Are you thinking of relocating to Sitges?
Useful things to know.
Long Term Rental
NIE
Healthcare in Spain
Social Security System
Useful numbers
Setting-up a long term rental on a Spanish property
Many people decide to rent a house or flat when they first move to Spain, simply because buying a property is such a large commitment. Rental costs in Spain are fairly low in most areas, and Spanish rental contracts usually give the tenant more rights and greater stability than UK rental contracts.Finding a House to Rent
Search Sitges SL, offer a large range of properties to rent, either for long term or short term rental.Long Term (Vivienda) Rental Contracts
Long term, or vivienda rental contacts, are always cheaper than short term contracts and usually run for a year. After the first year, you as the tenant have the right to renew for up to 5 years and the landlord is only allowed to increase the rent by the rate of inflation. You can only be evicted from the house or flat which you have rented if you fail to pay the rent, or if the landlord's finances become so bad that he has to move into the property. Usually, you may not leave the property within the first year without paying a penalty, but after that you will usually have to give one or two month's notice.As in the UK, you'll be asked for between one and three month's rent as a deposit against damage.
As with all other Spanish property agencies, an agency fee equivelant to your first month´s rent is payable at the start of the rental period. For some properties, you may also be asked for a bank guarantee, which is essentially a sum of money (6 - 12 months worth of rent) held in trust by your bank, which will be handed over to the landlord,l in the unlikely event that you break your side of the contract. These are very rare.
NIE - Numero de Identificacion de Extranjeros
An NIE number is essentially a tax number for foreigners in Spain. You need one if you are going to buy a house or a car, if you are going to work for a Spanish company, or if you want to apply for residencia (a residency card). If you are an EU citizen, you no longer have to apply for your NIE number separately - you will be given one when you register as a foreign resident as detailed below.Non-EU citizens still need to apply for an NIE number. To get one, you need to go to the extranjeros department at your nearest Comisaria (the police station for the national police force, not the local police).You will need to take your passport. The forms are fairly straightforward and you will have your NIE number within 2-6 weeks of applying.
Residencia
The rules on residencia cards in Spain have been changed several times recently.Briefly, if you are an EU citizen, you must now register at your local Oficina de Extranjeros - usually in the local Comisaria. You will need to complete a form and pay a fee, and you will be rewarded with a certificate which shows your name, address and NIE number.
If you are not an EU citizen and you are not married to an EU citizen, then you will need:
* Proof of income (a job, pension etc. a healthy savings account will probably also work, but the actual amount you need is likely to vary from place to place.)
* Proof of social security registration or private medical insurance
* Your passport
* Finally if you are married and one of you will be dependent on the other, you will need your marriage certificate.
If you are not moving to one of the coastal areas you may need official translations of your documents. It's a good idea to check.
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About Medical Treatment in Spain
The Spanish health-care system is very good. Most hospitals are modern and well-equipped and the doctors and peadetricians are excellent. There are a few differences in policy between the British and Spanish health systems, but overall they are very similar. The biggest difference is the level of nursing care available in Spain. While Spanish nurses are well-trained and efficient, they simply do not perform many of the duties carried out by British nurses, and many tasks (particularly personal care and feeding) are carried out by the patient's family instead. All hospitals allow one companion to be with the patient 24 hours a day. Visiting times vary for other visitors.If you are planning to live in Spain then do remember that many medical staff do not speak English, even in resort areas. In some tourist towns a voluntary translation service is available for doctor's appointments, but that will not be available at all times. It is a good idea to find out whether or not such a service exists in your local medical centre when you first arrive in Spain, and if so, at what times it
operates.
The emergency phone number in Spain is 112
Entitlement to free Healthcare
Before moving to Spain, you should make sure you apply for the new European Health Insurance card (EHIC), which replaces the old E111. Application forms are available either at the Post Office, or at the UK Department of Health website.A EHIC will cover you for emergency healthcare treatment in Spain. It is really for tourists, but will ensure that you do not end up having to pay for treatment during your first few weeks or months in Spain. It will not cover you for most types of non-urgent treatment such as treatment for ongoing conditions, full maternity care or vaccinations and you should not rely on it if you are living in Spain.
If you are planning to retire to Spain, if you are unemployed before you leave the UK, if you are a student, or if you are self-employed and planning to work in Spain, then you will be entitled to 2 years worth of full healthcare. See The Department for Work and Pensions for details. NB With the forms you get from the DWP you'll still need to get registered at the offices of the Spanish seguridad social. This process can take some time, so be sure to get your EHIC card anyway.
Private health insurance is widely available and on the coasts at least there are many schemes specifically aimed at British ex-pats. Do read your policy carefully though as you may find some things you will need are excluded. Some policies only cover you for emergency treatment in the home and/or an ambulance to the local hospital for example and you may find that you have to pay for the hospital treatment after you have received it.
Dentists
Most ambulatorios or centros de salud (health centres) have a dentist who will provide free treatment to people registered with the social security system. You may also find dentists offering emergency treatment in Spanish hospitals. We have received mixed reports about these dentists - some have complained about long waiting times and "brutal" treatment, others have praised the work. If you have any problems getting an appointment with the dentist at your local health centre, then private denatl treatment is widely available and prices are low compared to private treatment in the UK. For private dental work, expect to pay around 10 euros for a checkup, and 40-50 euros for a white filling.Chemists
Many medicines that are prescription only in the UK are available over the counter in chemist's shops in Spain, including Asthma inhalers and antibiotics. If you are registered for free healthcare under Spanish social security, you can get medicines you need on prescription for a 60% discount, or for nothing if you are a pensioner.Top of page
Social Security System in Spain
The Spanish social security system is much like the British one, in that you pay your contributions every month, and that entitles you to a pension, unemployment benefit, sick pay, maternity pay and the right to receive free healthcare. The amount of pension or benefit you receive depends on the level of contributions you have been paying.
Once you take any job in Spain your employer is required to register you in the social security system and to deduct any contributions payable by you from your wages. You will need to register for your NIE number first. You should be a little careful too: some small businesses pay all their staff cash in hand and those staff will not be eligible for Social Security benefits, including health care. Other employers may register you, but claim you are working less than you are, thus saving themselves some money in contributions. In this situation you will still be eligible for health care, but if you become unemployed or have to take sick leave, your benefits will be lower. Obviously you may not have much of a choice as to who you work for, but we would strongly recommend that you do not work cash-in-hand.
If you are self-employed you will have to go to the local Social Security office and fill in all the paper-work yourself. Unless your Spanish is very good, then it is probably advisable to get a gestor (official agent - a bit like a lawyer for menial bureaucracy) to do this for you. The minimum monthly contribution for the self employed in Spain is currently 225EUR per month. Alternatively if you are already regsitered in the UK system you can work in Spain for up to 2 years, and you will be entitled to Spanish healthcare. See The Department for Work and Pensions website for details.
Claiming Social Security Benefits in Spain
If you are claiming jobseeker's allowance, a pension or certain other benefits when you leave the UK, you may be able to get your claim transferred to Spain. If you leave a job in order to move to Spain, you will not be able to claim any benefits.If you have been employed in Spain for 6 months and you lose your job, you will generally be entitled to Spanish unemployment benefit. If you are employed or self-employed, you will also be entitled to sick pay, maternity pay and, when you retire, a pension. All benefits are paid at variable rates depending on the level of your contributions. If you have been paying minimum social security contributions the amount you will receive in benefits is currently around 750 EUR per month. If you are planning to live in Spain long term you should contact the DSS overseas department (above) in order to get your UK NI contributions transferred to the Spanish system.
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Social Security System in Spain
The Spanish social security system is much like the British one, in that you pay your contributions every month, and that entitles you to a pension, unemployment benefit, sick pay, maternity pay and the right to receive free healthcare. The amount of pension or benefit you receive depends on the level of contributions you have been paying.
Once you take any job in Spain your employer is required to register you in the social security system and to deduct any contributions payable by you from your wages. You will need to register for your NIE number first. You should be a little careful too: some small businesses pay all their staff cash in hand and those staff will not be eligible for Social Security benefits, including health care. Other employers may register you, but claim you are working less than you are, thus saving themselves some money in contributions. In this situation you will still be eligible for health care, but if you become unemployed or have to take sick leave, your benefits will be lower. Obviously you may not have much of a choice as to who you work for, but we would strongly recommend that you do not work cash-in-hand.
If you are self-employed you will have to go to the local Social Security office and fill in all the paper-work yourself. Unless your Spanish is very good, then it is probably advisable to get a gestor (official agent - a bit like a lawyer for menial bureaucracy) to do this for you. The minimum monthly contribution for the self employed in Spain is currently 225EUR per month. Alternatively if you are already regsitered in the UK system you can work in Spain for up to 2 years, and you will be entitled to Spanish healthcare. See The Department for Work and Pensions website for details.
Claiming Social Security Benefits in Spain
If you are claiming jobseeker's allowance, a pension or certain other benefits when you leave the UK, you may be able to get your claim transferred to Spain. If you leave a job in order to move to Spain, you will not be able to claim any benefits.If you have been employed in Spain for 6 months and you lose your job, you will generally be entitled to Spanish unemployment benefit. If you are employed or self-employed, you will also be entitled to sick pay, maternity pay and, when you retire, a pension. All benefits are paid at variable rates depending on the level of your contributions. If you have been paying minimum social security contributions the amount you will receive in benefits is currently around 750 EUR per month. If you are planning to live in Spain long term you should contact the DSS overseas department (above) in order to get your UK NI contributions transferred to the Spanish system.
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Useful Numbers
Outpatients: 93 894 75 78Public Notice Cap: 93 894 64 26
Water Troubleshooting (SOREA): 902 250 370
Natural Gas: 900 750 750
Electricity Fecsa-Endesa: 902 536 536
Fire: 080
Medical Emergencies: 902 111 444
Taxis: 93 894 13 29 // 93 894 35 94
Court: 93 894 03 64
Police: 088
Local Police: Emergencies: 092
Hospital Sant Camil: 93 896 0025
Town Hall: 93 811 76 00
Post Office: 93 894 12 74
Renfe Trains: 902 240 202
Information: 11888// 11822// 11811