faq's
This page will provide you with answers to a number of frequently asked
questions FAQ's.
general questions
Can
you recommend a good bank?
Is
there a dentist in Peñíscola?
What
telephone number should I use in an emergency?
Is
there a list of useful telephone numbers?
Are
there any local area plans for the expansion of Peñíscola?
Where
can I find a barber in Peñíscola?
Should
I leave a tip in the restauarant?
I
don't speak Spanish, but I need to buy things -what should I do?
motoring questions
My
car still has a UK registration - is this OK?
Can
I MOT my car in Spain?
Is
my insurance valid?
Where
can I find a good garage?
Is
my UK driving licence valid in Spain?
I´ve
has a motor accident - who should I call?
domestic questions
Where
can I buy a refill for my butane gas cylinder?
How
do I obtain an additional butane gas cylinder?
Are
there any good hardware stores in Peñíscola?
I
urgently need some medicine but don't have a prescription.
Where
can I find a chemist?
Is
there a good postal system in Spain?
Where
can I hire a cement mixer and other tools?
Is
there a local cobbler?
legal questions
How
do I pay my council tax?
pet questions
Where
can I find find a good vet?
Is
there a problem with ticks and fleas?
When
can I exercise my dog on the beach?
faq's
Is there a dentist in Peñíscola?
There is an excellent dentist in the High Street, Villeneuve les Avignon,
located above the BBVA bank.
Where can I find a barber in Peñíscola?
In the High Street 100 metres from the Police Station you will find Juan
the Peluquería. He is an excellent mens hairdresser and you will
not find any language difficulty as Juan is deaf and dumb!
What telephone number should I use in an emergency?
Use these Emergency numbers (dial toll-free from any phone):
Emergency services Tel: 112
Ambulance/Ambulancia Tel: 061
Fire service/Bombers/Bomberos Tel: 080
National Police/Policia Nacional Tel: 091 (for serious trouble)
Municipal Police/Policia Municipal Tel: 092 (for larger towns and cities)
Civil Guard/Guardia Civil Tel: 062 (for smaller towns and villages)
I´ve has a motor accident - who should I call?
Always call the police -
Guardia Civil Tel: 062 (for smaller towns and villages)
Policia Municipal Tel: 092 (for larger towns and cities)
Ambulancia Tel: 061
Bombers Tel: 080
Is there a list of useful telephone numbers?
Emergencies 112
Policia Local 964
480 121
Guardia Civil 964
480046
Bomberos 964
460 222
Medicina General 964
489 382
Ayuntamiento 964
480 050
Oficinia de Information Turistica 964 480 208
Correos 964
480 841
Where can I buy a refill for my butane gas cylinder?
You can purchase refill bottles at the Repsol Depot on the N340 opposite
the Peñis Verde garden centre. They cost approx 9€. Extreme
care must be taken if and when crossing the N340.
How do I obtain an additional butane gas cylinder?
To use bottled gas your installation must have been inpected by Repsol and
you must be in position of a current contract with them. Without this you
will not be able to purchase an additional bottle. Their agent can be found
at Electro-Gas Domingo Lores SL at 8 Avda Cataluna in Benicarlo (close to
the Brico Deco store).
Where can I find a good garage?
Auto Eduardo located behind the main service station on Call Cervera
offer an inexpensive and professional service for the repair and maintenance
of motor cars. Telephone 964 481 013
Where can I find find a good vet?
Centro Medico Veterinario in Benicarlo employ a professional staff of veterinarians
and nurses. They speak excellent english and are highly recommended for
the care of your pets. They are located at 67 Calle Cesar Cataldo whih is
easily found as follows:- Driving into Benicarlo town centre with the Placa
de la constitucion on your left take the first turning right which is Cesar
Cataldo and continue some three blocks down. They will be found behind a
smart modern glass fronted facade. Telephone 964 472 610. Opening hours
1000-1330 & 1700-2100hrs.
How do I pay my council tax?
Go to the Ayutaniento (town hall) and on the 1st Floor there is
an office where you can collect your tax bill which is called a CARTA DE
PAGE:PARA EL CONTRIBUYENTE. You need your NIE/NIF number and the address
of the property. Take this form to a bank to pay it. (Bancaja, BBVA, BSCH
and Ruralcaja). The tax has to be paid by the 1st September with the bills
available in July. Once you have paid the tax you may return to the Ayuntamiento
with your bank details and receipt of payment of this years tax and they
will set it up for future payments to be paid automatically.
Are there any local area plans for the expansion of Peñíscola?
Yes there are some long term plans, please click
here for further details. Please note this requires Acrobat Reader and
may take several minutes to download.
Is my UK driving licence valid in Spain?
Your UK driving licence is acceptable for the first six months of your stay
in Spain. After that you will need either a Spanish driving licence or to
have your UK driving licence stamped by the Spanish traffic authority.
It is very easy to exchange your UK licence for a Spanish one. Simply go
to Jefatura de Trafico in Castellon with your UK licence including the paper
part, a photograph, your NIE and a photocopy of it. The exchange procedure
is called canje, it is quite inexpensive and should only take a
few hours.
However the DVLA issued this statement on the 10th December 2004:
"Drivers who take up residence in another EC/EEA country no longer
have to exchange driving licences but may continue to drive using own national
licence for as long as it remains valid. You should however check with the
appropriate driving licensing authorities where you reside for information
on any conditions that they as the host member state may stipulate. National
licences may only carry an address from the country which issued that licence
(ie British licences can only show an address from within England Scotland
or Wales). We are therefore unable to re-issue a British Licence with a
foreign address. It is accepted that drivers who move to another part of
the EC/EEA could be holding driving licences showing an incorrect address.
This is permissible under the terms of the EC Directive on Driving Licences.
Please note that if the British Licence is lost or stolen a duplicate licence
could not be issued while the driver is resident outside of Great Britain.
It would be necessary for the driver to apply to Licence Issuing Authority
of the country in which he/she was living for advice on obtaining a local
licence and the possibility of exchanging his/her British driving entitlement.
DriversCustomer Enquiries Tel: 0870 240 0009 "
Can you recommend a good bank?
Banco Popular in Benicarlo are located close to the market place. They have
an english speaking manager who is most helpful. They can provide both current
and saving account banking as well as as cash & credit cards and the
fabulous Solred card (discount petrol and autopiste/tools). Their online
banking is starightforward to use and easy to integrate to most PC banking/money
software programs such MS Money. You can use their cash card in any Telebanco
'hole-in-the-wall'. They also have a London office, Tel 0207 402 7393, where
you can set up an account in the UK and then have everything ready for you
when you visit.
Are there any good hardware stores in Peñíscola?
Hardware stores in Spain are caled fereterias. There are two in
Peñíscola, the first in Avenida José Antonío
(the towns high street) and the second 'Fereteria Roberto' situated in Antonio
Pascual which is the road behind the car wash. Roberto is very helpful and
carries a good stock of genearl hardware.
Highly recommend however are the two excellent fereterias to be found in Benicarlo. The first is Ferreteria L' Estanquer which is located on both sides of Sant Francesc and is especially ideal for tools. Sant Francesc is the second turning on the right off the N340 after passing the Guardia Civil headquarters. The second is Ferreteria Lleixa located in Placa Doctor Pera and opposite the town centre Mercadonna supermercado. In both of these if you don´t see what you are looking for then please ask as they have large stocks in the back of store.
Where can I hire tools?
Ferreteria L' Estanquer located on both sides of Sant Francesc provides
a tool hire service.
Where can I find a chemist?
La Farmacia, the pharmacy, in Spain, is a bit different from its British
counterpart. They don't offer services such as film developing or perfumes,
purely medicinas, medicines, and first-aid essentials such as el alcohol,
surgical spirit, el algodón, cotton wool, el esparadrapo, surgical
tape, and las tiritas, plasters. You can also buy unos analgésicos,
ordinary painkillers and buy contraceptives like unos condones, condoms,
and la píldora, the pill. La Farmacia will be clearly marked with
a green cross displayed on the front of the shop. For emergencies every
town has a pharmacy on duty round the clock called la farmacia de guardia.
I urgently need some medicine but don't have a prescription.
You can buy most medications easily over the counter at La Farmacia without
having a prescription, medicine con receta. When you purchase any
mediaction ask for a cash receipt. Then when you get a prescription from
the doctor you may return with the prescription, receipt and original packaging
to obtain a refund.
My car still has a UK registration - is this OK?
The DVLA advise if a vehicle is taken abroad for 12 months or more, it is
regarded as being permanently exported. To notify export the keeper would
either return the Registration Document with the export box ticked this
would allow us to issue an Export Certificate which can then be used to
register the vehicle in Spain, or if a new style Registration Certificate
has been issued the V5C/4 supplement would be returned to ourselves to notify
Export, and the rest of the document used to register the vehicle.
If a vehicle is temporarily taken out of the country (for less than twelve months) but remains registered in Great Britain, to ensure trouble free motoring abroad, we advise that the vehicle is licensed for the duration of your temporary stay.
If you have a Registration Document (V5)/ Registration Certificate (V5C) and are registered as the keeper of the vehicle, you should take the Document/Certificate with you. If you do not have a Registration Document/Certificate you should apply for a Registration Certificate at a DVLA Local Office (listed on the website address below) using the application V62* which is available to download from the website, or if you have a green V5/2/ V5C/2 new keeper's supplement with your details, form V379/1. The Local Office may be able to issue a temporary Certificate of Registration to cover the period the vehicle is away.
If you make your application in person to a Local Office you will also need to provide proof of identity e.g. Passport, Driving Licence or a Utilities Bill, which clearly shows your name and address, and also proof of purchase or Bill of Sale for the vehicle.
If your tax expires and you need to renew it while you are abroad, provided you have a V5/V5C, you may apply for a new one by post using the application V10. The application should be sent to one of the Post Offices® listed in the booklet V100. The V10 forms and V100 booklets are available from DVLA or Post Offices. This can be done up to six weeks in advance. All applications will require original V5/V5C, V5/2 or V5C/2. However, if neither of these documents are available you can submit a V62* application form, provided that you are shown as current keeper on DVLA records or if the previous keeper has notified DVLA of the disposal of the vehicle together with original Insurance Certificate/Cover Note and MOT Certificate documentation to your Local Office. If you give a despatch address abroad the tax disc of the vehicle can be sent to you there. Remember that it is in your interest to check with your insurer that your use abroad is properly covered. You will also need to fix GB plates on your vehicle to identify the country of registration.
Please note that as quoted in the Vehicles Registration and Licensing Regulations 2002, SORN declarations are only valid if the vehicle is kept off road in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
*From 1 March 2004, if you do not have a Registration Document/Certificate there will be a charge of £19 for replacement Vehicle Registration Certificates.
Can I MOT my car in Spain?
No, the VOSA advise that there are no legal testing facilities or persons
able to issue UK MOTs in Spain. Any queries on MOT should be made to:
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
Welcombe House, 91-92 The Strand,
Swansea, SA1 2DH.
Tel: 0870 6060440 Fax:
01792 454273
E-mail: enquiries@vosa.gov.uk
Is my insurance valid?
A motor vehicle insurance policy issued by a UK firm is only valid if the
vehicle it is issued for is currently registered and taxed and has a valid
MOT. Further information may be obtained from:
British Insurer and Brokers Association
BIBA House, 14 Bevis Marks, London,
EC3A 7NT.
Tel: 0207 623 9043
Should I leave a tip in the restauarant?
Typically Spanish people leave a few coins after a meal but wouldn't have
any "10%" rule in their mind. If you're happy with the service,
leave a tip, it will be appreciated.
Is there a problem with ticks and fleas?
There is a seriously major problem with ticks and fleas here on the Costa
Azahar. Their bites can cause major illness and even result in the death
of a pet! Special collars which reduce the risk of bites from fleas and
ticks should be purchased from the Vet and fitted to your dog at all times.
When can I exercise my dog on the beach?
The exercising of dogs on the beach is prohibited throughout the year. However
the police and authorities appear to turn a blind eye to it during the winter
months. It is recommended that you 'poop and scoop' at all times!
Is there a local cobbler?
There is an excellent zapateria in Calle Mayor in Benicarlo. It
is a very small narrow shop so a little care is need to locate it!
I don't speak Spanish, but I need to buy things - what
should I do?
In our experience most of the people serving in shops and stores are most
helpful, and working in a shop is not viewed as it is in the UK. A por
favor (please) and a gracias (thank you) works wonders. Try
drawing a small diagram or picture of what you want - a picture is worth
a thousand words or so they say -if you don't have a pen or pencil with
you then just ask for a boli ,a pen, (por favor quierro un
boli) and sketch it out on some paper!
Is there a postal system in Spain?
The Spanish Postal Service, Correros, has over 6,000 offices all over the
country, including small villages, railway stations, ports and airports
providing a wide range of modern and efficient services. There are two fundamental
types of postal service firstly those that are purely postal in nature such
as those relating to different kinds of correspondence and secondly those
of postal banking services dealing with money, such as postal and telegraphic
money orders. The local Correros provides a service called the Postal List
where one can register to receive all types of correspondence, packages
or money orders, which, in turn, can be forwarded to hotels or certain other
addresses. Not every property here in Peñíscola can have mail
delivered to it but one can pay for and have a post office box in the Correros.
Postage stamps for normal mail are sold at both the Correros and some shops
known as "estancos" are establishments authorised to sell tobacco,
stamps and seals and which form an extensive network covering practically
the entire country. Further information on the services offered by the Spanish
Post Office may be obtained by telephoning 915 3601 10.
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