Benalmadena expectations

[Anglo_American]

Hi again,

We are busy planning our visit to Benalmadena in early April to take a 6 mth let for a 1/2 bed apt.

Question: When something is advertised as furnished, how far does that go? For example (assuming there may be regional differences) what is the typical expectation for these items in the Benalmadena area, i.e. normally provided by landlord or by us?:

• Bed linens
• Towels
• Cutlery and crockery
• Pots and pans
• Kitchen electricals
• Appliances (e.g. washing machine, dryer)
• Television
• Porsche in the garage
• etc.

Of course, we fully expect Jo, GarveyGirl and Steve Hall to provide detailed answers (which are very much appreciated btw) but is there anyone else who can share their experience?! ;-)

Steve & Chris McHugh

[Cazzy]

Originally Posted by Anglo_American

Hi again,

We are busy planning our visit to Benalmadena in early April to take a 6 mth let for a 1/2 bed apt.

Question: When something is advertised as furnished, how far does that go? For example (assuming there may be regional differences) what is the typical expectation for these items in the Benalmadena area, i.e. normally provided by landlord or by us?:

• Bed linens
• Towels
• Cutlery and crockery
• Pots and pans
• Kitchen electricals
• Appliances (e.g. washing machine, dryer)
• Television
• Porsche in the garage
• etc.

Of course, we fully expect Jo, GarveyGirl and Steve Hall to provide detailed answers (which are very much appreciated btw) but is there anyone else who can share their experience?! ;-)

Steve & Chris McHugh

We have rented before and we didn't get a TV, or towels and bedlinen. I just suppose you have to look around. My daughter is looking for a flat in the same area as you, and has seen some very sparsley ' furnished apartments'. Good luck!!

[jojo]

In my experience it varies with each individual property and it depends on why the property is being rented out, are the owners just away? is it a commercial rental? We saw places where the owners had just stored all their stuff in the garage or basement and said we could used whatever we wanted to.

With the house we´ve got now, it came fully furnished, we got a fully equipped kitchen, microwave, dishwasher, cutlery, crockery, pots and pans... etc, a TV and minimum bed linen (non of which we needed cos I brought it all with us). No towels or duvets.... and sadly no porsche, in fact no garage!!!!LOL. When we were looking round we saw all sorts of combinations of what and wasnt in properties - There was a dog that came with one place!!!!!

Jo xx

[SteveHall]

I think you can forget the Porsche in the drive but pretty much everything else is negotiable and if you found a place you liked that did not have what you want I'd try to get the landlord to add it! At the moment, long-term tenants are an endangered species and I can't see too many landlords wanting to lose 3 or 4000 euros for the sake of a sun-lounger or a TV. Remember if you have to by a 600 euro TV you are in effect adding 100 euros per month to your rent. I can't see you having any problem getting what you want .....except, as I say, for the Porsche.

[Anglo_American]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

I think you can forget the Porsche in the drive but pretty much everything else is negotiable and if you found a place you liked that did not have what you want I'd try to get the landlord to add it! At the moment, long-term tenants are an endangered species and I can't see too many landlords wanting to lose 3 or 4000 euros for the sake of a sun-lounger or a TV. Remember if you have to by a 600 euro TV you are in effect adding 100 euros per month to your rent. I can't see you having any problem getting what you want .....except, as I say, for the Porsche.

Oh, ok then.... we'll have to survice without the Porsche....

Also, a question about prepaid cell phones in Spain: rather than use my UK phone with O2, do we just get a prepaid phone from the local supermarket for $20 or so, just like we can at Tesco in the UK?

Thnx again

Steve

[SteveHall]

Yes, that's fine. Just get an unlocked and pop a SIM in

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

Yes, that's fine. Just get an unlocked and pop a SIM in

However, recently hubby and i had to get to a Vodaphone shop in Spain to register with our personal details and NIE cards for security purposes. If going through a Spanish supplier now (as well as with contracts) for prepaid phones, you have up to a certain date to register with them.

Regards,

Tallulah.

[SteveHall]

Originally Posted by My_Name_is_Tallulah

However, recently hubby and i had to get to a Vodaphone shop in Spain to register with our personal details and NIE cards for security purposes. If going through a Spanish supplier now (as well as with contracts) for prepaid phones, you have up to a certain date to register with them.

Regards,

Tallulah.

Let me explain fully.

Since November 2007 all NEW SIMS have had to be registered. All PAYG customers who bought their cards BEFORE November 2007 have until 8th November 2009 to register on threat of having their number cancelled. By all accounts the registration process is going quite smoothly. Orange speeded up the process by voluntarily cancelling all cards that had not been used once in 12 months - that saved 500,000 phantom a/cs on their databases.

If anybody has any specific questions pls feel free to PM me.

I REPEAT this new registration process applies ONLY to PAYG (and NOT to contract) and ONLY those first sold BEFORE Nov 2007. All others have ALREADY been added to the central databases.

[Anglo_American]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

Let me explain fully.

Since November 2007 all NEW SIMS have had to be registered. All PAYG customers who bought their cards BEFORE November 2007 have until 8th November 2009 to register on threat of having their number cancelled. By all accounts the registration process is going quite smoothly. Orange speeded up the process by voluntarily cancelling all cards that had not been used once in 12 months - that saved 500,000 phantom a/cs on their databases.

If anybody has any specific questions pls feel free to PM me.

I REPEAT this new registration process applies ONLY to PAYG (and NOT to contract) and ONLY those first sold BEFORE Nov 2008. All others have ALREADY been added to the central databases.

Steve,

Slightly off-track but you mentioned Orange. I'm guessing they are essentially different companies within the same corporate group but are there any reciprocal agreements between Orange UK and Orange Spain? Cheaper roaming rates perhaps?

Steve

[SteveHall]

Too simplistic! Too downright obvious!!

You might be interested in this from today's wires (I doubt anybody else will though!)
http://saladeprensa.telefonica.es/do...p090323_en.pdf