To sell the house at a loss and move to Spain??

[colachive]

Absolutely sick to death of this weather. It’s currently sheeting it down in mid July. The house is dark and dingy because there’s no sunlight. I just don’t think we can cope.

we’re in the middle of a renovation so couldn’t sell the house for what we paid for it but we’re both feeling desperate just to get out of this country!!

I'd prefer rain to drought so I wouldn't move to Spain but I know what you mean. I'm usually okay with the British northern summer but two years in a row of endless rain is getting me down. I live in a dark mid terrace and it's just so dark and dull, I have all the lights on and the heating!

Right, time for a plan.

Do you have EU member state passports?

If not, can you get visas to live in Spain?

What will your income be and from what source?

It’s not that simple to up sticks and move to sunny Spain, not since Brexit. Book a cheap and cheerful all inclusive on the Costa Dorada instead.

Have you an EU passport? What do you plan to do for income?

No passports but we have jobs that could technically transfer there (we work for the same global company and it has an office in Barcelona, so we’d be based there - still no idea if work would agree to this tho! My team are all here :( )

Research properly before doing anything.
we know people who emigrated to Greece and are now running aircon all day due to the heat for months on end.
add in drought …

Have you got an EU passport?

You'll need a regular income of €2,259.60 without working, or €2,650 + €1,978.50 per month for a couple, plus €662.50 per dependant, if you've got a remote job. You also need permission from the job in writing, and from HMRC, which only lasts two years at the most - then you'd need to go self-employed.

Getting a visa to work there is nigh on impossible.

Good point! We are West Yorks. The dinginess is almost worse than the rain

It's just so grey and flat! Like all the joy has been sucked from the air.

Ah, that's not good. You want a company with no Spanish office - that removes the work option above, as one of the requirements is that your company has no Spanish presence.

You'd need your employer to sponsor you to go. You can ask them the question, but they have to show that there is a need for you, specifically, which can't be filled by anyone within the EU or with the right to work there.

Strictly speaking, only one of you needs this, the other could go as a dependant, but there doesn't seem to be much in it for your employer unless one of you is indispensable. Tax levels are higher in Spain so it'll be more costly for your employer.

Book a last minute 5 star holiday to the Canaries or something if you're desperate for sun. Much cheaper than a move abroad. It'll likely be baking here in August by the time you return.

Thank you all this is really helpful info. It looks like the first step is to speak to work. I do a fairly specialist job but there’s certainly plenty of others in the EU, I’m not totally unique.

whoever thought brexit was a good idea had never experienced a Yorkshire summer!

I feel you fellow West Yorkie!!
On the brightside we all got a lie in this morning as it was so dark the dog didn't wake up at his usual 6.30am

I'm West Yorkshire too, yesterday was lovely, blue skies sunny not too hot. Back to feeling like winter it's so depressing.

If you have a job lined up, then it may work in the short term. Do research tax law changes due to Brexit, though. I am currently selling my flat in Spain and buying in the UK as the tax laws and banking laws are making it impossible for me to continue living between two countries despite having EU passport. I have a UK job which is remote but, being fiscal resident in the UK means that I am taxed through the nose. My Spanish bank account has been frozen twice this year and I have to collect a vast number of documents to prove my income and tax status just to be able to receive my salary. I am now being paid into UK bank account and have no means to access my money in Spain as La Caixa refuses to accept my evidence of income despite being provided with payslips and Spanish tax returns.
Living there is not as rosy as it may seem from the outside.

Why not ask at work about transferring to Barcelona, in a theoretical, just enquiring out of curiosity, way?

And research what would happen if either or both of you lost your jobs with this employer.

I always think it's best to find out the facts and then make a decision, rather than just wondering or fretting or wishing. That may be just me, of course.

Yeah, it would be. They'd handle all the visa application and everything if you were successful, because of the route you'd need to take.

If they're not keen, you'd need to look into either whether you've got enough savings, or remote/self-employed work for one or both of you. If you go self-employed, you'll need to wait a year after establishing your business before you can go on that.

Its my absolute dream to live somewhere warm by the sea

I think yesterday being gorgeous and then waking up to heavy rain and darkness today has made it worse!

Good point! I think this is it.

perhaps we just need a break from the relentless renovation / full-time work cycle. When you wait all year for the sun, saying to each other “it’ll all be so much easier in summer” only to get this, it’s so depressing.

we have been on Rightmove looking at rentals that have pools that are less pcm than our mortgage (2k per month - bought at the height of truss)

thank you Mumsnet for giving us a dose of reality, practicality and perspective!

Why don't you finish the renovation, move to Spain and rent out your house? Then, if Spain doesn't work out, you will have a property to come back to, even if it's just to sell on.

No such luck with our rooster 😂

I’ve shown this to DP, a good dose of reality thank you 🙏

I would finish the reno, or at least everything needed to make is saleable. Consider a short term rental if the dust and mess is getting you down, or just book weekends away to get away from it.
I'd book a holiday somewhere hot asap.
I'd also look at staying in the UK, but perhaps in the south where it is substantially warmer and sunnier.

I could have written this post a couple of days ago (except the bit about the heating). We're in a dingy mid terrace in eastern France and this is only the third consecutive dry day this summer!