Tenerife Lifeline January News

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This is the first edition of Tenerife Lifeline's newsletter for 2009... in fact the first edition ever!  Since the book was launched we over 1,200 copies have been bought so far and it has been fantastic to hear feedback from all sorts of people who have found the book useful in so many ways.  I hope that you have also found the book to be a good resource of information about life on the island.

The newsletters that we will be sending out each month will provide you with updates to facts mentioned in the book.  The first of these are below, but you can check them at any time by clicking on the news section of the website.  We will also bring you new general interest articles from the website, as well as an insight into the topics that are uppermost in residents' minds in The Expat Buzz below.

We would also like to know about you and your opinions.  As you probably know, we conducted a number of surveys last year, and we would like to do the same again.  The results helped us to gain an insight into our expat community and we would really appreciate it if you can help us with them this year.  They won't take too much of your time!

And lastly, before we get on with the rest of the newsletter, I would like to wish you the very best for 2009 from all of us at Tenerife Lifeline.

Leslie Beeson

Adeje, January 2009

The Expat Buzz...

What are Tenerife's expats talking about, moaning about and arguing about at the moment?

Flu… there is a flu epidemic on the island, our annual reminder of the downside of being visited by several million people from colder climes.  In just one week of December there were 14,986 cases reported, spread across all age groups.  

Flights… Tenerife’s economy relies on tourism, but are there sufficient flights to bring in enough tourists in 2009?  Recent closures of airlines and travel companies may affect the bedrock of the local economy.

The Pound… from pensioners to property owners, the weak pound is affecting us all in varying degrees.  A huge proportion of our tourists come from the UK, and their reduced spending power is affecting businesses both directly and indirectly.

Property prices… The numbers of estate agents has certainly declined and the few who are left enjoy bigger slices of a smaller pie.  But how big is that pie now? There’s a lot of speculation out there and no one really knows the answer.  

Crime… with recession on the way, what’s going to happen to Tenerife’s low crime rate?  There are fears that petty crime and burglaries will rise as the recession deepens.  As yet, there is little evidence, but it is certainly conceivable that more people may be driven to crime because they have little choice.

The weather… it’s been c-c-c-cold in Tenerife (by our standards)…  According to Secret Tenerife  it's the 9th coldest the island has suffered since 1965 and the coldest since 1993.

Website Spotlight

The web is evolving so fast and there are some excellent sites on the net.  This month I have to draw your attention to Secret Tenerife, a continually updated website by Pamela Heywood.  Her first post was back on 5th February 2004, which means the site is just about to celebrate its 5th birthday.  The 2,500 or so articles on this site represent an incredible feat of commitment and perseverence, providing an immense wealth of knowledge, news and trivia about the island.  It is a site well worth visiting and spending a good deal of time rummaging around, enjoy! 
Visit Secret Tenerife

Moving to Tenerife in a recession

Planning to move to Tenerife during the darkest recession the world has seen for many years is not a bad idea on the face of it.  “I’d prefer to be warm and broke in Tenerife than cold and broke in the UK,” said one recent arrival, which is a typical response amongst many.  Dig a bit deeper and it becomes clear that many thousands would love to grab the option of making such a big life change, but for one reason or another, something is stopping them… 

read more

A new book about Tenerife

Going Native in Tenerife is a new book by Andrea and Jack Montgomery which will help you discover Tenerife beyond Playa de las Americas and the tourist trail.  Full of insights, wit and charm, this is the ideal companion as you explore and unlock the secrets of the real Tenerife.  You may already have read articles by this talented pair of authors in Living Tenerife or on their blog, Tenerife Matters.

You can read an extract or order a copy of Going Native in Tenerife here.

NEWS & UPDATES

Patrimonio Tax Abolished?

As a pre-election pledge in December 2007, Zapatero promised that he would do away with Patrimonio tax.  He confirmed that he would again when the socialists acceded to power earlier this year and again in August.  However people received conflicting advice from Tenerife tax consultants, lawyers and even tax officials. Many of them said that the abolition was not confirmed.
Read More: Patrimonio Tax Abolished?

Changes to traffic fines

Changes to the traffic laws in Tenerife are soon to come into effect.  Below are details of fines, suspensions and other important changes
Read More: Changes to traffic fines

Tax Rebates for Renters

From 1st January 2008, you can deduct 10.05% of the rent paid if renting your main home in Tenerife.
Read More: Tax Rebates for Renters

Minimum Wage in Spain Rises

The minimum wage is to rise from €600 per month to €624 in 2009. 
Read More: Minimum Wage in Spain Rises

Driving without insurance in Tenerife

It is no longer necessary to carry the original of your vehicle insurance documents with you while you are driving in it.  There is a database in Spain  known as FIVA  which contains all the vehicles and the insured’s names of vehicles in Spain.
Read More: Driving without insurance in Tenerife

Emergency Lights to Flash Blue

The colour of the flashing lights on emergency vehicles in Tenerife will soon all be blue, in a draft change to the traffic regulations. 
Read More: Emergency Lights to Flash Blue

Mobile SIM cards now require registration

If you own a pay as you go SIM card in your mobile phone then you will have to register your name and address with your network provider or lose your number.
Read More: Mobile SIM cards now require registration