Unless the bank accounts are National Savings where there is a convention there is no access to foreign bank accunts. The information would have been obtained by looking through the papers when they 'raided' the properties. They have jealous neighbours. Nothing new there.
This business of validity of UK driving licences has been thrashed out many times on expat forums in the EU. Your UK licence is valid until you are 70 and then need a medical. The plastic card part is valid for 10 years. When it is out of date your licence remains valid but there is an offence of failing to renew it. DVLA will issue you with a 'right to drive' authority which you can use to exchange licences in EU if your plastic card is out of date and the local licencing authority are not up to date. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 people in UK holding out of date cards and up till now no prosecutions.
Moving to another countryIf you move to another country, you should check with the driving licence authorities there for information about driving and exchange of licences. You don't need to notify DVLA of a change of address when moving to live abroad.
A EU licence is valid throughout Europe and no need to change it unless you are forced to do so in order to impose penalty points or suspension in the country of residence. Therefore it cannot be illegal for an Italian resident to have a UK licence with an out of date address. What is the offence? Who can prosecute it? All countries are in the same position as they have old rules which do not fit with the EU directives. In Belgium a man took a case to the European Commission regarding the directive rule that a resident is not allowed to drive a foreign plated car. The Commission decided that since nobody had ever been prosecuted for breaking that rule in any country they would not make a ruling.
In most of Europe now it is common to do what you suggest and also under the Euro Directive on licencing and taxation of vehicles Italy also should allow it and they do in some places but.... Apart from all that why bother? There are substantial advantages in keeping your original registration as it pretty much exempts you from all the petty bureaucracy your Italian friends and neighbours have to put up with and the police can't be bothered even if they knew what they were supposed to do.
I have a home in France and can get everything as UK but you should not be able to get it even in North Italy with anything under a 100cm dish. I can't imagine it will last very long. I have an ordinary, non Sky receiver with an 80cm dish and find that I get the normal chennels from 28E but also quite a number of programmes from hotbird also. Very strange.
It's a while but I have camped throughout Italy and mostly free. Why spend money in a campsite which will cost almost the same as an hotel. Find a nice clean spot early and when the locals or owner come around just explain what you are doing and they will always be accommodating. have a coffee and wine in the local bar. A bit of knowledge of the language would be good but maybe not essential.
From French forums it is becoming clear that banks and UK National Savings are complying fully with other European nations in the passing of information. Many French residents have been receiving letters and even penalties about ISA interest and Premium Bond winnings which have not been declared to French revenue. Both are tax free in UK but not in France (or Italy)
Comments posted
Unless the bank accounts are National Savings where there is a convention there is no access to foreign bank accunts. The information would have been obtained by looking through the papers when they 'raided' the properties. They have jealous neighbours. Nothing new there.
This business of validity of UK driving licences has been thrashed out many times on expat forums in the EU. Your UK licence is valid until you are 70 and then need a medical. The plastic card part is valid for 10 years. When it is out of date your licence remains valid but there is an offence of failing to renew it. DVLA will issue you with a 'right to drive' authority which you can use to exchange licences in EU if your plastic card is out of date and the local licencing authority are not up to date. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 people in UK holding out of date cards and up till now no prosecutions.
Moving to another countryIf you move to another country, you should check with the driving licence authorities there for information about driving and exchange of licences. You don't need to notify DVLA of a change of address when moving to live abroad.
A EU licence is valid throughout Europe and no need to change it unless you are forced to do so in order to impose penalty points or suspension in the country of residence. Therefore it cannot be illegal for an Italian resident to have a UK licence with an out of date address. What is the offence? Who can prosecute it? All countries are in the same position as they have old rules which do not fit with the EU directives. In Belgium a man took a case to the European Commission regarding the directive rule that a resident is not allowed to drive a foreign plated car. The Commission decided that since nobody had ever been prosecuted for breaking that rule in any country they would not make a ruling.
In most of Europe now it is common to do what you suggest and also under the Euro Directive on licencing and taxation of vehicles Italy also should allow it and they do in some places but.... Apart from all that why bother? There are substantial advantages in keeping your original registration as it pretty much exempts you from all the petty bureaucracy your Italian friends and neighbours have to put up with and the police can't be bothered even if they knew what they were supposed to do.
I have a home in France and can get everything as UK but you should not be able to get it even in North Italy with anything under a 100cm dish. I can't imagine it will last very long. I have an ordinary, non Sky receiver with an 80cm dish and find that I get the normal chennels from 28E but also quite a number of programmes from hotbird also. Very strange.
I think I've been left behind somewhere.
It's a while but I have camped throughout Italy and mostly free. Why spend money in a campsite which will cost almost the same as an hotel. Find a nice clean spot early and when the locals or owner come around just explain what you are doing and they will always be accommodating. have a coffee and wine in the local bar. A bit of knowledge of the language would be good but maybe not essential.
From French forums it is becoming clear that banks and UK National Savings are complying fully with other European nations in the passing of information. Many French residents have been receiving letters and even penalties about ISA interest and Premium Bond winnings which have not been declared to French revenue. Both are tax free in UK but not in France (or Italy)
Well I'm in west Wales and haven't had so much as a snowflake so far this winter.