Ex-Overseas Landlord

That's not that silly at all! Quite sensible in fact, and also quite common here where I live in Germany. And you don't have to ask your neighbour when you want to get access to your car - you just have to turn a switch and the ramp lowers/raises to give access to your car. This means that you can get more cars into the same relative space!! Also, if I remember correctly, out here in Germany there is a rule that parking provisions must be provided for any new build houses or industrial sites and many of these are underground garages (Tiefgarge in Gerryspeak). This means that there are a lot less cars parked on the street making it easier to find parking spots when needed, reduces car cime (as the underground gargae is usually secure), and makes the whole area look better.

This is the line that tickled me!

Also living/working in Germany

@What Don't forget that you can claim tax back for many different things at the end of the year (Eg. travel expenses to and from work!). You're not paying Kirchensteuer (Church tax) are you? My advice is to get a good tax accountant to look over your return at the end of the year.

Has anyone caught the Bullseye-esque debtbuster ad with Jim Bowen and Tony in? Made my skin crawl! As I sit and watch Uk tv from here in Germany, I am shocked by the sheer volume and repetitivness of these debt ads. And don't get me started on the personal injury vampires! :angry:

My first post! And my name should now read EX-Overseas Landlord! My wife and I moved to Germany for her job just under 3 years ago. It was initally supposed to be a 3 year contract but has now been extended to 5 years. While we are out here we were renting out our little 2 bed terrace in North Herts, not to make a profit but to give us somewhere to move back to should her contract finish early. When we found out that we were going to be out here for a longer period, we decided to look into the option of selling the house so as to avoid Capital Gains (by using the Private Residents Relief) and that is when I came across HPC. (Great site by the way and an interesting daily read!) We have now pocketed a nice little profit and have stashed it away in savings, and are now living in a great house in southern Germany. Now that we are outside the sphere of the UK housing bubble, it really does amaze me how there is such a strong mentality of "we must all get on the property ladder!". Here in Germany most people do tend to rent and houses are usually passed down through the family. Not to mention that the build quality of housing is far superior to that of the UK! I should also mention that I have found a job over here as a Mechanical Engineer earning some 25% more than what I was in the UK. I am always keeping an eye on the UK job market, and it is no suprise that salaries are pretty much the same as when we left neary 3 years ago - I'm in no hurry to come home! Hopefully we can stay over here and sit out the worst of any impending crash (should it happen!) and return to the UK in a couple of years to a more reasonable/sensible housing market.