alan h's activity

Questions Asked

Tesco and Eurotunnel[Copied from another Forum]If you shop at Tesco you'll probably be rewarded with Cash Vouchers.  What you may not know is that you can exchange these for 3x their value with Eurotunnel.

Sun, 03/18/2018 - 16:50

ITALIAN GENEALOGYI am researching my family tree [all UK based], and belong to a Genealogy Group here in the UK - its part of the U3A [an organisation for 'retired persons who want to do things rather than sit at home all d

Wed, 01/04/2017 - 05:24

Cancelling a Eurotunnel Booking I have had to cancel a return trip on Eurotunnel [Car + 2 + Dog], as I have to go into hospital for an op.The booking was 'non-refundable'.I rang them to cancel and they confirmed it was non-

Thu, 05/26/2016 - 08:00

IMU - Its still around I thought this had disappeared in the new tax system, but my Comune website says the first payment for 2014 is due by 16th June Paid it via my bank today - emailed them the F24

Fri, 06/13/2014 - 08:56

Looks like the days of the easy/cheap trip to italy through Switzerland are numbered. Apparently, the Swiss government has decided to raise the cost of the vignette to 100 Swiss Francs for 2015. They are introducing a two month vignette for 40SF,

Sun, 09/01/2013 - 15:58

Petrol prices in France are now comparable with the UK, except on the French Autoroutes.One option is to fill up at the L'Eclerc superstores with their SP95 E10 petrol [its a petrol with some ethylene in - generally used in France - which is OK fo

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 04:25

For a change this year we drove down to Italy via Besancon  [avoiding most tolls by taking some good french non-motorways.]However - Besancon roads are in total chaos as they are digging them up to lay tram routes - this will take about 2 more yea

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 16:44

Can you help?I've just completed making a 'variation' of Limoncello. The only change is that I dispensed with the lemons, I and substituted Sloes that I picked here in the UK at the end of last year.

Sun, 01/20/2013 - 09:10

In today's GuardianRyanair have announced their credit card will now be liable to the same charges as other credit cards - so the end of no charge bookings

Sat, 11/10/2012 - 09:07

Comments posted

Tue, 08/09/2011 - 05:06

Yiou could Google 'Yellow Pages Italy' Enter 'Rassina' as the location and 'Geometra' as what you're looking for It lists 2 geometras - give them a ring and see if they speak English - if they don't, widen the search area [We managed to extend and update our small place without using an English speaking Geometra - sketches and very very basic Italian worked for us]

Sun, 07/31/2011 - 12:24

Post them in the "Items For Sale or Free"  Group  [Trade ads will be removed]

Fri, 07/29/2011 - 07:54

" Are you serious?   120cms is four feet!!! " I think he means 120 square cms - so your 20cmx20cm grille [400 sq cms] is more than adequate

Sat, 07/23/2011 - 18:25

I've noticed the 'Mark all as read' button is no longer  there when you hit the 'unread posts' button - so you cannnot 'wipe out' posts that you don't want to read   A real pain when you've been away for a couple of weeks

Thu, 07/07/2011 - 05:39

Remember – you don’t have to be in the UK 183 days a year to be classed as ‘resident’ for inheritance Tax purposes.  HMRC state;- Resident For inheritance tax purposes, residence has the same meaning as for income tax purposes. To be regarded as resident in the UK you must normally be physically present in the country at some time in the tax year. You will always be resident if you are here for 183 days or more in the tax year……….   More is explained in         http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/hmrc6.pdf        where it talks about family ties, property in Uk etc etc making one resident, giving the following example   Example 1 Sarah is a British citizen who has lived in the UK most of her life. She has homes in London, California and France and has spent substantial amounts of time at her other homes or travelling on business. The opportunity arises for Sarah to travel more on business, especially in North America and she therefore spends less time in the UK and more time in her California home. Sarah’s partner and their children are based in the UKand the family spends the summer together in France. During the year ended 5 April 2010 Sarah is present in the UK at the end of 43 days, although she typically arrives in the UK in the morning and leaves in the evening so many of the days she is in the UK do not get counted for the 183 day test. Sarah’s ‘end of day’ counts for the years ended 5 April 2011, 5 April 2012and 5 April 2013are 85, 110 and 90 respectively. The average for the four years to 5 April 2013 is just under 82 days. Although Sarah has been present in the UK at the end of the day for an average of less than three months during the four years under review, she has remained resident and ordinarily resident here. This is because her presence in the UK in all years shows a pattern indicating residence here and that such residence is ‘ordinary’ for her. There is nothing casual about her residence – Sarah has a home and family in the UKto which she returns whenever she wishes and her business allows. Sarah’s residence in the UK continues. Her presence in the UK is an integral part of the regular pattern of her life. The precise amount of time that Sarah spends in the UK does not affect this fundamental point. Sarah has been and remains resident and ordinarily resident in the UKIt is possible that Sarah is resident in France or the USA for the purposes of French or US federal and state income taxes. This does not affect her residence in the UK. If she is dual resident for any period it might be necessary to decide where Sarah is treaty resident for the purposes of the relevant Double Taxation Agreement. ........    In other words – they’ll get your money anyway when you die – so consult a Tax expert

Thu, 07/07/2011 - 04:18

It might help if you give a bit more detail [from where - to where - time you're setting off - about what time you want to stop  etc..]

Mon, 07/04/2011 - 13:13

"You'd only be able to put it on ebay Italy anyway so that may not help ........" You could always get a friend in the UK to put it on ebay there There are a couple of Italian Properties on ebay - one is well written - the other fails as it is written by an 'English is not my mother tongue' person - so I suggest you write it for her http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=italy++house&_sacat=0&_sop=3&_dmpt=Non_Fiction&_odkw=italy+property+house&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

Sun, 07/03/2011 - 07:33

"My advice is give it all away now." So how do I give my holiday home to my 2 kids now - to avoid UK Death Duties - WITHOUT spending a fortune doing it??????????? [I've had lots of conflicting advice - and am totally confused]

Tue, 06/28/2011 - 10:42

"As for removal, there is a great fellow that you will all drive past if you cross at CHiasso who washes the car inside and out and removes all of your old stickers (CH and Austrian) for just €15." Bet he sells the current ones on!!!!!!!!

Tue, 06/28/2011 - 06:01

Not sure, but have you had a refund for overpayment at all? I think it may be the charge they make for giving the refund