Malta - British Expat Forum

Thanks Red,

It's all clear now. I didn't realise you left all the official side / signing of contracts until arriving later with the car. That's what was confusing me. I was originally thinking of flying over, organising a flat and having the keys in my hand before returning to the UK for the drive over. It just felt like the safest thing to do in case we turn up with car + trailer and find the whole deal has fallen through (or did you have some kind of written pre-contract signing agreement?)

Maybe we'll rethink the original plans.....

When my parents came for a week in May, they found the apartment, paid a refundable deposit for which a receipt was issued, and the money held by the estate agent ( they offered a deposit to show good will, because they didn't want to lose the apartment).

The estate agent knew they were going to arrive a couple of days before their furniture was due, so he sent them a few details and photos of a few vacant furnished apartments (I think they were holiday lets) from which to choose, and gave them a very good rate for the two days.

They also got the agent to email a copy of the contract to them (which was one used by this particular landlord), which they went through. Emailing back questions about things of which they were not certain, and suggesting a few amendments, they also added their own clauses, which they wanted inserted etc.

I can remember my mum going through the contract and rewriting it to her (and dad's) satisfaction. When they all met at the solicitors office, she read out the amendments and additions and everything was agreed to everyone's satisfaction. Mind you I can remember her doing the same with our present contract which was a generic one from another agent.

chris green wrote:Red, In addition, were your parents asked to provide evidence that they are registered with the local inland revenue?

We are now sorting out the switch to residents tariff. We just had our application returned with ARMS requesting copies of our residency cards. We had sent them proof of tax registration in Malta but apparently this is not enough for them.

I assume they don't accept foreign ID cards and tax registration because they can be obtained relatively quickly.

Fortunately for us our proof of residency is now waiting for collection in Valletta. I wonder what they will claim they need next. Maybe proof that I once won a junior talent contest playing piano at Pontins in Prestatyn?

We took ours in - took about an hour including waiting time - knew they'd done it then.

Rachy wrote:We took ours in - took about an hour including waiting time - knew they'd done it then.

likewise

Did they accept the tax registration as proof of residency without question? I notice on the notes on the application form this was not mentioned as an option for proof of residency (Only the residency certificate itself and ID cards issued to foreigners were explicitly excluded).

no, we needed to show residency papers, but took in personally

gozomark wrote:no, we needed to show residency papers, but took in personally

We're picking up our residency certificate tomorrow so we should be ok. However I'm just wondering what our situation would be if (as some members have mentioned) it can take a year or more for the residency certificate to be issued. Registering with the inland revenue has been mentioned a lot as an alternate means of proving residency. I'm interested whether this also involved going to ARMS and having to argue the point with them or if the tax registration is accepted without question. I could imagine their standard policy is to tell you that you must wait for the residency certificate before applying.

I think now it typically takes around a month for the certificates to be issued - its been speeded up massively.

AFAIK the residency certificate is a definite requirement, they sometimes ask for you tax number in addition

"Registering with the inland revenue has been mentioned a lot as an alternate means of proving residency" a tax number doesn't prove anything other than a willingness to submit a tax return. Also, you can be tax resident (6 months in Malta in a calendar year), but not resident (more than 3 months at a time).

When we applied we were asked for ID and the Income Tax registration info - although the clerk seemed only to take details from one tax form.
Our residence proof was not requested.

That was three years ago so quite likely those ever moving goalposts have shifted.

c.