Moving to Italy

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Discussion

KM666

Original Poster:

1,757 posts

182 months

Sunday 4th January 2015
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I'm moving to Italy on Thursday and was just wondering if any PHers have got any tips or hints for a smooth move abroad. I'm taking my car over which is getting a fresh MOT tomorrow then a Cambelt and waterpump later in the day. I've recently refreshed a load of parts so its up to the task. Once there i'll be living up in the mountains, the idea is to keep this car legal in the UK for as long as possible so that I can return with minimal fuss. I might have use of a local car once there so should I tuck the UK motor up in a quiet corner or use as I would at home, I assume that whilst I am a customer of UK insurance company I will continue to earn ncb on my policy?

Cheers

cayman-black

12,625 posts

215 months

Monday 12th January 2015
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KM666 said:
I'm moving to Italy on Thursday and was just wondering if any PHers have got any tips or hints for a smooth move abroad. I'm taking my car over which is getting a fresh MOT tomorrow then a Cambelt and waterpump later in the day. I've recently refreshed a load of parts so its up to the task. Once there i'll be living up in the mountains, the idea is to keep this car legal in the UK for as long as possible so that I can return with minimal fuss. I might have use of a local car once there so should I tuck the UK motor up in a quiet corner or use as I would at home, I assume that whilst I am a customer of UK insurance company I will continue to earn ncb on my policy?

Cheers
uk insurance, no claims , yes you will still earn NCB.

pewe

648 posts

218 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
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As I understand it you should re-register the car locally if it's there for more than 6 months.
Also check your insurers limit on overseas driving - most allow up to 30 (?) days on a standard UK policy.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe
PS - and don't drive like an Italian once you're back in the UK.....

AlexIT

1,482 posts

137 months

Wednesday 21st January 2015
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Whereabouts are you coming to?

Well... where have you come to by now smile

Transiter

257 posts

112 months

Wednesday 21st January 2015
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pewe said:
As I understand it you should re-register the car locally if it's there for more than 6 months.
Also check your insurers limit on overseas driving - most allow up to 30 (?) days on a standard UK policy.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe
PS - and don't drive like an Italian once you're back in the UK.....
The 30 day rule will be for the comprehensive cover, UK insurance has to cover at least 3rd party in all EU countries. Although I imagine the insurance may start asking questions if you no longer live in the UK but your policy was taken out there.

GeorgeK

19 posts

200 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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Will you take up residency in Italy? This will have a number of implications regarding insurance and driving licence. PM me for more info (I moved to Italy 5 years ago).

KM666

Original Poster:

1,757 posts

182 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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I've moved to a village near Lavagna. I'm covered for 6 months with my insurers european cover and there is a local car or a scooter I can use after that. I've been told by somebody else who made the move from the uk I have a year to either register my car or take it back to the uk. My renewal is almost exactly at the 6 month mark. My main reason for wanting to keep a no claims and to run a uk car is the massive expense it takes to register even the cheapest used car here. Insurance is pretty much fixed at 1000 euro and the tax is around 800 euro for a year. It isnt worth registering a 1300 pound skoda locally, a car which i'd be unable to sell on. Most stuff worth around the same is ran to destruction, scrapped or sold to somebody who'll have it declared scrap and export it to africa. If I want my own locally registered vehicle I could get a pick up and pay far less tax or run uk registered cars for a year at a time as a secondary vehicle to the locally registered one. I'm extremely rural here so if i'm not driving my car into town nobody will ever see it parked up.

KM666

Original Poster:

1,757 posts

182 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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Taking up residencey will be a bridge i'll have to cross at the time. The people i'm working for are holding back from doing all that untill i'm sure i'll be staying long term.

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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KM666 said:
Taking up residencey will be a bridge i'll have to cross at the time. The people i'm working for are holding back from doing all that untill i'm sure i'll be staying long term.
We have been living in Italy for much winter from September until April for some time now. More than ten years. IME Itaky is a wonderful country to live in and work in. However Italians do have very different approach to life this is essentially still a Catholic country and a very Matriarchal society and attitudes are therefore different, very possibly for the better. Very few Italian males will cross their Mother which certainly makes for a pretty controlled wy of living. Personally I really like this.

I would think long and hard about residency. We deliberately have not become residents because the Italian tax system would seek to extract taxation from us having homes in several countries. Many Italians undoubtedly disregard taxation requirements. There is a very large black economy. I am not advocating that just recognising the reality. I would suggest you appraise the situation carefully therefore and err on whichever approach gives you the greatest control of your personal circumstanes.

I do hope it all goes well. We will be returning as long as we are able to being happily retired. Italy is quite Glorious. And a great deal warmer than the UK!


GeorgeK

19 posts

200 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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KM666 said:
I've moved to a village near Lavagna. I'm covered for 6 months with my insurers european cover and there is a local car or a scooter I can use after that. I've been told by somebody else who made the move from the uk I have a year to either register my car or take it back to the uk. My renewal is almost exactly at the 6 month mark. My main reason for wanting to keep a no claims and to run a uk car is the massive expense it takes to register even the cheapest used car here. Insurance is pretty much fixed at 1000 euro and the tax is around 800 euro for a year. It isnt worth registering a 1300 pound skoda locally, a car which i'd be unable to sell on. Most stuff worth around the same is ran to destruction, scrapped or sold to somebody who'll have it declared scrap and export it to africa. If I want my own locally registered vehicle I could get a pick up and pay far less tax or run uk registered cars for a year at a time as a secondary vehicle to the locally registered one. I'm extremely rural here so if i'm not driving my car into town nobody will ever see it parked up.
Nice part of the country. You'll love it. As long as you keep your residency in the UK and you are not officially resident in Italy you could take the risk with an UK insurance and UK number plates. Once you start earning a salary in Italy and paying taxes, things will change. Dual residency is no longer possible in the EU. The issue about paying taxes in Italy on your property in the UK that Steffan raised is usually when you have buy a property in Italy and the taxman then views your UK property as a second property. But then again, being strapped for cash, the Italian tax office seems to tighten up on this.
Good luck with your move to Italy. You'll love the country.

KM666

Original Poster:

1,757 posts

182 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
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Thanks for all the tips and advice! I think i'll hold back on doing anything offical just yet as I dont yet need a local bank account to pay into. It already alot nicer than back home, a balmy 17 degrees today perfect for painting shutters.

AlexIT

1,482 posts

137 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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Well you choose a nice spot to live smile

Enjoy your stay wink

Niels_peter

5 posts

88 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2016
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Italy is a wonderful country! Hope you enjoy your move :-)

GeorgeK

19 posts

200 months

Monday 2nd January 2017
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How is life in Lavagna?