Getting there !!!

Hi Bev,

Well agree with the bit about renting & can only hope you have been out here already at some time for a look around.

If you have the 2 dogs then the best option to our mind would be all immunisations and Pet Passport, Ferry to the north of Spain, so you are saved a drive through France, and then drive down through Spain. Google Maps would guide you & Tripadvisor or Booking.com can give you Pet.friendly.hotels along your route. This.has been discussed previously on other posts( you can post separately),.

Now the UK Government has said that as pensioners we will retain reciprocal rights, but they are Politicians.

You will get a lot of contradictory, if well intentioned, advice on Forums, so may I suggest you enter into e mail correspondence with CAT Services of La Alfoquia ( on Google Search ). They are a fixer agency and for a fee will guide you through the processes and formally answer your queries. Once you arrive they assist you physically.

Finally, if you do buy, then use Amanda Oakley, Solicitor, in Zurgena which is next to La Alfoquia and is highly respected. Never use a Solicitor suggested by Estate Agent. Patent potential Conflict of Interest.

Best Wishes and.regard it as a wonderful adventure. My wife, we met here, actually came out on her own!!!!

With CAT SERVICES & Amanda Oakley you should avoid.the usual pitfalls that await unwary & trusting Brits. Lots of chancers still out here.

Any logistical problems for which you need a 2nd opinion by all means ask.

Best Wishes,

Dr./ Colonel Bob and Sandra

Mojacar Playa and Puerto Lumbreras

Hi Bev, agree with Bob about C.A.T services. They have done most things for us including residenscia, getting a doctor, change of driving licence, etc. With your dogs it depends how you are coming to Spain. Some airline carriers do a pet transport service so can fly on same plane as you but they are NOT with you in the cabin. If you are flying yourself there are quite a few good pet transporters who will bring your dogs by road and you just meet them when they arrive, we do dog fostering and have had a few dogs transported this way. If you are driving then I would be giving you the same advice as Bob but just take your time and have plenty of stops for the dogs to exercise, etc. If you are driving you must make sure the dogs are securely fastened in so they cannot get to the driving area so using harnesses fastened into the seat belt holders.

Hope you find what you want, we live just a few km down the road,

Best wishes,

Paul.

Hi Bev, agree with Bob about C.A.T services. They have done most things for us including residenscia, getting a doctor, change of driving licence, etc. With your dogs it depends how you are coming to Spain. Some airline carriers do a pet transport service so can fly on same plane as you but they are NOT with you in the cabin. If you are flying yourself there are quite a few good pet transporters who will bring your dogs by road and you just meet them when they arrive, we do dog fostering and have had a few dogs transported this way. If you are driving then I would be giving you the same advice as Bob but just take your time and have plenty of stops for the dogs to exercise, etc. If you are driving you must make sure the dogs are securely fastened in so they cannot get to the driving area so using harnesses fastened into the seat belt holders.

Hope you find what you want, we live just a few km down the road,

Best wishes,

Paul.

Hi Bob, Sandra and also Paul

Thank you all for your advice, we have heard of C.A.T services before but didn't know they did so much, regarding the dogs I think we will do as you suggest and come via northern Spain, yes Bob we have spent time over in Arboleas previously and thought it lovely, regarding the dogs we will transport them in their cage as that's where they feel safest. I am afraid we wouldn't be happy if they weren't travelling with us.

Best wishes

Bev

I am assuming that your UK house is either mortgage free or small one.

If poss keep hold of the house in the UK and rent it out,that should cover your rental in Spain,and more importantly keep you with a UK address/place to retreat to if things change dramatically ie, Brexit/Health/Financially

pm sent

Hi, partner bought her villa here in Urcal late 2016 and we drove down using the Portsmouth Santander ferry March 2017 and had her cat brought down by independent carrier who picked her up from a cattery in Saffron Walden and if I could think who he was would endorse him wholeheartedly.

If youre thinking pet friendly cabin come back in a minimum of anything from 9 or even 12 mths as they're all snapped up very early, very frustrating. Flying in a pet on a dwindling number of carriers might be very expensive, doable but expensive.

We stayed in an Airbnb place in Madrid, approx half way and drove the other half the day after, the weather got more atrocious the further we got, car passed us doing stupid mph and that same car was in bits n pieces just a few kilometres further on having misjudged a truck and bend, man that was ugly, 

We got assistance about lots of things from CAT Services and will look into further help, partner used Mandy and Chris from CamConcepts for villa purchase, NIE driving licences bank etc, they are in Huercal Overa.

Car was serviced, pre ITV'd and then ITV'd by the great guys at '"The Garage" on the Arboleas/Albox poligono, English and again highly recommended.

Partner had been coming here for a few years and her best friend viewed this villa and knew partner would love it and said get it if possible on her return from Oz which she did, her house had already been sold, if you find a place you get that love it feel just go with it, if you can afford to keep a bolt hole in the UK then you might just fall foul of any new laws rules and regulations caused by Brexit. Especially the need for Residencia which you may or not get if you split time between Spain and the UK, lots to research, lots to find out and ponder, dont think you can take youre time, youre already a weekend behind the clock !!!

Hi Thanks for your reply, we will look into the private carrier idea if we ever get to start the move, having had no luck in selling, and very few viewings in the three months on the market, we took it off and are waiting with baited breath the outcome of Brexit. Have already contacted CAT they have been most helpful, so now we just have to wait but thanks again.

Hi, the few months either side of Christmas are traditionally the slowest months for house sales, not quite around our area in southern Spain but in the UK, what's to be lost by leaving youre house in the UK on the market ?.

Personally I'm not concerned about Brexit, we have no control whether we voted to leave or remain and the more bickering our self serving, self engrandising do just goes to show we won't have much control as to whether theres a hard Brexit, soft Brexit or none at at so why bother ??, apart from having the control to boot out youre local mp at election time I

If you sit on youre hands and wait for a result on Brexit you may just still be doing the same come summer when a potential sale might have been lost. Theres still going to be an awful lot to do as and when you get here, best of luck with youre house sale and youre move here.