DESPITE recent reports in the UK press, Spain is still the most desired country to live for Brits at 13%.

It also emerges that 12% of Brits are considering emigrating, with the country’s ‘broken society’ their biggest concern, as well as the weather, crime rates and the costs of living.

While the UK was named the worst country for quality of life in Europe by the uSwitch survey, Spain emerged proudly in second place, behind only France.

Just 5% of those questioned said they were happy in the UK, which contrasts recent research suggesting expats are less happy after moving away from Britain.

The study examined 16 factors such as net income, the cost of essential goods, as well as lifestyle factors such as hours of sunshine, holiday entitlement, working hours and life expectancy.

France claimed the top spot for the third year running, but was still second behind Spain in terms of where Brits most want to relocate to, at 7%.

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117 COMMENTS

  1. Just bringing some more good news. Ya know the American saying when stocks or properties fall, “Buy, Buy Buy”.

    Spain has gone from being the black sheep in the property sector to become a “star market,” a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) says.

  2. We are from Belgium and moved to Mijas in early 2011. Even though we used a lawyer and performed all of the correct checking of paperwork etcetera, we have recently found out that only half the property is illegal! The police served us a notice and came by car to deliver it! It seems the plot only allows for a house half the size. The lawyer did not say anything about this, nor did the notary, and both checked over the paperwork. This would not have happened in Belgium I can tell you. We have been here three years and only now it comes to light.

    I could not ever recommend moving to Spain, it has been a nightmare for my family with all the uncertainty, and now we have no way of making our house legal as the amount of land we require does not exist any more. We at an impasse and the lawyer cannot do anything except tell us to ‘wait to see what the Junta say’. We cannot take action again anyone, get compensation from anyone and there is just nothing that can be done. No other European country I have lived in (I have lived and worked in three) works like this. Spain just abandons you. We are now in the process of relocating back to Belgium because we risk fines and possible legal problems. It’s just a nightmare to contemplate and it has ruined our life here. How Spain can allow people to move here and destroy their lives like this is just criminal. I am writing to my MEP and will try and pursue this in the European courts.

  3. Oh dear caccy,
    every post you make is full of abuse and snidy comments and never do you quote facts.

    You hav’nt got a clue about the pensions in the Netherlands or Germany but your old tired ego cannot accept this. I get my Dutch and German friends to read what you write and they all say he must be on medication, if this is true you need a new prescription but on the bright side you do make them laugh.

    Read what I wrote and do try to reply with some measure of sanity – in the Netherlands it is obligatory to not only pay into a State pension but also a private one as well and yes the Dutch and Germans do retire on 90% – now what part of that don’t you understand.

    Sadly like your friend Dr Rev. ya ya Derek you can never be wrong. I’m sure that like him you are vertically challenged, small stature/big ego.

    You mouth of about all the illegal building but by your own admission you have never bought but only rent – says it all really.

    You and your buddy always mention this word bitter about myself and others – no rational person would describe my comments as bitter just factual and correct – perhaps you have the same medic.

    BTW – PWC signed off an awful lot of companies as being solvent when they were’nt. Unfortunately for you I read the FT online every day.

    Calling me Stewart and not Stuart just shows what a petty little man you are

  4. Stew, the name is caccia and calling me caccy just shows what a petty little man you are. Quote.

    I SAID:-
    Are you confusing pensions with salary.

    Can you name a company that retires all employee’s with a 90% salary, or are you talking about top up pensions which employee’s and companies contribute to which comes under state pension scheme. This also happens in the U.K.

    AND YOU SAID:-
    Read what I wrote and do try to reply with some measure of sanity – in the Netherlands it is obligatory to not only pay into a State pension but also a private one as well and yes the Dutch and Germans do retire on 90% – now what part of that don’t you understand.

    What did you not understand what I had said. It appears you do know the difference between a pension and a salary. When you reach retirement age a company ceases to pay you a salary. You then draw state pension and on the private pension scheme which had been contributed to. Ask your mate Fred, perhaps he can explain it better to you.

    Problem is Stew you have been living in France too long and not really understanding English anymore.

  5. @STUART,
    Just to recap. You said on MAY 12TH, 2014 5:43 PM. Quote:-

    “Yes the retired Dutch do have a good life. They have 2 pensions, a state one and a private one, which they have to pay into. Thanks to not having a rip-off financial services industry, a Dutchman/woman will have a private pension pot 3 x times that of the Brit”.

    I think that CONFIRMS what I have been saying. No mention of retiring on a 90% company salary, or did you mean equivalent to a company salary, and naturally this also depend’s on the amount of years contributions have been made.

  6. @Luc V,

    Sorry to hear of the position you are in. I find it strange that only half the property is legal. You say that the lawyer and all the paperwork had been checked but apparently not so. Who do you feel was at fault here. Just curious to know.

  7. Alas, Luc’s problem is commonplace in Spain. Land parcels are often divided up incorrectly and then the house cannot occupy the space it stands on. Seen this happen quite a few times to people over the years. As soon as the Junta catch up with you they start to issue notices and you only find out years later. You actually found out quite quickly Luc, although no consolation to you now of course. Very depressing.

  8. @ Luc V,
    Your story of what has happened to you in Spain is not an isolated one and it is yet another warning to anyone thinking of buying property in Spain. Lawyers and Notaries in Spain will take your money any way for any property transaction – simply because you asked them to carry out the legal process is good enough for them – they don’t ensure that the property you intend to buy is legal (that isn’t their job) – if you ask them to help you buy a property – that’s the deal and nothing else and after all why would they risk losing fees on a failed sale/purchase? If something comes out of the wood work at a later date – tough on you. Luc V, you say that your life is ruined here – you are not alone as it is the same for thousands of others, look at the Priors and others that have already had their HOMES demolished. Don’t despair and leave Spain if you must – Spain doesn’t deserve your investment and others should consider theirs. Good Luck in the future.

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