lokalokaloka

Over the past couple of years, just curious.

jackytoo

Wouldn't think so

lynnxa

can't imagine there would be

we've been here nearly 9 years & in that time we have seen at the very least 20 British families come & go (some more than once)

NO-ONE we met in the first 6 months or so (except the local Spanish) is still here - the last left a year ago

another family we met a year or so later leaves in a few weeks - they have been here 10 years

bobd22

Not surprising really especially over the last 2 years with the devaluation of the £. That has now improved a bit but can't see many rushing back. We are still waiting to move over to our little house, but can't change anything so just have to make it work and make the best of it. We are hoping to at least be spending half our time in Spain next year and move permanent in 18 months 2 years. We are looking forward to it but then I never had over ambitious plans which may have been some peoples problem. If you were stretching yourselves at the start of this financial mess we are in suppose it quickly closed in on you and better off back in the UK. Of course some may have just decided it was not for them or have done what they set out to do and just come back as a result.

Lynn R

It's difficult to see how they could have any reliable figures, because

a) quite a lot of those who come to live in Spain have never bothered to sign on the official register of foreigners so they wouldn't have been counted as "here" in the first place, and

b) even in the case of those who were on the register, many of those do not bother to de-register when they leave.

I know people who come into both categories. I did a quick mental round-up the other day and counted 14 couples/families who were either already here when we bought our house 9 years ago, or who moved over since then, all of whom have since returned to the UK except for one who went to Dubai after being offered a job there.

HBG

The number of expats who have returned home from our area is frightening, as are the numbers of abandoned houses and shops. The shopping precincts are like ghost towns.

I can only see things getting worse, and who on earth is going to bother with those daft new registration procedures? Few enough people bothered with the previous residencia measures and they were a lot less complicated than they are now.

As for new arrivals buying houses in Spain? It would be an unforgivable act of madness in the present climate.

sunnysmiley

There is a report in the SolTimes freebie 26th July.

Immigration lower than mass overseas exodus for the first time.
Total number of residents who left Spain permanently from
Jan to June 2012 is 269,515 of which 222,890 were returning immigrants according to the INE.

jackytoo

Bloody hell does that mean all thos gin soaked nutters are back in the UK

JLFS

One gin soaked nutter has left the building, and I dont think it ever left the UK.

Lynn R

Probably, but at least they may not be able to afford quite so much gin at UK prices!

Domino

you mean they died ? ?

Lynn R

Since I went on to say "all of whom have since returned to the UK ...", no. Unless they'd been returned in a lead lined coffin or as ashes.

Lenox

The INE is the main Spanish statistics operator, used as gospel by the authorities. It lists the British living here from information taken from the town hall padrón which - as we know - doesn't mean anything. Not many appear to bother to register on the padrón and, often, they don't 'de-register' if they leave the municipality.
The Spanish official number of British residents in Spain (from the INE here) is 391,194. The 'NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Index' (known as WTF? for short) puts us at a heady 940,000. So, did the missing 550,000 Brits not register... thought they'd get away with hiding under the radar... went back last week to Grimy Britain... took out Spanish nationality... changed their name to Paco? Or did the NatWest get their sums wrong. Again.
In short - when it comes to the European residents here, the Spanish don't know or care, so why should we?

Domino

not quite right Lynn, you can see you put a comma in there, so it is quite easy for your statement to be misconstrued. And not all Brits are intered here so could have returned to the UK.
but how a dead person got offered a job, even in Dubai

Lynn R

If you are going to set out your stall as an English teacher, I think I should point out that you have spelt "interred" wrongly. More revision needed before you get out that John Bull printing set to produce your business cards, I feel.

Actually, I've never heard the term "moved over" used as a euphemism for "died". Passed away, passed on, even passed, yes, but moved over, no. That may be too many commas for you to cope with, hope it isn't too confusing for you.