Spain Explained

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Do you like celebrating Christmas at home? Is your idea of the ideal Christmas one that involves your home hearth, slippers and a good helping of turkey? Or do your prefer to slip away and let someone else do all the donkey work? Most people fall […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 05:01 pm. You’ve probably heard of ‘money laundering’ but not thought you would personally be affected. However, concerns about money laundering activity in Spain means that people are suddenly finding it cropping up in quite ordinary circumstances. A number of non-residents and residents have recently been asked for […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Love them or hate them, the out-of-town commercial centre is here to stay.  Their presence in Spain has gradually increased over the past ten years. They do have their advantages. You can leave your car in one place whilst you browse amongst all the major high […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. We often take them for granted, but if you have ever lived in an area that’s short of local Spanish taxis you will recognise just what an underestimated resource they can be. In Spain, obtaining a licence to run an official taxi is expensive and it […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. National borders have a lot to answer for.  Countries continue to battle over where the lines are drawn and who gets to fly the flag. But who should decide what belongs to whom? The issue has been carefully documented in both Britain and Spain recently. With […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 03:11 pm. Inheritance tax for non-residents has traditionally been much higher in Spain than for residents.  This has been drawn to the attention of the European courts and Spain has been told to change its practices. No doubt, in due course they will. In the meantime inheritance tax […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. When you’re travelling in a foreign country, having an accident might be one of the last things on your mind. However, the risk is probably greater than in your own country. Driving a hire car on holiday, the majority of people have probably not studied the […]

Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 11:48 am. It might not always seem like it when you’re on the roads in Spain, but there is a very comprehensive Spanish highway code. The Código de Tráfico y Seguridad Vial was last modified on 22nd May 2014 (download here). It consists of 941 pages and 385 […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 05:02 pm. The word ‘google’ is part of our day-to-day vocabulary. In the Oxford dictionary paperback version it is defined as ‘search for information about someone or something on the Internet, especially with the Google search engine.’ The last part of that definition is perhaps particularly interesting. There […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:20 pm. You’ve bought your home in Spain. Congratulations! Hopefully this will be the start of many happy years here. Whether you have bought a Spanish property to enjoy at holiday time, to live in or to rent out as an investment, you’ve taken a big step. Now, […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. What percentage of the population do you think are immigrants in Spain? Out of every 100 people in Spain how many do you think are over 65? These are two of the questions on Ipsos MORI’s new global survey, ‘The Perils of Perception’. The survey highlights […]

Last updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 07:22 pm. Just how far should you go to sell your property in Spain? We all know it’s not a sellers’ market at the moment but the lengths that some people are going to is, quite extraordinary. Getting a good estate agent, making sure the house is in […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. There’s a phrase that states that you are never too old to learn. Some people may disagree with this. Certainly if you’ve tried to learn Spanish at an older age you’ve probably recognised that it doesn’t fall into your lap easily. But what about developing an […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. In the article  ‘Making a police report (denuncia) in Spain’, David Ruiz explained what a denuncia is and how to go about making one. In this article he takes us through the right and the wrong way of doing it. Since 2010 I’ve been helping my […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 03:12 pm. When you are living in a country that’s different to the one you were born in, many variations in the law can pass you by. Succession law in Spain is one of those that can take foreigners living here by surprise. Recent EU legislation relating to […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. It seems an obvious thing to state but, it’s important that we take the weather into consideration. Anyone watching the electric storms in September in Spain must have felt just a little humble in the presence of such a force of nature.   We are, after […]

Last updated on May 20th, 2020 at 06:05 pm. Have you ever been guilty of not visiting the places on your doorstep? It can often happen that where you live is the place you’re least likely to fully explore. For example, it’s all too easy for Alicante just to become a stepping stone on the […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 03:12 pm. In some countries, inheritance tax applies to only the wealthy – those with estates worth an amount out of the reach of most ordinary people. This is not the case in Spain. Spanish inheritance tax applies to most people when they bequeath their property and there […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. It’s one of the nightmare scenarios – you’re holiday’s booked but your passport needs renewing. It’s getting closer and closer to the date when you fly. Will it arrive back in time or should you make a last minute ditch attempt to retrieve it in person […]

Last updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 07:25 pm. It’s perhaps a symptom of government austerity that taxation is a particular target for change. It is one of the best means of increasing revenue but must also be handled carefully if your electorate are not to be upset as an election year approaches. As the […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. You’ll have seen the signs on the outside of walls – a circle with a line through it that seems to appear at every spot where you want to park. The ‘Vado’ sign is usually found outside garages, entrances to drive ways and other places where, […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:22 pm. There are countless urbanisations each hosting their own community of property owners (Comunidad de Proprietarios) throughout Spain.  On the whole they can be beneficial organisations. The intention is that through the annual general meeting decisions are made relating to the community and its upkeep. Common elements, […]

Last updated on February 25th, 2020 at 03:18 pm. Making a denuncia is an important part of the law and order system in Spain. In this article, David Ruiz tells us more about them. Having to report an event (or someone) to the police is something that nearly all of us have to do at […]

Last updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 07:26 pm. It might come as a surprise to know that in the UK, until now, capital gains tax (CGT) wasn’t payable by non-residents when selling property there. This is perhaps one reason why house prices in London have risen to such exorbitant levels. They have become a […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am.  Whether you are on holiday or living in Spain, chances are that at some time you will need to pay a visit to the Spanish chemist or ‘farmacia’. The chemist in Spain is usually extremely good and in most outlets at least one member of staff […]