I have looked at the Spanish Embassy web site and yes it might be me but find it very difficult to navigate will telephone them in the morning. Seem full of advertisements. Do Spain need money?

your NIE will be fine - but you will need to register as resident (re-register if you had done so last time - you will have presumably been using healthcare etc in the UK & France therefore clearly no longer resident in Spain)

you will obviously have to re-do the padrón with your new address, too

Yes will register the pardon. As to health yes again to France and the UK. Having been away from the UK for so long one has to compare the system here particularly Wales following devolution with that of France and Spain. It does not compare.

thanks again

Of course all of this depends upon us obtaining a long let. Limited opportunities it seems and of course summer lettings take and for obvious revenue reasons priority.

best wishes

the long term lets & holiday lets tend to be different properties & different agents really

We tried to rent a property in Spain fro a ong let, but the owner said they wouldn't let in the summer as they wanted holiday lets, thir agent said that in the previous two years they had a total of three weeks holiday lets, it just didn't make sense to the agent or us, we were offering them a guaranteed income which they turned down because they just might get a holiday let for a week or so.

Just to add to what´s already been said, the green certificate is only valid for five years. After this period, an EU citizen must apply for "permanent residency", showing their five year old green certificate.

Here´s a link to the government site explaining the process.

Agree and of course it is difficult I can see both arguments but unless we obtain a very straightforward and 'legal' long term rental then we will regrettably have to stay where we are. The thought of moving again and the attendant costs are difficult to countenance.

thanks once more

Dear Lynnxa I acknowledge your considerable experience in all of this and indeed your long-stay in Javea.

We really do want to come back and my wife is pushing me daily on the subject.

However there really at least via Google is nothing available and yes I know the agents in Javea and around Deutsche bank area.

Last year we thought we were contracting with a Javea based agent who provided the so called translation and to whom we paid up front moneys only then to find that the prime agent was Denia based and who had wholesaled the 'deal.' Then to find no overall maintenance agreement in place so overall it was difficult to then contact the owner!!

It was an absolute disaster and we lost money clothes were thrown away due to damp and humidity and furniture had to go into storage at Ondarra.

I simply do not know where to go in the quest for a long term rental

It is a very expensive system of almost one months rent to the agent who may or may not share with others and then two months bond which you might never see again.

If you would be kind enough to identify by PM the long term agents that would be very helpful.

thanks once more

PM me with who you went with last time - & although you know I don't like recommending anyone I haven't dealt with personally, I've been collaborating with a couple of agents recently on other projects (not renting through them - putting together articles & info for tenants & owners)

it might be worth bearing in mind also, that with teh rule changes last June, anything longer than a 6 month let comes under the LAU residential letting laws

Mmmmm. I do not agree.

The green certificate is valid forever!

After 5 years you are considered permanently resident and CAN (if you wish) apply for a different document so that you can prove this.

Many of the green certificates already state that they are permanent any way!

My OH and I will be looking for long term rental when we move out to Costa Blanca later this year.

We've been led to believe there are 'hundreds' of properties out there for rental, short or long term. Have we been misled or are there places to rent?

It seems the OP has had a few raw deals.

I can only relate our experience and in so doing will be open and honest.

We had a tough time (very) and in the end our two months deposit never came back.

That is why we are a bit reluctant but I suppose lightening and striking twice so we shall see.

Also you can to take into account a one off fee to the agents or at least we did of months rent a sort of finders fee. Our mtce contract was not with the English speaking agency due to the margin they demand so dealing with a less than let us say open and honest owner was a bit difficult. Also when taking over a villa ask to see the electricity and water costs for if there is irrigation and the like and the pool it does become somewhat expensive.

best wishes.