Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 7:04pm
Hi Paul,
You have not had any replies to your questions probably due to the difficulty for anyone to give you a short response on life changing decisions.
1. Is work an issue for you? Finding work in Spain is not as easy as the UK and if you do not speak Spanish it will certainly be more difficult, unless you have something unique to offer or plan to start a business that is needed in Spain.
2. I would definitely recommend renting, not buying, until you figure out how Spain works. Spain is totally different to the UK in every way. To find the best short term rentals (less than 6 months) though you probably have to be in Spain or get someone to help. Looking on the Internet will find you the most expensive. A friend of mine found a great place, month by month, by asking at the local pub. You may have to start with an AirBnB type of place and then hustle around until you can find a good spot for yourself. Also they will try to get a minimum of 6 months out of you. You have to be resourceful to find a good spot without alot of unnecessary cost and commitment.
3. Do you speak Spanish at all? If not then you can expect to pay for services you would do by yourself, like transferring your UK license to a Spanish one. [Note: Some do manage by themselves depending on the area they live and whether they can get by without Spanish but often it is easier to pay a Gestor or Lawyer to arrange things.]
4. Maybe it was good that your house didn't sell. Why not try life in Spain for a period of time and decide if the lifestyle suits you.
5. In Spain you have to submit a tax return so you will quickly find that the personal allowance is much lower (you pay more tax) than the UK. Also check Modela Form 720. You can find information on this on the Web.
I hope this helps you a bit.
Best of luck with your plans.