If like me, one of the few things you miss in Italy is a decent department store, in particular John Lewis, you may be interested to know that they now offer international delivery for £7-50.
Does anyone have a phone number for Telecom Italia that can be used from UK? We started trying to cancel our landline/ADSL contract with them last October - following their instructions to the letter.
After 10 years in Italy, the last 7 of which have been in Le Marche (Macerata province) for family reasons we now have to return to UK for at least a year.
Does the plate throwing still actually happen anywhere? After 10 years in central and north Italy we never saw it nor any evidence to suggest it had happened! But perhaps we were just not in the right place? Apparently at one time, old pieces of furniture were also chucked out of the windows! Our experience was that you had an enormous meal, traditionally including a course with lentils and finishing with grapes, with family and friends, before the fireworks started at midnight followed by dancing (indoors, not out as generally too cold out). There is another tradition to wear red underwear to bring in the New Year which is why you will see so much on sale in the shops! Many restaurants offer a special meal with entertainment laid on - these did always seem very popular and would no doubt guarantee a New Year Italian style.
Don't forget that www.play.com will deliver to Italy free of charge on any order regardless of cost, as do www.bookdepository.co.uk - both have a huge range of English books and play.com also offer dvds and cds. We used both many many times over the years and never had any problems.
It is extremely common in Italy to pay by 'bonifico' - indeed it is really standard practice. Cheques do exist but are rarely used and cards are practically never used except face to face. When I was booking courses all had to be paid by bonifico, as were the various professional subscriptions. Hotel and holiday bills are also paid via bonifico so Italians are extremely used to it. It did not take very long, just had to make sure I went armed with all the required info re account etc. I was always paying from one Italian account to another, it may be a bit more complicated paying into a £ account but you say you have an Italian account so if you are happy to receive the money into that account it should be easy.Good luck.
We found that for the 'economical' ranges you had to ask in the shop and they would, often, somewhat unwillingly, produce a well thumbed catalogue full of more reasonable choices. Unfortunately they tend only to display the flash ranges, implying no-one buys anything else! You could also try Persichini in Passo di Treia, or Fabio Sbaffi (Big Mat) at Villa Potenza and Piediripa. Not sure if Self in Piediripa sell baths but may also be worth a try, Obi in Camerano (near the Auchan shopping centre and well signed) are also worth a look. Unfortunately there is no Leroy Merlin nearby, but Obi is a good alternative. Good luck and enjoy the bath and the olives!
We found that for the 'economical' ranges you had to ask in the shop and they would, often, somewhat unwillingly, produce a well thumbed catalogue full of more reasonable choices. Unfortunately they tend only to display the flash ranges, implying no-one buys anything else! You could also try Persichini in Passo di Treia, or Fabio Sbaffi (Big Mat) at Villa Potenza and Piediripa. Not sure if Self in Piediripa sell baths but may also be worth a try, Obi in Camerano (near the Auchan shopping centre and well signed) are also worth a look. Unfortunately there is no Leroy Merlin nearby, but Obi is a good alternative. Good luck and enjoy the bath and the olives!
It is a long time ago, but I am sure our geometra sorted it all out, made sure all the work was signed off by the appropriate workman and the certificate just arrived from the comune, without us having to do anything. I may be wrong, but I think you need a working kitchen, or at least proof that it has all the necessary utilities connected and just needs to have the units added for the house to be officially considered habitable.
Banca delle Marche will allow you to take out a mortgage against your home but as has been said, you do need to prove income and ability to pay it back, but they will accept 'foreign income' so it can be in dollars or sterling rather than Euro. (Interests rates for a mortgage are/were lower than for a loan.) A notaio has to be involved and there are set up costs. Banca Poste have also started offering a loan service - I don't know any of the details but I suspect you would again need to prove ability to pay it back rather than rely upon equity in the house. Loans are a comparatively new thing in Italy, when we first moved there 10 years ago you never saw adverts or publicity for loans, now they are everywhere but many Italians still prefer to save and get any work done bit by bit as they can afford it.
Does this help? http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/zu_beachten/02179/index.html?lang=en I think you used to have to list all items and give an indication of value so may be worth preparing one in advance? Or contact the Swiss embassy in London, they may be able to offer advice as I doubt this is a first. Yesterday, daughter and husband drove 'Alan H's route', from a different post, for the first time, ie Dover/Dunkirk ferry (bargain at 25gbp!) and the route down to Mulhouse heading to Basle, Lucerne, Gottard..................- they topped up when not in France and encountered no problems. Thought it an excellent route and so much better as not paying extortionate French motorway tolls! So a big thank you Alan H!
we have used HIFX and Caxton, both were fine and once the account set up very simple and easy. If you use the forum search facility many other companies have also been recommended.
If it could be deemed a permanent structure you would probably need planning permission - in our area, putting a garden shed on a solid base (concrete) instantly deems it to be permanent even without a bathroom, kitchen etc.
Comments posted
Does the plate throwing still actually happen anywhere? After 10 years in central and north Italy we never saw it nor any evidence to suggest it had happened! But perhaps we were just not in the right place? Apparently at one time, old pieces of furniture were also chucked out of the windows! Our experience was that you had an enormous meal, traditionally including a course with lentils and finishing with grapes, with family and friends, before the fireworks started at midnight followed by dancing (indoors, not out as generally too cold out). There is another tradition to wear red underwear to bring in the New Year which is why you will see so much on sale in the shops! Many restaurants offer a special meal with entertainment laid on - these did always seem very popular and would no doubt guarantee a New Year Italian style.
Don't forget that www.play.com will deliver to Italy free of charge on any order regardless of cost, as do www.bookdepository.co.uk - both have a huge range of English books and play.com also offer dvds and cds. We used both many many times over the years and never had any problems.
It is extremely common in Italy to pay by 'bonifico' - indeed it is really standard practice. Cheques do exist but are rarely used and cards are practically never used except face to face. When I was booking courses all had to be paid by bonifico, as were the various professional subscriptions. Hotel and holiday bills are also paid via bonifico so Italians are extremely used to it. It did not take very long, just had to make sure I went armed with all the required info re account etc. I was always paying from one Italian account to another, it may be a bit more complicated paying into a £ account but you say you have an Italian account so if you are happy to receive the money into that account it should be easy.Good luck.
We found that for the 'economical' ranges you had to ask in the shop and they would, often, somewhat unwillingly, produce a well thumbed catalogue full of more reasonable choices. Unfortunately they tend only to display the flash ranges, implying no-one buys anything else! You could also try Persichini in Passo di Treia, or Fabio Sbaffi (Big Mat) at Villa Potenza and Piediripa. Not sure if Self in Piediripa sell baths but may also be worth a try, Obi in Camerano (near the Auchan shopping centre and well signed) are also worth a look. Unfortunately there is no Leroy Merlin nearby, but Obi is a good alternative. Good luck and enjoy the bath and the olives!
We found that for the 'economical' ranges you had to ask in the shop and they would, often, somewhat unwillingly, produce a well thumbed catalogue full of more reasonable choices. Unfortunately they tend only to display the flash ranges, implying no-one buys anything else! You could also try Persichini in Passo di Treia, or Fabio Sbaffi (Big Mat) at Villa Potenza and Piediripa. Not sure if Self in Piediripa sell baths but may also be worth a try, Obi in Camerano (near the Auchan shopping centre and well signed) are also worth a look. Unfortunately there is no Leroy Merlin nearby, but Obi is a good alternative. Good luck and enjoy the bath and the olives!
It is a long time ago, but I am sure our geometra sorted it all out, made sure all the work was signed off by the appropriate workman and the certificate just arrived from the comune, without us having to do anything. I may be wrong, but I think you need a working kitchen, or at least proof that it has all the necessary utilities connected and just needs to have the units added for the house to be officially considered habitable.
Banca delle Marche will allow you to take out a mortgage against your home but as has been said, you do need to prove income and ability to pay it back, but they will accept 'foreign income' so it can be in dollars or sterling rather than Euro. (Interests rates for a mortgage are/were lower than for a loan.) A notaio has to be involved and there are set up costs. Banca Poste have also started offering a loan service - I don't know any of the details but I suspect you would again need to prove ability to pay it back rather than rely upon equity in the house. Loans are a comparatively new thing in Italy, when we first moved there 10 years ago you never saw adverts or publicity for loans, now they are everywhere but many Italians still prefer to save and get any work done bit by bit as they can afford it.
Does this help? http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/zu_beachten/02179/index.html?lang=en I think you used to have to list all items and give an indication of value so may be worth preparing one in advance? Or contact the Swiss embassy in London, they may be able to offer advice as I doubt this is a first. Yesterday, daughter and husband drove 'Alan H's route', from a different post, for the first time, ie Dover/Dunkirk ferry (bargain at 25gbp!) and the route down to Mulhouse heading to Basle, Lucerne, Gottard..................- they topped up when not in France and encountered no problems. Thought it an excellent route and so much better as not paying extortionate French motorway tolls! So a big thank you Alan H!
we have used HIFX and Caxton, both were fine and once the account set up very simple and easy. If you use the forum search facility many other companies have also been recommended.
If it could be deemed a permanent structure you would probably need planning permission - in our area, putting a garden shed on a solid base (concrete) instantly deems it to be permanent even without a bathroom, kitchen etc.