Permission comes in the form of a building licence and is a very important document if you want to be sure that your extension stays extended. If you are considering anything from an outside shed to a major refurbishment you should check that: You have permission from the Town Hall in the form of a building licence. Any works you have done are included in your Title Deed. The Catastro has been informed. Permission should be obtained before the builder starts work. Your builder is unlikely to draw your attention to the need for a licence and if they claim to have already obtained one, ask to see it. They cannot apply for one without you knowing and if a problem emerges later it … [Read more...] about Refurbishing your Spanish property
Archives for April 2012
Rubber bullet ban won’t solve Spain’s policing problem
As Spain’s Basque Country continued to reel from the death of 28-year-old Iñigo Cabacas, the region's interior department announced plans to restrict the use of rubber bullets as of January 1, 2013. An autopsy revealed that Cabacas died after receiving a rubber bullet to the head during riots following Athletic Bilbao's Europa League victory against Schalke 04 on April 5. The claim by the Ertzaintza, the Basque regional police, that no rounds were fired from a distance of less than 22 metres is contradicted by the conclusions of the autopsy report, which shows the fatal shot to have been fired from a much smaller distance. The rubber bullet restriction announcement by Basque interior … [Read more...] about Rubber bullet ban won’t solve Spain’s policing problem
La Liga: Momentous week for Barça and Madrid as El clásico looms
When a gaping 10-point chasm separated Real Madrid and Barcelona, Pep Guardiola was adamant: winning the league is impossible. As the difference closed to eight, six and then four points, he stuck to the party line, but ahead of what is set to be a defining couple of weeks in the race for La Liga and the Champions League, the FC Barcelona coach finally ceased his mantra at the weekend, admitting the domestic title “is a little less impossible now”. This Saturday, with five games remaining, Real Madrid travel to the Camp Nou attempting to get one hand on the league trophy that has eluded them for four years, but first-up is a Champions League semi-final first-leg game for Los Merengues … [Read more...] about La Liga: Momentous week for Barça and Madrid as El clásico looms
King’s big-game fall comes at just the wrong time
One week and two accidents related to the Spanish royal family’s predilection for guns. On April 9, King Juan Carlos’s 13-year-old grandson, Felipe Juan Froilán, suffered a foot injury while out shooting in Soria, an incident that is being investigated due to the age of the boy. But when the king had a serious fall in Botswana at the weekend while on holiday hunting for big game, it seemed as if it was the monarch who had shot himself in the foot. By a strange twist of fate, the same day that Juan Carlos had his hip operated on, several thousands people marched through central Madrid to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Second Republic. Their other motive for being there was to … [Read more...] about King’s big-game fall comes at just the wrong time
Pound gains as Spain teeters on the brink
This is my latest update of the British pound to euro exchange rate, covering the 6th to 13th April 2012 period. This is intended as a brief guide to what’s affected the exchange rate in the last week, to help you decide if now is the best time for you to change currencies. I wouldn’t blame Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for feeling a little disgruntled right now. Like a good student, he has listened to the teachings of his EU professors and announced spending cuts of some €28 billion, not to mention €10 billion more in so-called efficiency savings in health and education. Has this restored market confidence in Spain? Not an inch. In fact, since announcing these measures, banded … [Read more...] about Pound gains as Spain teeters on the brink
How language learning loses its way
Learning a language is a process that has been radically changing over the last ten years. Continuous advances in technology as well as the application of scientific methods have perfected the process of language learning to the very last detail, but that is precisely the reason why it is falling back to some of its old bad habits. Nowadays there is a European Framework of Languages that defines clearly what can be accomplished with language at every level, what should be studied and what not, depending on your degree of knowledge of the language. There are official examinations in almost every country of the EU that will demonstrate your level of competency. There is nothing wrong … [Read more...] about How language learning loses its way
How to complain in Spain
Hopefully, once you’ve asked for the ‘hoja’ the problem will be rectified and there will be no need to take it further. However, if the reason for your complaint remains, then the next stage is to write it down on the hoja, clearly outlining the issue from your point of view. It is better, but not essential, if you can complete it in Spanish. An entry in the hoja You will need to include: A straight forward and simple account of the cause of your complaint and how you would like it resolved e.g. refund, exchange, repair. Date and time. Personal details – someone will need to get in touch with you. It’s then up to whoever you are complaining about to fill in their explanation … [Read more...] about How to complain in Spain
Education in Spain: What do they need to know?
Education is a very powerful tool and the control of what the curriculum contains has worked normally calm people into a frenzy. Does Shakespeare have any relevance to our young people? Should schools be able to drop teaching the Victorians in favour of learning about Twitter? The debate goes on. Now more than ever, it is difficult to decide what the curriculum should consist of. Our world changes so quickly that equipping our young people with what they need for the future is a shot in the dark. There are many theories about what they should be learning. Most include reference to skills, concepts and personal attributes rather than selected pieces of knowledge. Learning ‘how to’ rather … [Read more...] about Education in Spain: What do they need to know?
La Liga: Levante’s old guard still in the mix
As the season began way back in sunny August, there was little doubt about which teams would be competing for the title. But as the usual suspects for the Champions League places were being rounded up, no one could have imagined that one surprise package, labelled “Ugly, poor and bad at football” by their own supporters, would be in contention for a top-four finish with seven matches remaining. Villarreal, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, and even Málaga with all their Qatari millions, are being outdone by Levante Unión Deportiva, who currently sit in fifth place, just one point behind their city rivals Valencia in fourth. What is even more astounding for a club that is more accustomed to … [Read more...] about La Liga: Levante’s old guard still in the mix
‘Extraterrestre’: entertaining alien farce just misses the mark
Those who have seen Nacho Vigalondo's debut feature Los Cronocrímenes will be familiar with the director's style. In terms of uniqueness, he is more on a par with the likes of Wes Anderson than Clint Eastwood. And much like Anderson, you either dig his particular vision of the world or you don't. Humour, mixed with a healthy dose of darkness, is an essential ingredient of Vigalondo's work and Extraterrestre (or Extraterrestrial) is no different. The laughs and lighter moments are frequent but they are accompanied by an underlying sensation of subtle menace (one of the most classic examples of this is his 2003 Oscar-nominated short movie 7.35 de la mañana. As in Los Cronocrímenes, in … [Read more...] about ‘Extraterrestre’: entertaining alien farce just misses the mark