Hot in the City

Although daily temperatures are still high (ie 28-30 deg), there is a definite smell of Autumn in the air, and its obvious that Italy is back to work, as I received the 4th and final invoice (contabilita) from Chiasserini a few days ago, as well as the bill for the landscaping!  I must say I'm a little surprised by some of the last minute additions, but we have probably our last tele-conference with Alberto on Wednesday, during which time I hope all will come clear.

It's almost a year since we started work (last October), and we achieved a lot in terms of the house renovation, and I hope that our ex-owner neighbour also feels that we have done justice to her old family home.  However, we now need to make tracks about becoming residents. At the time of purchase (back in June 08), we discussed a lot with Romolini's about the buying process, all the myriad taxes to be paid in Italy, and the endless paperwork (I mean, did I tell you, we only received the original purchase contract a few months ago, after nearly 1 year!).  I also recall discussing the method of how to register as a resident.  This is important, as it can mean the difference between paying 3% purchase tax and 10%....well, although it's an important subject, it seems that all the details just went clean out of my head, and as I had promised Alberto to find out, then I had to own up and ask Mrs R a second time, so here's the answer:-

'the new owner has 18 months from purchase, in which time to register the residency with the local Commune, for this you need to present:

a) Copy of the deed of purchase,

b) Copy of the Codice Fiscal and Passport

c) A bank statement, showing that more than €5000 is in an Italian bank

d) Private health insurance cover (or else registration in the Italian state health system)

When these documents have been lodged with the Commune, then you have to sit tight at home, and wait for a visit within the next 20 days, when someone may call round to see that you actually live there, and that the place is habitable (ie there is a kitchen, a bed and a bathroom).'

Something else that takes almost as long as the sale contract is the 'phone connection.  It was back in March that I got all excited that we would be accessing the world-wide-web from Chicken House, and still it hasn't happened, why not? well, apparently its because the house has never had a phone, so allocating a new number is taking the time, like 6 months and counting.  I knew it was too good to be true, let's see if it happens in September.  Ciao

Comments

[Yvonne]

And you wonder why mobile phone ownership & usage is so high in Italy?! As for residency, at least you can do this nowadays at the Commune instead of having to brave the scrum at the Provincia - a small improvement. Don't forget to take a copy of your Permesso di Soggiorno just in case they can't find it on their system.
Good luck
Y

[Yvonne]

Got your Q regarding Hydrangeas: my guess is that the soil will be too limey for them so check to see if there are any other acid loving plants growing in the immediate vicinity e.g. rhododendron azalea etc. If so then grow the Hydrangea in a pot in special acid compost, which is what I do. They need shade during the middle of the day and lots of water so don't have one if you cannot be sure to water regularly. Good luck!
Y