Penny's activity

Duh - didn't check that. Thanks

Thanks Serge for the link. I have downloaded the documnt in Italian and will take it back to the woman at the ASL office as it comes from the Italian Health Ministry she might just accept it. Sprostoni - I agree. It is so wearing sonmetimes and you just know that if you don't get the paperwork right, it will come back to bite you here. We pay a fortune in INPS (despite earning very little) and who knows how many thousands we paid over the years in the UK (having been an employer and and employee, it was a lot!) and this is the result. Still, I am keeping positive and assuming it is an oversight. Charlotte, thanks too for the law number. I have one slight concern. When I moved house in 2007, the new law had just come in. The Amandola comune insisted on regsitering me as if I had just arrived from the UK despite my protestations and those of my italian accountant (and general Mr Fixit) - they would do it that way or not at all. Luckily I kept a copy of my permesso! The problem is now, that in the Amandola comune, I look like I have only been in Italy 2 years and not 5. The new chap there (the old stroppy one has retired finally) says not to worry and sheepishly admits it was a mistake to register me that way. He, however keeps trying to tell me that because the "attestazione di iscrizione anagrafica di citadino dell'unione europa" says it is for an indeterminate time period, that is sufficient. I just keep insisting I must have an "attestazione di soggiorno permanente per i cittadini dell'unione europea". I have a sneeking suspiscion he is fobbing me off because he can't now square the paperwork/computersystem. I am assuming I am within my rights to insist on this and the latter is actually the document I need? Thanks to you all. I will let you know how I get on. A big dose of patience is required!

Do remember that Geometra's are not the equivalent of a surveyor in the UK so don't expect a report similar to the one you would get in the UK. The ones I have seen have been little more than a sheet of A4. If you are worried that the damp/water affects the stability of the property then personally, I would want an structural engineer's report. They are not cheap but at least you will have some comfort that you have a professional engineer's opinion.

The cost will depend on how far you are from the nearest supply. If it is a long way then there will be the cost of connection and the cost of the groundworks to lay the pipes/cables.The agent should be able to provide written quotes for this work from ENEL and the local water board. Make sure they are in writing.In my area, a water connection (if the water pipes are in the road in front of the house) will be around €500 and electricity is about €200 (again - only if the power is next to the property).Important other things to check are:1. Does the property have a proper address recognised by the comune? I know Sarah and Mark (other members) had trouble because their house did not have a "proper" address.2. If it has been renovated (and converted from an uninhabitable property), does it have a certificate of habitation? This might not be relevant if it is only part-renovated.Not having water and power connected need not be a problem so long as you know how much it will cost. Bear in mind that if the services are coming a long distance, then it might take many months (in some cases a couple of years if the poles/pipes need to cross other people's land and permissions are required for this).

I haven't been for a couple of years but the last time I went, the dress code was pretty much anything you want. There were people dressed in evening dress and black tie and others in  casual clothes. I seem to remember most men had a jacket but not necessarily a suit or tie and plenty wore their jacket with jeans. Ladies seemed to be able to wear whatever they liked. There were also a large number of children but these seemed to be in the lower flat areas (stalls?) and not the boxes.

If you're buying a new car in the UK, you can order a LHD believe it or not. We did that before we moved out and resgistered it here when we got our residency. It took ages to find a dealer prepared to do it but they are all supposed to let you.

Re-registering your car to Italian plates should cost somewhere between €500 and €600 and is fairly straightforward. Go to a driving school/vehicle agency and they will do it all for you.

Pauline, it really shouldn't cost more than €500 to €600 so if someone is quoting you €1000-1500 I would shop around!

The best person to ask is the tecnico for the comune you wish to buy in. It is his job to know the rules for his comune.I agree with Sebastiano 100%. In this area, it is very difficult to do anything other than build on the original footprint.

There is one in Amandola but it's difficult to describe as he too does it from his home and isn't always open. You can leave them with the dry cleaners in Comunana (on the LHD side of the road to Conad in Comunanza, just past the new roundabout) and they will get them done but it will take at least a week.The guy in Roccafluvione is excellent and veyr cheap. He also repairs bags and all sorts of other stuff. He's always open (except for lunch time of course!). His place is on the RHD side of the road (if going to Ascoli) just before the bank and cashpoint (also on the RHD side).