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September 2008

1: NEW WEBSITE
 

To ensure that Hot Property Spain continues to provide the best service possible to both those looking to sell property and for those looking to buy, we have made some changes to the website, so please go online and see the improvements.

 

In the future, this news letter will also be available from the Navigation box to the left hand side. Therefore, the distribution to individual email addresses will cease, unless requested, and early each month the Navigation box will show the up-to-date newsletter.

 

The address will stay as www.hotpropertyspain.net and, as time passes, we hope to include information on many additional topics, giving instant access, as opposed to having to wait for a future newsletter.

 

As always, we are happy to receive any topic suggestions or questions that you may have.

 

2: A LITTLE BIT OF SPANISH HISTORY
 

A big part of moving to another country, is understanding the people that live there and the culture, both of which are partially a reflection of the country’s history. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla that border Morocco. With an area of 504,030 km², Spain is the 2nd largest country in Western Europe after France.

 

After serving as a granary of the Roman Empire much of Spain was later conquered by a Muslim people, the Moors. Christian kingdoms gradually rolled back Muslim rule, completing this Reconquista in 1492.

 

Spain became the leading world power, with a global empire on a scale and world distribution that had never been approached by its predecessors and a legacy today of over 400 million Spanish-speakers worldwide.

 
Napoleon`s invasion of Spain, in the early 19th century, triggered independence movements that tore the empire apart and left the country politically unstable and in 1898 the Spanish overseas empire, of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines was finally lost, as a result of a brief war with the United States.

 

In the 1931 elections, the electorate in the larger towns and cities made clear that they no longer wanted the monarchy ruling over them, as the candidates who supported the monarchy were defeated heavily.  However, many country towns supported the monarchy and therefore the monarchists kept power. The Republicans had enormous support in the key cities, such as Barcelona, and great crowds gathered in Madrid. The King’s most trusted friends advised him to leave. He did so and the Republic was established on April 14th .

 

During the five-year lifetime of the Republic, it was ridden with all kinds of political, economic and social conflicts, which split opinion into two irreconcilable sides: Socialists and communists who largely comprised the so-called Republicans. These supporters of the Republic, or Republicans (republicanos), gained the support of the Soviet Union and Mexico, while the followers of the rebellion, nacionales (Nationalists), received the support of the major European Axis powers, namely Italy, Germany, as well as neighbouring Portugal. The climate of violence grew and, on July 18th 1936, there was a military rising which turned into a tragic civil war not ending until three years later.

 

The war increased tensions in the lead-up to World War 2 and became, in some cases, a world war by proxy, with Germany in particular using the war as a rehearsal for many of the blitzkrieg tactics it later used in the war in Europe. The advent of the mass media allowed an unprecedented level of attention (Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gellhorn, George Orwell and Robert Capa all covered it) and so the war became notable for the passion and political division it inspired, and for atrocities committed on both sides of the conflict.
 
On October 1st 1936 General Franco took over as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Spanish State embarked upon a period of forty years' dictatorship. The early years of the Franco dictatorship were years of economic privation and sharp political repression. Later in Franco's rule, steps toward modernizing Spain's economy began, and increased external influence began to be felt, both from the burgeoning tourist trade, and industrial investments.
 
Franco died in 1975, bringing to an end this Republican period of Spanish history and opening the way to the restoration of the monarchy with the rise to the throne of Juan Carlos I. Once in power, the young King pushed for change to a western-style democracy. Adolfo Suarez, the prime minister of the second Monarchy Government, carried out the transition to democracy which culminated in the first democratic parliamentary elections in 41 years, on June 15th, 1977.
 
The years since democracy returned to Spain have been years of rapid change, politically, economically and socially. In 1982, Spain became a member of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
 
In 1995, Spain joined the European Union. Spain's economy has grown at a rapid pace, and now has reached near parity with the northern European industrialized democracies. Socially, Spain also has moved toward the European mean, with the younger generation more urban and more cosmopolitan than generations before.
 
On March 11, 2004, Spain became the victim of a massive terrorist attack when Islamic extremists exploded a series of bombs on trains in the crowded Atocha train station in central Madrid. Nearly 300 died, and hundreds more were injured. In an election a few days later, voters angry at a lack of transparency in the government's handling of the attack - and especially angry at apparently politically motivated government attempts to link the bombings to Basque terrorists and denial of any potential Al Queda involvement - lead to a surprise victory for the Socialists and their regional allies, after eight years of right wing Partido Popular rule.
 
3: USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
 
AXA insurance                                              965731592

Benissa town hall                                          965730058

Calpe town hall                                              965833600

D.G Construction                                          620740304

Emergency                General                      112

                                    Ambulance                 061                

                                    Fire                             085                

                                    Police National          091

                                    Police local                092

Foreigners Office Alicante                           965019300

Hot Property Moraira                                    965745816

Health Insurance                                            679840382

Javea town hall                                              965790500

Moraira town hall                                           965740158

Pool cleaning                                     679840382

Sol Mar rent a car                                         966461000

Whites removals                                            +44 1489774900 

 

4: WATCHING BRITISH TV IN SPAIN

 
 

We at Hot Property, have been asked for advice on watching British TV in Spain, a subject that on what we can not be said to be experts. Below is an article published in the local press by a local expert, “The Satellite and P.C. Guy”

 

Can I watch British television on the Costa Blanca? What is Freesat and Freeview? What size satellite dish do I require? Why can I no longer receive Channel 4 in the evenings?

 

The Sat and PC Guy has been installing and maintaining satellite television services on the Costa Blanca North for many years. We are able to supply and install a variety of dishes, from 80cm to 2.4meter dishes, and digital satellite receivers, from Sky Digiboxes and the award winning Sky+ Digital Recorder, to Freesat, High Definition and generic receivers.

 

In light of the recent events and the many questions I have been asked about rebroadcasting, I think the following needs to be reiterated. No matter what you may have heard, the rebroadcasting of any TV channel, free or subscription, without the correct permission from the channel operators is illegal. This is all down to the relevant contract and copyright controls between the programme makers and the channel operators. Yes the rebroadcasters may be legally registered, yes the rebroadcasters may have permission to use certain frequencies for broadcasting, but crucially they may not have permission to broadcast the content that they have been broadcasting. This is why certain channels have been removed from service.

 

You can watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and many other satellite channels for FREE, as long as you have the required size satellite dish and a digital satellite receiver. It is not illegal to watch any of the thousands of free TV channels on all the various satellites that can be received in Spain. Reception of the main UK channels is dependent on your location and the size of satellite dish; normally a 1.8 or a 2.4 meter dish will be required. A smaller dish can also be but will reduce the amount of channels available to you.

 

UPDATE: As from 4th August, Channel 4 has changed frequencies in preparation for when it goes free – you will be able to view C4 without a Sky subscription of FTV card. However, this changing of frequency has mean that for some C4 will only be available for the same time as BBC2, for the Costa Blanca North, approx 5am to 6pm. In other areas, reception may have actually improved –it’s all down to location!

 

Television Digital Terrestre (TDT) is the Spanish equivalent of the UK’s Freeview service. It provides approximately 30 digital television channels, now including the Disney Channel, for free via your TV aerial –some aerial upgrading may be required to maximize reception. In most cases you can watch the programmes with their original audio, excellent for movies or American or British series. Most new LCD or Plasma TV’s now come with TDT incorporated; otherwise you will require a TDT receiver – yes another remote control!

 

Whether you require a satellite system installing, your existing system upgraded or serviced, or more information contact The Sat and PC Guy on 96 281 9796 / 620 130 292 or visit www.satandpcguy.com .
 
This newsletter is intended as a guide and to be informative and helpful in the process of searching for and purchasing a property in Spain. Total accuracy cannot be guaranteed and in all legal, fiscal and other matters a fully qualified professional should be consulted. Reproduction of any part of this newsletter is not permitted without written permission.