Sam4321
English expat in Malta
Forum posts
135
Contacts
7
About me
English
Lives in Swieqi
Registration: 03 January 2015
One in every five vegetables contains illegal amounts of pesticide by nicknamero
I always go to Ta'Qali , for fresh vegetables... but now, maybe it's better to choose 'fresh' vegetables, imported from Spain, Italy....I think these vegs are more often checked for pesticide levels, than locals.. Do you have a ...
Yeah, I've tried Barbuto twice now, the first time I got the largest box and ended up with a coconut and a pineapple. I'm not totally convinced they came from Sicily, but I ordered again, the smaller 4 person combo box the next time. The ... Read More
Rental Law / VAT / TAX / Levies and Common Area expenses by mreboni
My husband has recently relocated to Malta (I will join him shortly), and other than the horribly difficult part of securing housing, he has found Malta to be a lovely and welcoming place. Now onto to the actual subject of my post...... I have in ...
I still say the part to do with tax is standard. If you felt uncomfortable, you could always ask for clarification of which taxes and ask for it to be included in the contract. Though, to me, it's standard wording when a tax doesn't yet ... Read More
UK Style Doner Kebab in Malta? by mobilephone
Hello all, Just wondering of anyone knows where to get a UK Style Doner Kebab in Malta? You know the type of thin sliced smooth meat and freshly made chilli sauce with pickled red and white cabbage etc? Also can you buy sausage rolls? Cheese ...
Do you want a fish and chip shop as well? :lol: You can get most British stuff at one place or another. If you can't get it fresh, you can get it frozen. There's plenty of British style kebabs in Bugibba, I've not found a good one ... Read More
Rental Law / VAT / TAX / Levies and Common Area expenses by mreboni
My husband has recently relocated to Malta (I will join him shortly), and other than the horribly difficult part of securing housing, he has found Malta to be a lovely and welcoming place. Now onto to the actual subject of my post...... I have in ...
I have no idea what other taxes a tenant hypothetically would pay and neither would the landlord, but that wording seems standard and would cover the landlords back for any future taxes if things change. Melita have the same wording on their ... Read More
Rental Law / VAT / TAX / Levies and Common Area expenses by mreboni
My husband has recently relocated to Malta (I will join him shortly), and other than the horribly difficult part of securing housing, he has found Malta to be a lovely and welcoming place. Now onto to the actual subject of my post...... I have in ...
I don't see 'any other taxes' as meaning the landlord's income tax. I'd take that to mean any future property taxes that might come in, so won't have already been considered in that contract. You can't pay someone's ... Read More
One in every five vegetables contains illegal amounts of pesticide by nicknamero
I always go to Ta'Qali , for fresh vegetables... but now, maybe it's better to choose 'fresh' vegetables, imported from Spain, Italy....I think these vegs are more often checked for pesticide levels, than locals.. Do you have a ...
I read the bit about no imported veg had exceeded any limits as well. I've ordered a box from Barbuto to try. Read More
Mistakes expats make in Malta by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Did you make any mistakes when you first moved to Malta? What were they? How did you address your mistakes? Did you learn anything from them? With hindsight, what would you do differently? Are there any tips you could ...
I think the one big mistake we made was trusting an agent. I had read and was prepared not to, but that went out of the window when we felt backed into a corner. That mistake cost us a lot of money, so if I were to do it all again I'd move ... Read More
One in every five vegetables contains illegal amounts of pesticide by nicknamero
I always go to Ta'Qali , for fresh vegetables... but now, maybe it's better to choose 'fresh' vegetables, imported from Spain, Italy....I think these vegs are more often checked for pesticide levels, than locals.. Do you have a ...
Thanks, I'll give them a try. Read More
One in every five vegetables contains illegal amounts of pesticide by nicknamero
I always go to Ta'Qali , for fresh vegetables... but now, maybe it's better to choose 'fresh' vegetables, imported from Spain, Italy....I think these vegs are more often checked for pesticide levels, than locals.. Do you have a ...
I'd be interested in something like that. Can you post details? Read More
How has your life changed in Malta by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Has your life changed since you moved to Malta? If so, in what way? Tell us more about all the changes in your life regarding your family, job, or friends. What about your frame of mind? How would you define your mood? ...
I think a lot of places probably still use gas bottles, we had to use them in France. Read More
WARNING: Maltese Landlords will try to rip you off, also in Gozo! by ewa22
Hi everybody, When I came to Malta I did not believe, when my new colleague told me that she does not like the greed in Maltese people and this is the main reason she does not have Maltese friends. I did not believe that it can be that bad since ...
Yes, the bills are being charged at the residential rate, we see them. We also see that he pays them, but obviously only the bills and not all the money we pay to him each month. That's why when it starts mounting up we missed a months rent ... Read More
WARNING: Maltese Landlords will try to rip you off, also in Gozo! by ewa22
Hi everybody, When I came to Malta I did not believe, when my new colleague told me that she does not like the greed in Maltese people and this is the main reason she does not have Maltese friends. I did not believe that it can be that bad since ...
We seem to have a very good landlord. We overpay utilities, it's in the contract what we agreed to pay, so we still pay it even though it's too much for our usage. We miss a months rent when the overpayment gets too high, so it's not a ... Read More
Amazon Deliveries by slamdunc82
Does any one have, or tried Amazon Prime here?
We get a lot of stuff from Amazon. I think they have more or less a set delivery charge, so the more you get the delivery doesn't really go up. That's only buying directly from Amazon though. We use Amazon UK and Amazon France, both ship ... Read More
Is there anywhere to exchange UK coins ? by DanielDon
Hello, Can someone advise me if its possible to exchange UK coins to Euros on the island ? Thanks
It's €25, why all the cameras and security? I might be missing something, but if you really need the money that quickly, we'll have a drive up and change it for you today? We don't have plans to go back to England, but we might ... Read More
Enrolling Kids in a Maltese Primary School.. by ash73
Afternoon, Can anyone who has completed this mission recently please advise as to what docuements are requested. Thanking everyone is in advance for their time.
My son went to a secondary state school in Sliema, not a primary, but it was mostly Maltese. He felt very left out, I regret sending him, but I don't think younger children have the same problem. Check directly with the school you're ... Read More
Is there anywhere to exchange UK coins ? by DanielDon
Hello, Can someone advise me if its possible to exchange UK coins to Euros on the island ? Thanks
It looks like someone was trying to help you out, it's not as though it's a large amount of money. I doubt their plan is getting rich by meeting up with strangers offering to knock a couple of euros off an exchange rate. Personally I'd ... Read More
The holiday season in Malta by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Are you about to celebrate the holiday season in Malta? In many countries and cultures, the festive season is the time for happiness and reunions/gatherings. Is it so in Malta? How do Maltese celebrate this very special time of ...
Our first Christmas in Malta too! Although we've lived in Malta for two years, it'll be our first Christmas here. We went back to England for the first time in twelve years last year, didn't like it, so this year we're staying in ... Read More
help with friends for my 17 year old! by firstek
Hi guys If any of you have teenage children ( my son is 17) and would encourage a get together that would be helpful! He did start a college course here but it was vastly different from his one back home that he stopped the course, so that's ...
The settings are strange on this forum, I think I've PM'ed you and added you as a contact now. Read More
help with friends for my 17 year old! by firstek
Hi guys If any of you have teenage children ( my son is 17) and would encourage a get together that would be helpful! He did start a college course here but it was vastly different from his one back home that he stopped the course, so that's ...
Hi Debbie, I tried to message but you have PM's disabled. If you add me as a contact I think you should be able to message me. Read More
help with friends for my 17 year old! by firstek
Hi guys If any of you have teenage children ( my son is 17) and would encourage a get together that would be helpful! He did start a college course here but it was vastly different from his one back home that he stopped the course, so that's ...
I have a seventeen year old son who's struggling at the moment. He's in college and has made a small amount of friends, but is finding it hard because conversation usually ends up in Maltese. We're not in the north though, we live ... Read More
€800 to change name on utilities account? by Cooperfamily
Hello, I'm trying to rent in Malta with my family for at least six months. I've read lots about the debate concerning the Domestic v. the Residential tariff, so when we enquired, the agent told us that (1) The number of residents would ...
That's just not true, it's not the norm, I'd walk away. You're entitled to the residential rate, it doesn't cost, you just fill in form H. Our landlord didn't have a clue, he's a first time landlord, so was worried ... Read More
Higher rent in new conract, is this fair? by illerill
Hi, I've been living in a really nice penthouse in Sliema for 1½ years now. The rent started at 750€ and was then bumped up to 800€ on a new contract 6 months ago. I agreed to this without any questioning. It is however now ...
Is it just you? Your bills do seem very high, especially your water. I've no idea why it's coming out so high, it does seem wrong but I don't know why. It's the water that seems to be pushing it up, someone else might be able to ... Read More
Higher rent in new conract, is this fair? by illerill
Hi, I've been living in a really nice penthouse in Sliema for 1½ years now. The rent started at 750€ and was then bumped up to 800€ on a new contract 6 months ago. I agreed to this without any questioning. It is however now ...
We've got the same VAT wording in our contract, I think it's standard to cover their backs and nothing to worry about. They can't charge you VAT on your rent. We pay our landlord €150 a month towards water and electric, he sorted ... Read More
Pub crawl for Scottish people only ? by Malta7
Would any Scottish people be up for a Scots only bevy sesh next month ?
Scottish people only? Any reason why you just want to pub crawl with Scottish people, do others not crawl as well as Scots? Read More
Mobile Phone Insurance by danbatch
Am I going crazy or does this literally not exist in Malta. I can not find anything anywhere. Being one that often breaks or loses a mobile phone I am very keen to find somewhere offering this, can anyone help?
I've not been able to find anything either. We've asked our insurance company if they or another company does it, but nobody seems to do it as far as I know. I'd love to be wrong though. Read More
Thank you and goodbye by felinefine81
Hi I want to thank all the people who have provided advice and support over the last 9/10 months while my husband and I contemplated moving to Malta, planned our move and after we arrived. I think this is a brilliant site - no better way to get ...
Good luck, I hope you find somewhere that you love if you do decide to try again. Don't let Malta put you off trying somewhere else, it obviously wasn't for you. You can research for months or years, but can't really say whether ... Read More
Why did you move to Malta? by felinefine81
I'm interested to know what led to people moving to Malta. Interested from the perspective of what works best! Did you: a) Visit Malta several/many times, fall in love with it and then move here? If so are you retired or working? or b) Were ...
We're from the UK, but we'd been living in France for eleven years. We started in the south and loved it for nine years, but felt our time there was done so planned to move out of France then. Instead we thought we'd give another area ... Read More
cosmetics in malta by charmender
Hi, Does anyone know where I can buy facial wash in Malta like nivea brand etc and other cosmetics like body cream. I am looking for a shop similar to Boots in UK/Ireland but can't see to find a similar one here? Pharmacies in Ireland sell ...
I don't think you'll find anything like Boots. Supermarkets sell Nivea, I think Smart has a lot. Also the Chain at the Point seems to have more toiletries than most and a couple of brands that supermarkets don't seem to get. Read More
Article on Maltese opinion of silence by felinefine81
I read this article today and it stood out to me because of the issues I'm having while trying to get used to the noise here. ...
It's only three bedrooms, so it'll be a bit of a squash. :lol: It's heaven, but I do think we're probably lucky living on the edge of Swieqi/St Julian. We don't get any of the noise or trouble that a lot of people living here ... Read More
Article on Maltese opinion of silence by felinefine81
I read this article today and it stood out to me because of the issues I'm having while trying to get used to the noise here. ...
We've had the same thing. :lol: When you're woken up on a weekend at 7am because of workmen you assume they're there for the day, but no, they leave once they've woken you up. It's very rare we get any noise at all where we ... Read More
Article on Maltese opinion of silence by felinefine81
I read this article today and it stood out to me because of the issues I'm having while trying to get used to the noise here. ...
We live in a block of eleven apartments, plus there's three blocks together, so you'd think it'd be noisy but we rarely hear any of our neighbours. I sometimes wonder whether they've all gone away because it's that quiet. I ... Read More
St julians Area by tartanjimmy
Hello....I am visiting Malta this week for a short visit and I am thinking about staying in this area however someone said that as it is near Peaceville (I think) it could be dangerous....is this true? I am travelling alone therefore I have to be ...
No, it's not dangerous. Paceville has got a bad name in the evening because of the nightclubs, so stay away and you'll be fine. Most of the trouble seems to be early morning coming from party goers coming from Paceville towards the St ... Read More
When do the fireworks end? by felinefine81
I'm really struggling. It's been every day for the last week, from before 8am until after 11.30pm. The last couple of nights they are so bad our apartment is shaking. I also can't stand listening to the terrified dogs. I know ...
It sounds like you're finding it hard to adapt, felinefine81. I don't hear the noise, I know it's there though because if I'm out walking I don't hear my phone ringing. We had a hard time when we first came, but it was all to ... Read More
Banif wants 500 euro deposited into a savings deposit? by gbvparker
Hello, I just got a call from Banif saying I need to renew my savings term account. Usually it is 50-100 euro per month and then they transfer it back to you in a year. However I just got a call saying they have a new policy and I will have to ...
This is why we keep our French bank account. Paying to have a credit card and paying to have something other than Electron is silly. I've been told my son, who's almost sixteen, can't get a bank account until he's working. ... Read More
When do the fireworks end? by felinefine81
I'm really struggling. It's been every day for the last week, from before 8am until after 11.30pm. The last couple of nights they are so bad our apartment is shaking. I also can't stand listening to the terrified dogs. I know ...
It's not so bad where we are. We do hear them, but it doesn't sound anything like what you're experiencing. Read More
Walking/Pavements by felinefine81
Hi everyone So we finally arrived in Malta last night! Thank you so much to everyone that has answered my questions for the last few months and helped us get here - much appreciated. Today we have been for a walk around Balzan and some of Attard. ...
Glad you've got something sorted. Enjoy your evening out! Read More
Walking/Pavements by felinefine81
Hi everyone So we finally arrived in Malta last night! Thank you so much to everyone that has answered my questions for the last few months and helped us get here - much appreciated. Today we have been for a walk around Balzan and some of Attard. ...
I live in Swieqi and the paths are no better. It's safe though, so walking on and off the road doesn't feel like you're dicing with death. The traffic isn't fast and all around St Julian's feels safe with traffic because ... Read More
Walking/Pavements by felinefine81
Hi everyone So we finally arrived in Malta last night! Thank you so much to everyone that has answered my questions for the last few months and helped us get here - much appreciated. Today we have been for a walk around Balzan and some of Attard. ...
Where are you getting your cakes and stuff from? It's nowhere near that price for a piece of cake. Costa Coffee is expensive, but aren't they all no matter where you live? I don't find Malta expensive, coming from France it's a ... Read More
Walking/Pavements by felinefine81
Hi everyone So we finally arrived in Malta last night! Thank you so much to everyone that has answered my questions for the last few months and helped us get here - much appreciated. Today we have been for a walk around Balzan and some of Attard. ...
It sounds like the pavements in a lot of places, that's one of the reasons you'll see most people walk on the road. We live just up from Spinola Bay, so the walk from there along the coast is very wide and lovely to walk, but the streets ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
I've no idea, sorry. We're self employed, but my husband does have a contract with just one client, so we used that. Read More
Do state schools teach in English? by SummerJessica
Hi I am looking to relocate to Malta around August and I have a 5 year old son. We currently live in England and he knows no Maltese. I have looked on this forum and it seems most state schools teach in English but when I looked at government ...
Yes Pembroke primary is part of St Clare's. It's a state school, not a private one. I don't know who you'd need to contact, but the school's number is 27383502. Read More
Have you noticed health benefits since your move? by felinefine81
Hi everyone So I'm not one for over-sharing emotional stuff but I quite like that it is anonymous on here! As many of you will know I am moving to Malta with my husband in a month. We are in our 30s, work full time in professional jobs and ...
I don't have any health problems, so I can't say whether there's any health benefits to living here, it can be very dusty so I can see that could be a problem. The sun is definitely a mood lifter though, plus getting out more because of ... Read More
Do I need more than one property agency? by felinefine81
Hi We have found a very helpful and responsive agent at Quicklets who we will use when we move over. However can I have comfort that this one agent/agency will have access to [b]any[/b] property that may come on the market? Should I be in touch ...
They're apartments that are very long and thin, so like one long corridor. They have very little natural light and you hear noise from all the apartments around you. We wanted a three bed, so the front room had a window and the bedroom at the ... Read More
Do I need more than one property agency? by felinefine81
Hi We have found a very helpful and responsive agent at Quicklets who we will use when we move over. However can I have comfort that this one agent/agency will have access to [b]any[/b] property that may come on the market? Should I be in touch ...
In my experience they're not really working for you, so don't try to be loyal to just the one that got back to you. We did that and it was a huge mistake and cost us a lot of money. We got here to find he'd not really bothered doing ... Read More
In need of root treatment - what dentist is recommended? by MaltaCommando
Hello, I am in need of a root treatment for my tooth, but I am unsure of what dentist to go. I've been to two here in Malta, in Floriana and St.Paul's Bay, and none have impressed me nor been good enough to come back again. In this case I ...
I'd recommend Demajo dental as well. I have a fear of dentists, so they did sleep dentistry for me. It's the only time I've ever come away from a dentist's happy. I had a tooth out and a few of my teeth recapped, so I can't ... Read More
Do state schools teach in English? by SummerJessica
Hi I am looking to relocate to Malta around August and I have a 5 year old son. We currently live in England and he knows no Maltese. I have looked on this forum and it seems most state schools teach in English but when I looked at government ...
My daughter is the same age, she's in year one at Pembroke at the moment. Yes they do teach in English, at least at that age, so your son won't struggle. He'll be taught Maltese alongside English, a lot of Maltese kids don't ... Read More
Tax for tenants? by amej
Our landlord makes us pay additionaly to the rent 70 euro saying it a tax for renting. I just realised its such a nonsense since its not us getting this income.Why do we have to pay this 70 euro tax as tenants? Anyone came across antyhing like that?
Yeah I did think that and want it to keep rolling on because it's written in that we can give two months notice after a year and half, which we had in France and would prefer. When you read the bit about taxes, you can read it two ways. I ... Read More
Best cities to live in Malta by Julien
Hi, Its not always easy to decide in which area to settle in when moving to Malta. According to you, what are the best cites to live in? Which regions offer most of the job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of ...
Where to live depends on what you want and how much you're willing to pay. We live at the very bottom of Swieqi, which is perfect for us. It's probably in the same price bracket as St Julians, or at least it was when we were looking. ... Read More
Tax for tenants? by amej
Our landlord makes us pay additionaly to the rent 70 euro saying it a tax for renting. I just realised its such a nonsense since its not us getting this income.Why do we have to pay this 70 euro tax as tenants? Anyone came across antyhing like that?
Thanks, Ricky. That part does make me feel uncomfortable to be honest, I'm not sure why I didn't question it before because he was quite willing to go through the contract, changing anything we didn't like. I think I might get that ... Read More
Tax for tenants? by amej
Our landlord makes us pay additionaly to the rent 70 euro saying it a tax for renting. I just realised its such a nonsense since its not us getting this income.Why do we have to pay this 70 euro tax as tenants? Anyone came across antyhing like that?
Threads like this get me panicked. I think we've got a good landlord, but it's obviously his first property and his first time renting so I get the feeling he's learning along the way. He never comes round, we pay by bank transfer so ... Read More
Extortionate food prices - any tips? by blackangelheart
Perhaps I shouldn't be writing this in the heat of the moment, but I just got back from my local greengrocer-slash-minimart having paid a fortune (again!) for fruit & veg. One bloody apple cost me €0.63 and it's not coated with ...
I find food expensive as well, but we're still learning. It's not just the expense, it's trying to find the stuff as well. We came from France where it was a lot cheaper to eat fresh fruit, veg and meat, so we've really struggled ... Read More
Worldwide travel insurance.
Thanks! We looked at Staysure a couple of years ago and they didn't get good reviews back then, but I'll check the other two. We've only checked the Insurance companies based in Malta so far. Read More
Worldwide travel insurance.
I need travel/medical insurance for America, but the policies I've found so far seem to have really poor cover. Can anybody suggest a place to look? It's the medical cover that seems quite low. I know in the UK they suggest not going to ... Read More
Calculating Utility bills by Sam4321
I'm a bit confused when it comes to calculating our bills. We've been in this apartment since April and we've not had a bill yet. The landlord did say he'd been getting on at them to send a bill because they'd been sending ...
He never comes to the apartment, so he won't have taken a reading. He's never asked for one either, so might not realise how far off the estimates are. We'll get in touch and send him the readings we've just taken because if that ... Read More
Calculating Utility bills by Sam4321
I'm a bit confused when it comes to calculating our bills. We've been in this apartment since April and we've not had a bill yet. The landlord did say he'd been getting on at them to send a bill because they'd been sending ...
That's what I did, but it was coming out at under €600 for nine months, surely that's far too low? That's why I changed the date to October. When I did that the eco reduction vanished and the bill went up to just under ... Read More
Calculating Utility bills
I'm a bit confused when it comes to calculating our bills. We've been in this apartment since April and we've not had a bill yet. The landlord did say he'd been getting on at them to send a bill because they'd been sending ... Read More
Moving in 1 week - a few questions by blackangelheart
Hi, First of all a big hello to everyone :) I'm new to this forum and will be moving to Malta with my partner in 1 week :-) We're super excited and I've been (silently) reading threads on accommodation including tips and warnings. My ...
It's not cold yet, it definitely gets colder! We moved here in February and I've never felt cold like it. It really gets inside your bones and can be a lot warmer outside. Read More
Traditional Maltese gifts by Sam4321
I'm going back to England for christmas and wanted to take some traditional Maltese things back as gifts. Apart from Qagħqa tal-Għasel, is there anything else that is traditional at christmas? Also, does anybody know where I could ...
Thanks, I'll have look there. Online they seem to sell them in hampers, but hopefully they'll sell them individually as well. Read More
Traditional Maltese gifts
I'm going back to England for christmas and wanted to take some traditional Maltese things back as gifts. Apart from Qagħqa tal-Għasel, is there anything else that is traditional at christmas? Also, does anybody know where I could ... Read More
Building a credit score by Adamazin
Hi Everyone, I have been reading up about credit scores when you move abroad and as far as I can see my credit score will not follow me to Malta. What would be the easiest way to start building a good credit score? Would it be possible ...
I've no idea, sorry. We've only been here since February, so we're still learning. I'd assume so though because many foreigners do buy and they can't all have the money outright. You don't have credit checks here for ... Read More
Building a credit score by Adamazin
Hi Everyone, I have been reading up about credit scores when you move abroad and as far as I can see my credit score will not follow me to Malta. What would be the easiest way to start building a good credit score? Would it be possible ...
We got a credit card with no problems at all. The bank probably won't give you one, but we got the Insignia Card after it was suggested on here. It's just a normal credit card, none of the silliness the banks do by taking €2000 of ... Read More
Redders_61 by robpw2
Just to let you guys know that redders an active member of this board is incredibly sick in the palliative care ward of mater dei , we are taking each day as it comes but if any of you wish to donate to the fund we have set up for him to raise money ...
It's such a shame it happened so quickly. You, your husband and Lisa have got hearts of gold doing all you could for him. x Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
Just updating for anybody that's searching for credit card or bank account information. As soon as we got residency we opened a bank account with BOV, it was no hassle at all. They just wanted a reference from our bank in France, which was ... Read More
St. Clare Uniform Questions by lottelita
Hi. My children are enrolled at St. Clare Primary and I just got the school supplies and uniform lists. I am puzzled about a few items. Maybe some veterans can help me out. 1. I already bought new shoes for my children. But today, the secretary ...
My son has been at St Clair's since February, so I'm just going by how it works at his school. My daughter is due to start soon at primary though. 1. Yes the shoes need to be black. 2. They don't change the shoes, they go to school in ... Read More
Daily life
Biting fish???? I've not swum in the sea since moving here, but that's not tempting me in. Read More
Info about areas just outside of Sliema, St Julian's & Paceville? by superflybenito
Hi all! I'm planning on moving to Malta over the next few months and, as I'm self-employed and work from home, I'm not tied to having to live in any particular area. I'm also in no particular hurry so I'm happy to take my time in ...
We must be lucky because there's no noise at all where we live. Day and night it's totally silent, so there is at least one part of Swieqi that is quiet. Read More
Loofya
Thanks, that's what I found but I didn't think it'd be that. Read More
Loofya
Anybody know what it means? I've googled, but it's no help. I saw it on a wall in a couple of places above the Blue Grotto and was just curious. http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/samfrance/IMG_2708_zpsatcb6dwj.jpg Read More
Is private health insurance advised in Malta? by Sam4321
Do people usually get private health insurance in Malta, even if they're entitled to use the state system when they're paying into it? Our accountant suggested we just downgrade our policy, but not to go totally without private cover ...
Well I had the laparotomy two weeks ago, so I've got a bit of experience with the hospitals here now. I can honestly say, I'm glad I didn't pay private because I felt really well looked after at Mater Dei. The only slight negative is I ... Read More
Trouble Finding a place to live by warrman
Hi all I've been in malta for a month or so and have settled well with my family thanks to all the helpful advise received from people on here.. I knew finding an apartment in Qawra was gonna be tough at this time of year but I wasn't ...
Yeah, they all say that. We signed for our last apartment through pressure and ended up paying over €2500 to get out of the contract in the end. We've been out of it for over two months now and it's still sat empty. I think we were ... Read More
Foreign car in Malta unregistered, with enforcements. by Arnaudb707
Hi! I wish here to ask a difficult question which I have read the answers varied. I am in Malta for over six months now with a car registered in France, I hold the ID card. I know now in complete illegality about foreign cars locally after a ...
I don't know how long you've got to register your car, but you're too late to apply for exemption from the tax now. You're supposed to do it within 30 days of the car arriving in Malta. Read More
Is private health insurance advised in Malta? by Sam4321
Do people usually get private health insurance in Malta, even if they're entitled to use the state system when they're paying into it? Our accountant suggested we just downgrade our policy, but not to go totally without private cover ...
Would you class it as urgent? I think I'd pay rather than wait six months. I didn't have a clue how it worked, but I phoned up the closest doctor and got an appointment the same day, then I was rushed through the system so didn't pay ... Read More
Is private health insurance advised in Malta? by Sam4321
Do people usually get private health insurance in Malta, even if they're entitled to use the state system when they're paying into it? Our accountant suggested we just downgrade our policy, but not to go totally without private cover ...
I decided against health insurance in the end, but just my luck a lump appeared in my stomach so I paid to see a doctor last week. She gave me a referral to go to A&E for a CT scan that day which showed a large tumor. I'm booked in to have ... Read More
Which area best to live for a Realistic Budget of €1,000.?? by Baxter19
Myself and my partner are considering moving to Malta based on a possible job offer for myself in Sliema. However, we are unsure as to the best place for us to live. My partner will be looking for a bar job (but preferably not in a nightclub) and ...
Your budget does seem low for a three bed if you're wanting to be close to Sliema/St Julian's. I think you'd have to move more inland, but I can't help with where. When we were looking for three beds in the same areas, it was ... Read More
Info about areas just outside of Sliema, St Julian's & Paceville? by superflybenito
Hi all! I'm planning on moving to Malta over the next few months and, as I'm self-employed and work from home, I'm not tied to having to live in any particular area. I'm also in no particular hurry so I'm happy to take my time in ...
We've been in Swieqi since February and we love it. It's residential with a few shops and stuff, but the nightlife is more within Paceville and St Julian's. It's within walking distance though, so nothing is too far. Where we are ... Read More
Will I have enough? by martinaw
It's that old cost of living chestnut once more. I know it's done to death, but it can be hard to translate others' experiences Into my own. My wife is keen to move but is worried about the finances. I feel we would be OK, but i was ...
Your rent will depend on where you want to live. For a three bedroom apartment our electric/water is working out at about €80 at the moment, €45 if we get charged the right residential rate. That's at the cheapest time though ... Read More
Recommendations of Gozo Hotels by Sam4321
We're hoping to spend a weekend exploring Gozo for my husband's 40th birthday, so we'd like a really nice hotel with a family friendly pool if possible. Can anybody living there give a recommendation?
Thanks! I think I'm going to have difficulty booking anything other than a hotel with it only being one or two nights. Read More
Recommendations of Gozo Hotels by Sam4321
We're hoping to spend a weekend exploring Gozo for my husband's 40th birthday, so we'd like a really nice hotel with a family friendly pool if possible. Can anybody living there give a recommendation?
I've just been looking at the Kempinski. I'm leaving it a bit late because his birthday is late next month so any early booking discounts won't apply. The price really shoots up when you leave it late. How did you go about booking the ... Read More
Recommendations of Gozo Hotels
We're hoping to spend a weekend exploring Gozo for my husband's 40th birthday, so we'd like a really nice hotel with a family friendly pool if possible. Can anybody living there give a recommendation? Read More
Importing Vehicles by Jasminej
Anyone with any recent experience importing vehicles? (Non EU). I wasn't originally planning on bringing any vehicles but my husband's employer is providing a container to ship our goods, so if it fits might as well! I'm especially ...
It's fine to insure foreign plated cars here, ours is foreign plated and we insured that the day after we brought it in. Like people have already said, you can apply for the tax exemption from the registration fee within 30 of bringing the car ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
We deal with the bank in English, so luckily they're okay with getting the request in English. We checked with the bank before coming to Malta about leaving the account open and everything. I'm not sure how it happened because we set the ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
We've got all this to come. We don't intend to open a bank account until we have residency because there's no rush with us having a euro account in France. Our accountant advised us to do it this way because he said it can take a long ... Read More
Where to buy cockroach gel bait? by jorg3
Hi! Together with warm weather cockroaches are starting to be everywhere. Anybody knows where can i buy effective cockroach bait here in Malta? As in normal shops i can only find mosquito/insect spray poison.. Thanks in advance!
This is something that is worrying me because I know nothing about cockroaches. We live on the third floor, what are the chances of us getting them in the apartment? Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
The problem with prepaid cards and hire cars is it takes a while for the hold to be lifted, so they suggest not to use them. I didn't know some hire companies actually refused them, they'll quite happily take the cards you've mentioned ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
We had no problem changing the address of our French account, they just froze any online payments until they got proof of address through the post. The credit card came in useful then, so that's why I'm scared to change the address on that ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards. by Sam4321
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ...
Thanks, that's great! We've only just handed the forms in this morning for the residency, so it'll be a while until we can apply. We'd been waiting for our tax registration certificate. I'm not bothered about a high limit, ... Read More
Bank accounts/Credit cards.
At the moment we're still using our French bank account and credit card, but we'd like to have the same banking facilities based in Malta as we do in France. We've not opened a bank account in Malta yet because it just seemed easier to ... Read More
Is it this hard finding good apartments right now? by Wrongholebutherewego
Sorry if there are threads. Please redirect me then. I'll have to go in a minute and only have Internet in the apartment I'm staying at. I've spoken to several real estate agents. They say prices have gone up 40 percent the last 6 ...
Thanks. Do you know how long it takes after handing the form in? I don't think it's the landlord because it really is his first time renting. He phoned because he'd never heard of it, but he is willing to sign it for us so that ... Read More
Is it this hard finding good apartments right now? by Wrongholebutherewego
Sorry if there are threads. Please redirect me then. I'll have to go in a minute and only have Internet in the apartment I'm staying at. I've spoken to several real estate agents. They say prices have gone up 40 percent the last 6 ...
Has anybody been refused the cheaper rates when they've taken form H in? Our new landlord phoned to ask about it and was told by ARMS that the only way to get the reduction was to change it into the tenants name for a cost, which he's ... Read More
Advice regarding our car. by Alanaos
I moved to Malta with my daughter just under 2 weeks ago and I plan to apply for our E-cards. My partner visits regularly but won't be becoming a resident (he works abroad so wont spend the days in Malta considered enough for forced residency - ...
I don't know whether it's changed, or my husband did it wrong. He handed the form in at Transport Malta, like it said on the form, then was told they only check it and forward it on to the Ministry of Finance who issue the permit, so they ... Read More
Advice regarding our car. by Alanaos
I moved to Malta with my daughter just under 2 weeks ago and I plan to apply for our E-cards. My partner visits regularly but won't be becoming a resident (he works abroad so wont spend the days in Malta considered enough for forced residency - ...
I don't know whether you're already aware, but you need to complete a transfer of residency form within 30 days of the car arriving, or you won't be able to apply for exemption from the registration tax. When you hand the form in, you ... Read More
Is it this hard finding good apartments right now? by Wrongholebutherewego
Sorry if there are threads. Please redirect me then. I'll have to go in a minute and only have Internet in the apartment I'm staying at. I've spoken to several real estate agents. They say prices have gone up 40 percent the last 6 ...
When we walked in to this apartment to find no dishwasher, you'd have thought there was a death in the family. lol. There was a button on the wall that suggested there was one, but an empty space in the cupboard. I suppose it's what ... Read More
Is it this hard finding good apartments right now? by Wrongholebutherewego
Sorry if there are threads. Please redirect me then. I'll have to go in a minute and only have Internet in the apartment I'm staying at. I've spoken to several real estate agents. They say prices have gone up 40 percent the last 6 ...
We've only been here for two months, but definitely don't feel pressured into signing anything. We were given all the 'there's loads and you won't have a problem' by the estate agent, only to get here to be told there's ... Read More
Is private health insurance advised in Malta? by Sam4321
Do people usually get private health insurance in Malta, even if they're entitled to use the state system when they're paying into it? Our accountant suggested we just downgrade our policy, but not to go totally without private cover ...
No, you still need the top up insurance if you want full cover. I think it's 70% paid by the government and 30% by your insurance. It all changed about eight years ago and expats who were classed as inactive had to get private insurance until ... Read More
Is private health insurance advised in Malta?
Do people usually get private health insurance in Malta, even if they're entitled to use the state system when they're paying into it? Our accountant suggested we just downgrade our policy, but not to go totally without private cover ... Read More
What to take …. by Sc00byd00
Hi all, We have rented an apartment in Malta and will be moving in permanently from mid April. We are driving a van over from France as we are taking our dog and just wondered if anyone could give us a heads-up as to what essentials to take with ...
Toiletries are cheaper in Malta, don't overload yourself buying them to bring from France! We've only been here just over a month, but Malta is cheaper than France for a lot of stuff. It's not massively cheaper, but coming from France ... Read More
What to take …. by Sc00byd00
Hi all, We have rented an apartment in Malta and will be moving in permanently from mid April. We are driving a van over from France as we are taking our dog and just wondered if anyone could give us a heads-up as to what essentials to take with ...
It's definitely massive, I was there for almost two hours! Thanks Izzybenjaz, you've saved me an absolute fortune on kitchen stuff. I managed to get a pan set, five pans plus a frying pan, for just €45. The quality is no different ... Read More
What to take …. by Sc00byd00
Hi all, We have rented an apartment in Malta and will be moving in permanently from mid April. We are driving a van over from France as we are taking our dog and just wondered if anyone could give us a heads-up as to what essentials to take with ...
Oh thanks! It's funny you should mention that because we saw the one in St Paul's Bay from the road the other day and planned to go tomorrow. I was going to look for nets because I thought it was only soft furnishing, so I'll ... Read More
What to take …. by Sc00byd00
Hi all, We have rented an apartment in Malta and will be moving in permanently from mid April. We are driving a van over from France as we are taking our dog and just wondered if anyone could give us a heads-up as to what essentials to take with ...
Thanks, I'll have a look there later today. Read More
What to take …. by Sc00byd00
Hi all, We have rented an apartment in Malta and will be moving in permanently from mid April. We are driving a van over from France as we are taking our dog and just wondered if anyone could give us a heads-up as to what essentials to take with ...
Pans! They seem to be expensive here. I've still not bought any because I keep looking at the price in shock and walking away. Eventually I'll come to terms with the price and just pay it. We've just moved from France and to be honest ... Read More