Is living in Spain really that bad now???

Perhaps some Spanish people could answer that question Goodstich...... (preferably in English ).

ads

An excellent post. Those with problems that rightly want justice and fight for change can so easily be taken as negative posters which may not be the case

They are doing whatever they can to get the message over and to warn others

On the opposite there are the majority that wish to post the positives and both should be able to do that without anyone getting personal

A fine line and very easy to cross over and cause upset .It could just mean that someone has misread a posting.

Why wont the Spanish rise up against the corruption is that they are different proud people.Many consider not that much is wrong even though many themselves have had legal problems.Its their country and their right to do whatever they feel is right

IS LIVING IN SPAIN REALLY THAT BAD.???    Of course not for the majority however for those stuck in the mess I feel personally feel about the so called legal system for some its hell on earth.

"The recent corruption in the UK has rightly caused uproar, but is that corruption as serious as what has happened to the Spanish property industry?, yet you hardly hear a sqeak from the Spanish themselves?"

Goodstitch, with all due respect, you seriously cannot compare the corruption dealt to the UK public by their elected, trusted members of parliament, with the corruption in the Spanish property industry!

What is the percentage of people who have been caught out by fraud and corruption in Spain when compared to the 60 million people affected by the fraud and corruption of certain British parliament members?  And even those MPs have got away with it and not been prosecuted where there is absolutely no doubt they blatantly defrauded the British people out of thousands of pounds!

Back to thread - we were fortunate enough, after deciding to leave the middle east, to be able to choose anywhere in europe to base ourselves.  Not once did the UK come into the frame. For us, Spain made sense - especially as we had the apartment here (bought off-plan six years ago with no problems) from which to base ourselves for a while.  I have been an expat for nearly thirty years, so think I am a little qualified to talk about living abroad.  We don't class Spain as 'abroad', we think of it as being back in Europe.

We love being here - although, I'm really not qualified to state whether living here is good or bad as we've only been 'living' here for a month!!  I'll save that space for someone who is qualified - someone who actually does live here and has lived here for a while who can comment from experience!!

Hi Pitby,

The difference in Spain is that those caught out by the property scandal have essentially been foreign nationals who have directly  lost out on their complete life savings as opposed to indirectly as is the case with the MP's expenses fiasco. Both bad but there's a big difference there.

By the way the corruption re the UK MP's doesn't just stop at the expenses row as they gave themselve 25% pension increases some time ago. More fool us for not kicking up more of a fuss at the time. We come back to making politicians accountable in whatever country you are living in.

 Hope you enjoy living in Spain.

ads, you have effectively answered Goodstitch's question - the Spanish then weren't involved in the property fraud hence why they didn't stand up and fight!  The British population were involved in the fraud and deception, by elected MPs who were meant to be in a position of trust. My point was that there was no comparison.  And you're right - big difference, especially in scenarios.

Basically, as has happened everywhere else on this forum, this thread has drifted from its original goal.  The question that was asked was "Is living in Spain really that bad now???"  Why do some members find it impossible to desist from posting irrelevant comments that have nothing at all to do with 'living' in Spain?

There are many other threads that have been hijacked to debate the "spanish property scandal" as it has been labelled, where anyone who wishes to can point their mouse, click and peruse at their leisure - although personally I would refrain (and have done) from posting on those threads due to the animosity shown by certain members!!!!!

This thread is about living in Spain - not buying property, doing your homework before investing, checking out your lawyer's credentials, avoiding dodgy developers, estate agents, etc.  If someone is intelligent enough to ask a question about LIVING in Spain on an open forum, they are obviously intelligent enough to seek out other information should they need to, without having their question thread taken over by the same people who take over every other thread on this forum!!

And before anyone slates me, this does not mean I do not sympathise with those who are victims of ANY injustice regarding property investment in ANY country!!  It just means that I'd like to see more views and opinions about living in Spain, as the original poster obviously thought they would get!!

This message was last edited by Pitby on 21/10/2009.

Sorry I thought it was relevant to the thread.

I did also suggest "Perhaps some Spanish people could answer that question Goodstich...... (preferably in English ) "

ads, please don't apologise - my post was not aimed directly at you.  It was merely expressing a desire to have this thread back on track.  I just started with your name as I wanted to respond to a point you made.

Thanks Pitby......but if it has gone off thread then I apologise anyway!

I look forward to reading others' posts about living in Spain.

Hi Ads

You asked me if living in Spain would I miss my family & friends, this was actually taken into considering before my purchase. We discussed this in very much detail going into the subject if I purchased a second home in Devon or Cornwall would mean 4-5 hour drive. When I could purchase in Spain, cheap flight and 2 hour 15min flight, plus friends relatives get a cheap break in the sun.

Hope that answers fully my choice on buying in Spain.

Pitby

What an excellent unbiased post, I to agree with you, that the same posters continually hi-jack threads which I believe have had more re-runs then Ben Hur!

** EDITED - Offensive **

I think your reference to Goodstich is cruel and below the belt ........ please don't take pleasure from someone else's hardship.

Hi Ads

Possibly was, but if I remember Goodstitch started it!

Please get back on track and tell us more about living in Spain.

Hi Ads

Balsicas is a small market town it does not particularly rely on tourists so being self-sufficient, any tourist trade is just a bonus to them!

The bars are warm friendly to the few brits that use them, and they seem to have a certain nostalgia and ambiance of days gone bye which as almost gone in the UK. Grande cerveza served in a glass from the freezer and tapas, certainly beats a warm glass straight from  dishwasher and a packet of pork scratchings! Sorry no Linekers bars here, I suppose it all depends what you want from the spanish life.

I would'nt dream of knocking the brits who have bought in Benidorm etc. or any of the big urbs. it's just not my cup of tea. I believe it all depends on what you are comfortable with and how much of the spanish way of life you wish to undertake.

Have just returned home fro a house hunting trip in Olvera , I knew I was back when I was confronted by a snarling abusive driver the first morning back in UK , this is now the norm, the agrresive attitude over here now is getting worse, we are all overcrowded and living like rats in a sack and people are losing all sense of courtesy , consideration and manners , the kids are even worse!!

If it were not for the fact that my partner has a very succesful business here then we would move out tomorrow!

No its not all about sun and the lotus eater life, that went out yeras ago , its just that we want to wake up in the morning and not be abused just for driving a car , God forbid we even think of driving at all the way some people carry on , we don`t want to have others unruly screaming brats running around swearing while we are trying to shop , we hate the way `m`others` in their 4x4s can`t park in the car parks and tell you to f  off as they amost take a chunk out of your own car while you wait for them to do a 100 point turn!!

Being told to f off you f  ing w  er by 8 yr olds whom you have asked why they seem fit to cycle all over the flower beds when there are excellent cycle tracks all over the place AND in the Park!!

Drunken yobs 12-20 yrs old leaving smashed bottles and rubbish,damaged trees in the small local Park !!

THAT IS WHY WE WOULD LOVE TO MOVE TO SPAIN , sure there is always an element of thick and destructive morons where ever you go but not on the scale as here in the UK now , its a bloody pandemic of Neanderthals and the monsters are breeding like bloody rats , the meek shall inherit the earth , too right they have , by meek meant insects etc , thats correct , the lowlife HAVE taken over the UK  and its become an agrresive, ugly place to be and its getting worse , we have seen this happening for the past 30 years!!

If Spain was like this do you really think people would want to move there , we know a lot of the Costa`s are similair to UK but you only have to look at the morons who have moved in , they couldn`t make it anywhere so they bunk off to Spain and ruin that area too !!

We now look only inland , where the people are all warm and friendly , kids play safely , shops are for shopping in, not a free for all creche for thoughtless parents who inflict their vile offspring on all regardless!!

Spain , from what we saw is still lovely, in parts , yje UK is not so lovely , even in parts , we live in leafy `affluent` Weybridge, Surrey and we can tell you the pondlife is everywhere , even Mayfair and Chelsea so we are not talking of Toxteth here !!

There are times when I filmed in parts of the Uk over the years when I realised we really have 3rd world areas with `animals` running wild , that was 30 years ago, some one said then , there goes tomorrows parents , yep , she was right , they have bred and bred and THATS why we are in such a mess now because each generation is worse than the last , the ignorance and uneducated carry on the same year after year and now we are paying for it .

I pray for the day we can get out of this Country , we only want a calm peaceful life where we aren`t stressed by abusive and agrresive behaviour all around us , so PLEASE don`t think Spain is the be all of life , it isn`t but it sure beats the crap out of the UK ! Vee

Hi Si's Partner

I quite agree paying your hard earned taxes, so generation after generation can do whatever they so desire, nothing but vermin never have and never will, contribute to society! Most responsible parents create a family to live with in their means, not this lot they 'knock em out like peas' just to increase their benifits, but it does'nt matter as long as we pick-up the tab. 

ads  (trying to get back on track)

So we haven't really had a good explanation from a Spanish person on why they are prepared to sit back and watch the costa's ruined by corruption and lack of regulation leading to the overbuilds, planning issues/quality and the inevitable mess that the Spanish property industry is now in?  

Is it that corruption is so deeply weaved in to society that it's accepted as normal practice, so nobody thinks that anything's wrong?, or is it that the blame is being pointed at everyone apart from in those who are responsible and in a  position to make the needed change to enable recovery to even start? Every country has it's corruption as we well know in the UK, but do the people just sit back and accept it?, No!

I can only talk from experience, but certainly within the justice system, basic common sense issues of right and wrong are far to often ignored or abused in Spain. Assuming that's what those at the so-called top regard as acceptable, then the current property situation is no big suprise.

Thought the `thread` was IS IT SO BAD IN SPAIN , I was trying to say NO its worse in other places now , even here in UK.

Yes we have corruption here too but the English are so used to being kept in the dark its more a state of do as we say , not as we do !!

Believe me I have very good knowledge of dealing with Gov`t both National and Local and they all wind you up , waste your time, pass you around when you are seeking information and generally treat one like s   t , so please don`t think Spain has the top prize for fudge and bull s  t , the English invented it , years ago , at least the Spanish don`t pretend to be any different where as the UK hide behind all sorts of crap and `Quangos` but it all boils down to the same , its just that in Spain they are upfront with it , the UK lie, cheat and give us all the run around all the time hiding behind various `laws` and `secret` depts !!

Now, Spain , only 35 years ago was dirt poor , then suddenley thousands of `tourists ` poured in and spent lots a money, if you were poor all your life and then suddenley made a fortune from idiots then wouldn`t you react the same way and build and build to appease the greed and `want more` mentality of incomers?

Of course you would, also Spain is split into different automonous regions with far more power than say Wales or Scotland here in UK , yet still you will find ruined coast lines in UK, hideous building going on, bland shopping centres all looking the same , same old shops same old lowlife every where , at least in Spain one can get away from it all if you avoid the `Blackpools` of the Costas and the sheer vulgarity of Marbella etc etc , here in UK you simply can not get away from lowlife and uglyness , its impossible, its all around one and its every where!!

We do strongly believe that if people who moved to Spain bothered to , one , learn the language, two, integrated rather than all huddle together like morons excluding all others who aren`t `English`, shopped in Spanish shops, ate in Spanish eating places and stopped trying to create some vile form of Brighton or Morecombe in the sun then just MAYBE they would enjoy it more, the other thing of course is if you don`t like it then bugger off back to the UK , see then how much you prefer it to Spain!

Sick of people moaning how its not cheap in Spain anymore , come over here , that will soon focus your mind when you need a few bits in the Supermarket !!

While I am on a loop , how many are actually `paying into` the system , bet there are lots who rent out , never pay tax , aleways looking for a way to not PAY their way , who needs you , who wants you ? Start having some consideration for the very people you have decided to `share ` your life with, appreciate the Spanish way of life, the way things are done and accept it , otherwise just leave cos` you are boring the hell out of every one who wants to come over in the future , if you only went to Spain cos` your pension went further then silly you, did you REALLY believe Spain would remain standing still so some of you could live cheaply while the local population could not?

Get A life and give the Spanish a break , you were not forced there and quite frankly some of you are not wanted there either , who can blame them?!!

Vee

So you have no answer to the question either? .......or you Pitby

Perhaps that is the answer?,  many people can't face what has caused the problem or even accept there is a problem, that alone discuss the origin of the thread?  Does a love of Spain have to mean you can't see the faults clearly?  You're not on your own, it's that attitude from those who can make the changes that's placed Spain in it's current situation!

Hi Vee

My sentiments entirely, to find the real Spain you have to integrate, learn the language the customs etc. The Spanish fiestas for example a traditional family orientated event, where you will find several generations of family's participating. In the Uk traditions are dying off, so has not to offend other religions etc. Spain will nether let that happen!