Useful Facts

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Living

Car

If you want to buy a new car in Spain, you have to be a resident and therefore you need the tarjeta de residencia. This you have to order at the Policia-Municipal in Cádiz

You import your car from the UK or other european countries: You need to be the owner for more then 24 months! If not you have to pay import-taxes.

A new car has a Spanish MOT (ITV) for 4 years, after that you will get another one for 2 more years, then every year. The dealership tax (arround 60 €) is for one year, thereafter the townhall will write to you, and you have to pay by direct debit or at the council offices.

Items you have to carry in the car:

Wearer of glases: You have to carry second pairs with you at all times.
Spare car bulbs
2 warning triangles
iluminous yellow jacket to make you visible in case of breakdown.
car documents
driving licence

Electricity

Your house will have a fuse box with trip switches that control everything including water pump (in rural areas). There unexpected, yet regular, power cuts (in summer because of many air-conditions of holiday-people, in winter during vicious storms) and power-peaks can destroy your electrical machines. Do yourself a favour an ask a profesional electrician for advice and let him check your installations. Some older houses are having not grounded installation, it could be very painfull, so let an electrician check this as well. To pay, give the bank the details and you are debited every second month with bills shortly after. Providers are Endessa and Sevillana.

Some houses do not have own electricity meters, the electricity-company could cut your power if they will know it. Check the bills against the meter reading, because the companies like to do mistakes, not finding your meter, etc.

Fencing

An essential part of every Spanish garden is the fence that saves your privacy. There are a variety of different types such as plastic malla & wood brush, with sizes 1m, 1.5m & 2m. You will see all on show in your neighbours' gardens. You can buy them here at Polanco or Higiño in Chiclana or at Leroy Merlin in Jerez.

Another possibility is a wall, which the spanish like more, if you want to build a wall to the neighbours house you have to ask him, because he has to pay 50% of the building-costs. Ask your builder for a good price.

Furniture

There are many bed & furniture shops in and arround Chiclana, although curiously King Size beds are harder to get. In Sevilla you will find IKEA, with the same furniture you know from the UK.

You can also ask your joiner to make you an exclusively furniture it will be cheaper than in the UK.

Gardening

If you are a gardening enthusiast you can buy all you need from the various plant-centers. The sun here is very hot in summer, before planting your grass or vegetables be sure that the plants could survive in this climate. The climate is good for tomatoes, aubergines, peppers & most fruit, if you water them enough. Fig trees, olive trees, citric trees and prickly pear fruit you can find in nearly every garden.

Gas

Gas is necessary in the most houses for warm water and cooking, sometimes also for heating. You will need a gas contract (provided by the kitchen firm) which you present to your gas supplier. You could get them at some Ventas and petrol-stations, the producer also deliver them to your house. You have the possibility of orange (steel) or silver (aluminium) gas bottles and you will find outside ´butano´. Each bottle costs arround 9 € and will last 5 weeks for 2 people or 3 weeks for 4 people. Push the connecgtor as hard as possible onto the bottle, it is connected if you could lift the bootle by pulling on the connector.

Insects

Billions of insects you will find here, ants, moscitos, bees, cockroaches, grashoppers. Most of them will bother you. So, you need some spray to protect your body (Autan/Bayer) and insect-spray or powder to kill them. If you do not like the chemical way, you can also buy mosquito netting & blinds so your windows can be open at night in summer without the worry of getting bitten. If you have pets protect them against insects, they could cause dangerous infections for your animal.