grandscenic010

Hi there!
Does anyone have first hand experience of the spanish mail system ?? If we redirect our post from the U.K. to Spain (our villa address), are we ever likely to see it again???

Loco

I have had not a single problem with the Spainish Mail System over my 3 1/2 years here.

I have however had many problems with Royal Mail!


Best
Loco

countryboy

Hello,
Is your villa on an estate? or is it in the country? I live just outside of town and get all my mail from the post office, I have a Box number where I pick up all my mail. "Apartado Correos" (translated, Apartment Post) or P.O. Box to you and me.

It might be better to get your post redirected to Family or a good friend then get them, say once a week to redirect it, after they sort the junk from the real mail, to your PO Box number or house in Spain.

Hope this helps

David.

shoo

I have great faith in the Spanish Postal System so long as your local postie knows who you are and where you are.

coralsoft

We had a few things disappear when getting things forwarded, but over 99% arrived fine. Some things were strangely delayed while others would turn up within a couple of days of being sent from the originator in the UK. We used mail forwarding for about 3 years in the end.

We had a few things not appear or get returned to the UK when they were sent direct, so I think there's probably similar idiosyncracies in both UK and Spanish postal services.

I'd be happy to use redirection again if needed - go for the longest period available and do a thorough re-addressing programme with everything that arrives so that you don't let the redirection lapse until all the people/organisation you need are using your Spanish address. The Royal Mail will send renewal reminders out in good time so that it's almost too easy not to get into arranging people to use your new address.

grandscenic010

Thanks for all your replies they have been a great help. Moving abroad and uprooting your family is stressfull enough, we've just begun the process of clearing out all our house and prized posessions - we are being really ruthless and making sure we only bring what we need!! But it is so nice to get useful info from people that actually do know what they are talking about, because you are already there and have done it.

jdr

Like shoo says, talk to the postie and introduce yourself
The only problem we had once was when we posted via an English bookshop in Spain and it never arrived.

svenskidoo

Yes, making yourself seen and known at the local post office helps.

Post here at least is generally very good, went to pot a bit in August though

scot chick

yes there should be no problem with your mail once its redirected we moved out here 7 months ago and recieved all our post the only problem was for the first 3 months we had to collect it from the post office but now that our community is up & running we get it delivered to our post boxes ( well its not always in the correct one) .

grandscenic010

Where abouts do you live in Spain - Scot Chick ? And, what has the last 7 months been like for you, have you had lots of ups/downs ? How easy have you found it to settle in, find work etc....?

scot chick

its been great we really havent had any downs its all been good my husband and i both found jobs within 6 weeks of being here and ive just got rid of my 9th lot of visitors ive seen more of my children & grandchildren since i moved here than i did in the uk as we were always 100 miles per hour and totally stressed out with work we didnt have time for anyone but now thats totally changed we have definatly settled into the spanish way of living which is great .we live in a spanish town about 20 mins from torrovecia

grandscenic010

Thats really nice to know! How have your children settled ? Can you speak the lingo yet ??

scot chick

we dont have children with us they are all grown up and living in the uk but have all been out on free hols im taking spanish lessons at the moment which are quite hard but im amazed how much i have picked up since i moved out here and being a spanish village helps as the locals speak very little english but are really helpful . my husband tends to get bye with using a lot of hands lol

lasatalayas

We've lived in the north of Valencia for two years and have nothing but praise for the Spanish postal system.

We have a continuing British Post Office address forwarding renewed annually and everything (including the old unwanted junk mail) comes through quickly and regularly.

Outgoing post to the UK and elsewhere in the world is inexpensive and seems to reach its destination quickly.

El Ken