14 years! This shows that the fees they have charged are not legal and they can make it up as they go along, when we moved the money from the UK 14 years ago our bank charged nothing! Here they tax you for absolutely everything and we cannot wait to go.
I am actually half Spanish and could have had Spanish nationality any time but never wanted it and most definitely don't want it now, Brexit or no Brexit, I don't want any part of a country that cherry picks the bit of the EU it wants and then does exactly what it likes for everything else. Aside from this, Spain is in serious crisis as is Greece and Italy so I don't think people should be too worried about the UK right now, there is enough wrong with the EU without worrying about us! Rant over, it's been a very stressful time but I am looking forward to seeing the back of here!
I do agree with you about Spain not abiding by EU rules.
We do miss certain aspects of Spain but overall I'm glad we came back when we did.
Jul 31st 2016, 10:12 pm
#18
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,447
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
.... However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws. I went to see our bank manager before making the transfer as was told she could do us a deal and she said the best she could do was 100 euro off and what did I expect as I was closing my account! I am disgusted by her treatment after being loyal customers for 14 years! This shows that the fees they have charged are not legal and they can make it up as they go along, ......
Aug 1st 2016, 6:29 am
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Las Alpujarras
Posts: 218
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
Haven't done it ourselves, but have looked into it ready for when we need to do it. You go to the same Police station that you applied for residency and fill out From EX18;
https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/wp...OMUNITARIA.pdf
It is the same form you would have completed to become a resident, just tick the necessary box for change of circumstance (baja por cese) with the reason "volver al Gran Bretana". You should then get a certificate of cancellation (apparently) which you can then take to your local Town Hall to be removed from the Padron.
All this is theoretical of course and sounds fairly simple?
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Aug 1st 2016, 6:38 pm
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,114
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
It is the same for UK banks and energy suppliers.
Aug 2nd 2016, 7:05 am
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 635
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
However, despite taking their advice to do the transfer online and be assured La Caixa had to abide by SEPA and charge a small transfer fee, we were charged 650 euros to send euros to a euro account! That is aside from being charged 350 euros to receive the payment from the buyers euro account! This is just another example of the way Spain does not abide by EU laws.
Aug 2nd 2016, 9:30 pm
#23
Just Joined
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 6
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
I am not falling into the trap of attacking the UK with the born again Spanish expat Brits, had enough of them over the years. I wont be specific with the disregard for EU laws in Spain but suffice to say it is a mafia style country with lots of corruption, a very large part of the economy is in the black, taxes are not paid as a rule by many Spanish and this sets a bad example to newcomers, nobody knows the laws here as they make them up as they go along, I've seen several lawyers over the years to get advice and each gave me wrong advice for big money. A few years ago, if you were an expat and sold your only residence the CGT was a wopping 35% of the profit, however for a Spaniard it was 18%, they authorities were taking to the EU courts and Spain was told to change the law as it was deemed illegal, since then both Spanish and foreigners pay around 23% CGT but this applies to on profit of your only home if not all the money is kept in Spain, so they clearly don't want the money to leave here! In the UK if you sell your only property you don't pay any CGT, if we are all in the EU why is the law different here? Also, Spain is now stopping people having their own solar power, making it illegal or taxing it, despite the high levels of sun here, absolutely bizarre, and I'm sure the EU has laws about renewable energy yet Spain is stopping, once again they do what they like, do I need to go on? UK has a lot of issues I agree, I will deal with them as I have to but even after 14 years here and coming here all my life, I am still amazed at how Spain gets away with so much!
Aug 2nd 2016, 9:36 pm
#24
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,447
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
I am not falling into the trap of attacking the UK with the born again Spanish expat Brits, had enough of them over the years. I wont be specific with the disregard for EU laws in Spain but suffice to say it is a mafia style country with lots of corruption, a very large part of the economy is in the black, taxes are not paid as a rule by many Spanish and this sets a bad example to newcomers, nobody knows the laws here as they make them up as they go along, I've seen several lawyers over the years to get advice and each gave me wrong advice for big money. A few years ago, if you were an expat and sold your only residence the CGT was a wopping 35% of the profit, however for a Spaniard it was 18%, they authorities were taking to the EU courts and Spain was told to change the law as it was deemed illegal, since then both Spanish and foreigners pay around 23% CGT but this applies to on profit of your only home if not all the money is kept in Spain, so they clearly don't want the money to leave here! In the UK if you sell your only property you don't pay any CGT, if we are all in the EU why is the law different here? Also, Spain is now stopping people having their own solar power, making it illegal or taxing it, despite the high levels of sun here, absolutely bizarre, and I'm sure the EU has laws about renewable energy yet Spain is stopping, once again they do what they like, do I need to go on? UK has a lot of issues I agree, I will deal with them as I have to but even after 14 years here and coming here all my life, I am still amazed at how Spain gets away with so much!
Aug 2nd 2016, 9:42 pm
#26
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 990
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
I am not falling into the trap of attacking the UK with the born again Spanish expat Brits, had enough of them over the years. I wont be specific with the disregard for EU laws in Spain but suffice to say it is a mafia style country with lots of corruption, a very large part of the economy is in the black, taxes are not paid as a rule by many Spanish and this sets a bad example to newcomers, nobody knows the laws here as they make them up as they go along, I've seen several lawyers over the years to get advice and each gave me wrong advice for big money. A few years ago, if you were an expat and sold your only residence the CGT was a wopping 35% of the profit, however for a Spaniard it was 18%, they authorities were taking to the EU courts and Spain was told to change the law as it was deemed illegal, since then both Spanish and foreigners pay around 23% CGT but this applies to on profit of your only home if not all the money is kept in Spain, so they clearly don't want the money to leave here! In the UK if you sell your only property you don't pay any CGT, if we are all in the EU why is the law different here? Also, Spain is now stopping people having their own solar power, making it illegal or taxing it, despite the high levels of sun here, absolutely bizarre, and I'm sure the EU has laws about renewable energy yet Spain is stopping, once again they do what they like, do I need to go on? UK has a lot of issues I agree, I will deal with them as I have to but even after 14 years here and coming here all my life, I am still amazed at how Spain gets away with so much!
Aug 3rd 2016, 6:26 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Las Alpujarras
Posts: 218
Re: moving back to UK with property sale funds
I am not falling into the trap of attacking the UK with the born again Spanish expat Brits, had enough of them over the years. I wont be specific with the disregard for EU laws in Spain but suffice to say it is a mafia style country with lots of corruption, a very large part of the economy is in the black, taxes are not paid as a rule by many Spanish and this sets a bad example to newcomers, nobody knows the laws here as they make them up as they go along, I've seen several lawyers over the years to get advice and each gave me wrong advice for big money. A few years ago, if you were an expat and sold your only residence the CGT was a wopping 35% of the profit, however for a Spaniard it was 18%, they authorities were taking to the EU courts and Spain was told to change the law as it was deemed illegal, since then both Spanish and foreigners pay around 23% CGT but this applies to on profit of your only home if not all the money is kept in Spain, so they clearly don't want the money to leave here! In the UK if you sell your only property you don't pay any CGT, if we are all in the EU why is the law different here? Also, Spain is now stopping people having their own solar power, making it illegal or taxing it, despite the high levels of sun here, absolutely bizarre, and I'm sure the EU has laws about renewable energy yet Spain is stopping, once again they do what they like, do I need to go on? UK has a lot of issues I agree, I will deal with them as I have to but even after 14 years here and coming here all my life, I am still amazed at how Spain gets away with so much!
and why is it that I can go into a shop and the light fitting I want is 250€, but when my Spanish neighbour and friend goes into the same shop and enquires about the same light fitting it is €190? Strange eh?
