The website recently carried out a survey of 1,500 people and Carrentals.co.uk reported that over a quarter had been subject to high charges on car hire, and they blame a lack of transparency from the rental company for this.

Asking the right questions can help to cut car rental charges

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, comments: “Our poll revealed that car hirers feel there is a lack of transparency when renting a car, as well as the fact that many people have experienced high charges. Our aim is to help people relax when renting a car and enjoy a holiday without having to think too much about high charges on insurance and fuel.”

Carrentals.co.uk has put together these tips to help people avoid costly car hire excess charges:

Credit Card Requirement

When hiring a vehicle it is important to keep a credit card with you with the main, named driver’s name on. The majority of companies will not accept a credit card with the name of a passenger on, it must be one belonging to the main driver.

Excess Insurance

There are many hidden high excess charges on car rental insurance policies, and a good way to avoid this is by having an excess charge insurance policy from a third party supplier. A Collision Damage Excess Waiver insurance policy can hugely reduce the chances of paying high costs. Carrentals.co.uk has available Collision Damage Excess Waiver policies from Questor Insurance for only £3.99 a day.

Border Charges

Many rental companies will often for driving a rental car over another country’s border, so always check with the rental company to see if there is a charge levied by the rental supplier.

One Way Rentals

Any driver who wants to take a car on a one way hire should always check with the provider, as it can be up to £300. Contact the rental company and ask them how much they might charge as an extra charge for a one way car rental.

Out of Hours

Car hire collection offices in smaller countries can operate unusual business hours, particularly if they are not based in airports. So people who want to pick up their car in a smaller place at an unusual hour should watch out for extra charges being levied for picking up a car out of hours

Fuel Policies

There are usually three main kinds of fuel policy, these being: returning the car with a full tank of fuel, the hirer paying for the fuel they used and picking up the car with a full tank of fuel and taking it back empty. This last one is where the charges can really rack up however, with many companies charging up to 40% above the pump price for fuel.

Child Seats

Child seats are usually available but they can be expensive, up to £60 per week in many cases. So one tip to reduce expenditure, if luggage allowance permits it, is to take a child seat with you from home.

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide.

To compare the latest car hire deals visit: www.carrentals.co.uk.

About Carrentals.co.uk

Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 9,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) the long stay airport parking and travel extras specialist, has put together a table of European road signs for the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of its website.

The table highlights unusual road signs found in popular holiday destinations in Europe. Many road signs in Europe are internationally standardised. However, recent research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found that tourists driving in foreign countries are ‘three times more likely to be involved in an accident abroad due to ignorance of local traffic laws’.

Helping travellers

The APH research table highlights the unusual signs that could confuse drivers and found that while France has few signs that differ from those in the UK, Germany has a number of confusing ones including the ‘path of priority road’ sign and ‘city speed limit’ signs.

Some of the Swedish road signs also have a slight variation on the international signing system. For example, the ‘Warning’ sign in Sweden is a yellow triangle with a red border and a black vertical line in the centre while in the UK, the sign is a white triangle with a red border with an exclamation mark in the centre and a small rectangular sign underneath.

Nick Caunter, managing director of APH, says: “More and more holidaymakers choose to hire a car in Europe or drive their own car abroad, so we felt it was important to highlight the most confusing European road signs for drivers.

The table helps travellers to study the road signs they’ll come across at their holiday destination before leaving the UK and they can also print off the table from the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of our website, and take it abroad with them”.

APH is also a carbon-balanced company and has, through the World Land Trust, helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of Belize rainforest. Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd is one of the UK’s leading booking agencies and has over 29 years’ experience as a retailer of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports, ports and Eurotunnel terminals plus airport hotels packaged with parking, airport lounges, travel insurance, car hire and holiday taxis.

For further information visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.

Road Sign	Country	Meaning
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Snow Chains Obligatory
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No Stopping
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No waiting or parking
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Give way
	Throughout Mainland Europe	No traffic at all
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Centre of Town
	Throughout Mainland Europe	Priority to the right
	Throughout Mainland Europe	End of priority road
	France	No cars or bikes
	France	Parking start and end
	Germany	Bus/Tram Stop
	Germany	One way
	Germany	Path of priority road is seen beneath the diamond-shaped ”priority sign“
	Germany	City limit (unless posted otherwise the speed limit in a town is 50km/h (31mph)
	Germany	End of city limits
	Italy	No vehicles carrying explosives
	Italy	Pay toll
	Italy	Customs
	Sweden	Junction
	Sweden	Warning
	Norway	Countdown to level crossing
	Norway	Passing without stopping prohibited at customs
	Norway	End of maximum recommended speed
	Norway	Lay-by or passing place
	Norway	National Heritage
	Norway	Accident
	Poland	Toll
	Republic of Ireland	Yield
	Republic of Ireland	Junction at corner with a minor road sign.
	Republic of Ireland	Unguarded Level Crossing

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, has seen a huge change in the way that people ticket their journeys with around 70% of its travellers taking advantage of the ‘Print Anywhere’ service via the website, Eurostar.com.

Since launching the service in April, increasing numbers of travellers have opted to retrieve their tickets with ease, at home,  at the office or anywhere they have access to a computer and a printer.

Following a significant investment at all major stations in France, UK and Belgium, travellers can now simply scan their own unique printed barcode, so making their check-in even more hassle free than before.

Flexibility and convenience

Commercial Director, Nick Mercer said:  “Print Anywhere ticketing allows our travellers to save time and gives them a greater degree of flexibility and convenience.

“Station staff are finding that the majority of people arrive at Eurostar check-in with their tickets already printed – a sure sign that this initiative has been well received.”

Eurostar is for all the family

With the introduction of ‘Print Anywhere’, Eurostar has ceased to send customers tickets by post, with customers also being given the choice to collect their tickets from one of the e-ticket machines at Eurostar stations.

Eurostar’s high-speed passenger service links the UK and mainland Europe, providing carbon neutral journeys between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

Return tickets

Under its Tread Lightly environmental plan, Eurostar has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 35% per traveller journey by 2012, compared with 2007. Because emissions cannot yet be eliminated, Eurostar is also the world’s first train operator to make all journeys carbon neutral, at no extra cost to travellers. Based on comparisons of actual load factors and specific energy data, a Eurostar journey generates just one-tenth of the carbon dioxide of an equivalent flight.

Travellers can buy connecting fares to the Continent from over 200 towns and cities across the UK. Return ticket prices range from £63 and include Brighton from only £71 and Edinburgh from only £92.

To book tickets or for more information, got to www.eurostar.com or call 08705 186 186.

House prices in Switzerland have increased this year by more than 4%, according to figures from the Swiss National Bank.
Single-family homes increased by 4.5% in the year from January 2009, and resale rental apartments rose 4.3%.

A 3-bedroom duplex apartment in Ovronnaz, Canton Valais, Switzerland

Andrew Hawkins, head of international at Chesterton Humberts, believes these increases stem from: “A controlled market where ownership is highly regulated and a corresponding level of supply and demand. Switzerland didn’t have a price boom, unlike markets such as the UK or Spain.
“The continued interest from non-resident foreigners has kept house prices rising at a manageable amount. Also, as the economic crisis hit, locals transferred overseas investments into the more stable local property market, driving prices up at a steady level.”

Foreign property laws
While Switzerland has traditionally been difficult to buy into because of the federal government’s system for issuing permits, from 2010 each canton will have the power to set its own foreign property laws.
“Giving cantons the responsibility for making their own property acquisition rules is a positive for foreign buyers,” says Andrew. “We expect faster transfer times for property titles, making property ownership easier and therefore more desirable, so we expect that prices will continue to steadily increase.”

Fully furnished chalet, Vercorin, Canton Valais, Switzerland

Chesterton Humberts sells a range of property in Switzerland, including:

•    A three-bedroom chalet designed in traditional Swiss style, with modern interiors. This chalet is located in one of the highest spots in Vercorin and offers unparalleled views over the Rhone Valley from Sierre to Sion. The chalet has two terraces, including one with Jacuzzi. Price: CHF 2,000,000 (approx. UK£ 1,118,637).

For more information, call: Chesterton Humberts – Tel: 020 3040 8210 or on-line at: www.chestertonhumberts.com

Post Office launches new international bank to bank money transfers

Transferring money between UK and overseas bank accounts is set to become significantly easier following the launch of the new Post Office® Overseas Property Money Transfer service.

The new service offers customers peace of mind by enabling them to fix at a favourable rate of exchange for up to a year, giving valuable protection against volatile currency fluctuations. And because the Post Office offers this service online, people can transfer money from the comfort of their own home to wherever they need it to be in the world.

Anyone needing to transfer money to an overseas bank account can benefit from the service. It’s ideal for:
•    Repayments on a foreign mortgage
•    Deposits or costs associated with buying, selling or maintaining a property abroad and paying utility bills
•    Bringing money back to the UK after sale of an overseas property
•    One off payments such as a wedding venue or emigration
•    Regular payments – transfer pensions, salaries or even school fees, removing the hassle and expense of frequent individual transactions from a bank.

The Post Office Overseas Property Money Transfer service offers competitive exchange rates, with 0 per cent commission and no hidden charges, plus it will reimburse customers for any charges that the destination bank may impose, meaning that customers can expect to save hundreds of pounds a year*.

Buying in bulk

Sarah Munro, Post Office head of money transfers, said: “Until now, many users of international bank to bank money transfer services have found it to be an expensive business, with limited options for small transfers.  They have often been unable to capitalise on the great rates offered by currency specialists because they weren’t buying in bulk.  And they were also at the mercy of volatile currency markets, making it harder to get the most from their money.

“The Post Office Overseas Property Money Transfer service offers customers the ability to fix at a competitive exchange rate, giving them peace of mind for up to a year, which is a real advantage in current markets.  We calculate that with 0% commission and our competitive exchange rates we will be saving customers a serious amount of money if they’ve just sold their house or are paying a deposit on a new property.”

For anyone wanting to make a cash money transfer abroad, the Post Office still provides the MoneyGram service. This offers cash transfers to over 176,000 destinations worldwide from any one of 11,500 Post Office branches.

Anyone wanting to find out more about Post Office Overseas Property Money Transfer should go to www.postoffice.co.uk/moneytransfers or by calling 0800 180 4702. Transfers must be a minimum of £500 and are limited to £10,000 online. There’s no transaction limit for transfers made over the telephone. The Post Office Overseas Property Money Transfer service is provided by HiFX PLC.

Based on a monthly transfer of £700 over a year customers could save £528 by going to the Post Office:
High Street Bank
Monthly Transfer fee £30 = £360.00
Post Office
No charge

High Street Bank
Commission 1.5% = £126.00
Post Office
No commission

High Street Bank
Receiving charges up to 0.5% = £42.00
Post Office
No charge

High Street Bank
Total bank charges £44.00 = £528.00
Post Office
Free

Golf fanatics flock to Turkey

Turkey provides some of the newest and most exciting courses, many being championship level and most within easy reach of each other. Golfers have realised the tremendous benefit of 300 days of sunshine a year with the average temperature even in December, of 16 degrees centigrade.

Now the European Challenge tour will be played in Turkey in 2010 at the Carya Golf Club which was established in 2008 and in Belek the World Amateur Golf Championship is to be held in 2012.

Turkey was awarded “Best Golf Destination in Europe 2008” by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) putting Turkey ahead of other European golf hotspots including Spain and Scotland. “This is largely due to Belek, the home of championship golf in Turkey”, says Robert Nixon, executive director, Nirvana International. “This is a beautiful region enhanced with beautifully maintained, top quality golf courses, making it a golfer’s paradise”.

Ideal for renting

Taking Belek as a prime example of golf courses available, there’s the Tat Golf Club, The Gloria Golf Resort, The Robinson Club, Nobilis, Cornelia Nick Faldo course and Papillon Golf course which is a new Colin Montgomerie Golf Course. In addition there is Kaya Eagles Golf club and Lykia Links Golf and of course the National Golf Course.

NIRVANA golf 7 Gem Golf Villas

It’s worthwhile considering the possibility of owning a property there. You could buy as part of a syndicate or for personal use and of course, such a property in a prime location is ideal for renting when not in personal use.

Belek is an ideal spot for relaxation and is famed for its pine trees which fill the air with a glorious scent with plenty to do including yachting, windsurfing, scuba diving, walking, bird watching and exploring the area’s rich history. The mountains too are easily reached and there is even the opportunity to go skiing 120km away at Saklikent Ski Resort.  There are also some superb beaches dotted along this coastline.

Currently being offered is an exclusive development of brand new homes at Gem Golf Villas in Belek located in the heart of championship golf in Turkey and just 500 metres from the National Golf Club and close to the Sueno Golf Club.

Year round flights

There’s a choice of two different house types (Villa A and B) all immaculately presented and built to a high standard. Villa A has a slightly bigger floor area than Villa B. 14 of the villas are offered with a shared pool with seven of the homes having private pool and parking. The development is surrounded by attractive landscaped grounds. There is 24-hour security on site and Gem Golf Villas is close to Belek beach, mini market and shopping mall. Belek town is 2 km from the resort and offers many shops and restaurants. Antalya is 30 minutes drive. There is a shuttle bus service for transfer to golf courses, beach or Belek town centre. Antalya Airport, which provides all year round flights to and from the UK, is just 25 minutes drive away and transfers are provided.

Gem Golf Villas, Belek.

Prices

Detached villas with four bedrooms and two bathrooms (1 en-suite)

Type A – some with private pool start from £200,000

Type B – villas with shared pool start from £180,000

Contact Nirvana International on: 01189 744 950/955 or at www.nirvanainternational.com

Nirvana International is a member of AIPP and NAEA International incorporating FOPDAC.

Today, just 1½ hours from the UK by air and accessible from 12 airports across Britain, Nice’s excellent location is just one of the reasons for its ongoing popularity with around four million tourists a year (according to the CRT Riviera Côte d’Azur – Observatoire du Tourisme). The world renowned Promenade des Anglais, or simply ‘Promenade’ as it is popularly known, is the premier attraction for this luxury location; boasting around six kilometres of beautiful sandy beaches, it is the place to see and be seen.

Nice is one of the world’s top tourist destinations

And with many enthralling historic and cultural sights within a stone’s throw of the Promenade, including the Cathédrale de Sainte Réparate, Palais Lascaris and countless art galleries and museums, along with 300 days of sunshine a year, it is clear to see why Nice – the fifth largest city in France – is one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

The tourist industry of Nice is a thriving one, with those visiting the Côte d’Azur by air spending on average €111 per day (Data Sirius 2007), and the French Riviera Database noting that tourism forms 41% of the total employment for the region, some 66,000 jobs. It is not just those looking for an exclusive break that visit Nice, however. Ample business tourists also form a large proportion of the region’s visitors, with 1,500 companies said to be financed by foreign capital and half of all stays in the region for business purposes, according to French Riviera Database figures.

France, and Nice in particular, may well be one of the destinations that benefits from this trend due to its short distance from the UK, ease of access via a wide range of carriers, excellent climate and fantastic all-round reputation. It is due to this sustained and increasing future popularity with both business and pleasure visitors that the property market of Nice is stable even within these difficult times.

The Promenade des Anglais, one of Europe's most magical destinations

Well-located property in the city has always been, and remains, in high demand and those that are situated on the seafront or Promenade can command very healthy prices. It is for this reason that growing numbers of buyers from outside France are investing in the city, with British and Americans as well as Asian buyers showing increasing interest in the property market. These buyers are not only purchasing property as a medium-term buy-to-let income stream, to cash in on the outstanding popularity of the place, but also moreover as a location to set up home and take advantage of the year-round benefits of life on the French Riviera.

It is not simply the popularity of Nice that has resulted in the city faring well during the credit crisis – with only a moderate reduction in actual selling prices – the City Hall and the Urban Community’s planning for the future is also one key reason for the relatively healthy property market even during these difficult times.

These governing bodies have put urban improvement plans in place to reduce traffic in the centre of Nice and especially along the Promenade, plans starting in 2013 and being achieved by the improvement of the city’s tram lines. A second line is being built to run from the eastern side of the city to the west which will take in terminals 1 and 2 of the city’s airport as well as the administrative district and the beachfront.

Nice, a ‘green’ city

This project is set to benefit not only visitors to the city but also those buying property in Nice, as Kirkor Ajderhanyan, Director and Owner of Agence 107 Promenade who market a range of property on the Promenade explains: “In 2009, the Promenade remains a very attractive and accessible property market with a wide range of price levels and real opportunities for capital growth. This is also due to the numerous efforts the City Hall and the Urban Community are making to re-model Nice as a ‘green city’ by diverting and reducing vehicle traffic.

The quality of living on the Promenade will be the first to benefit from this policy and so will the value of the properties on one of the most iconic stretches of real estate in the world. With such assets, the Promenade des Anglais, more than ever, becomes the leading property spot of the French Riviera.”

To take advantage of the promise of the Promenade, Agence 107 Promenade are currently marketing a spacious 3-bedroom apartment situated on the sought -fter Promenade des Anglais, set within a spectacular ‘Bourgeois’ building on the seafront. The 120m² apartment has a large living room, kitchen, 3-beds, 2-baths and a shower room.

On the market for €583,000, to find out more about this highly desirable property or other investment opportunities in Nice contact Agence 107 Promenade on 00 33 493 44 83 83 or visit www.107promenade.com.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Basic precautions

Bad news stories tend to arise only when buyers fail to take the most basic precautions. For example, one of the most elementary mistakes that careless buyers tend to make is to fail to check whether the property is still carrying any debts left over from the previous owner.
These can come from a number of different sources but they’ll hang like the proverbial millstone around the property – and your neck – unless you are very careful. The last thing you want, having just moved in, is to find yourself paying off someone else’s debts because you failed to ask a few simple questions. Of course, many people will follow up that statement with, “How can I ask questions if I don’t speak the language?” and the simple answer to that is, “You should have an independent legal and/or financial representative and he or she ought to speak the language of the country in which you are buying.” Buying a freehold property outside the UK can be fun and a sound investment but it’s sensible to ensure you have a legal and financial safety net.

Developing markets

In the last decade we all heard stories about how cheap properties were in what were called developing markets. This caused such a stir that people I’ve known for years rang me and one in particular said, “Come on, you write about overseas property. Why have you been keeping this to yourself all these years? Which is the best place to buy and how do we go about it?”
The answer is that yes, partly as a result of the international financial crisis, you can now buy properties in loads of countries for what seem like knock down prices. On the other hand, an English solicitor who works in the overseas property industry commented to me a couple of years ago, “Some people simply go abroad, see property they like, don’t check to see if they can get a mortgage; whether the property has full title deeds that will show that they have bought it and whether the person who sold it to them had any right to do so.”
It’s a shame to sound like a wet blanket because of course you can buy a home in an ever-increasing range of countries and end up with something that you will enjoy for years to come. But the fact is, as I said, you might well be walking into a barrel load of problems unless you expend the time and trouble to go through the process in the same way that you would back in the UK.”

Unusual destinations

I was writing about properties for sale in unusual destinations such as Northern Cyprus, even India as far back as 12 or 15 years ago. In the late 1980s I was commenting on the new phenomenon of Australians and New Zealanders buying holiday homes in Europe and Europeans looking for properties Down Under. The truth is that I know of people who bought in some pretty out-of-the-way places at that time who are perfectly happy. Let’s face it, in the 1950s and early 1960s you could have said that Spain and Portugal were emerging markets.
All property is cyclical, and what has tumbled down in price in the last 12 months will, eventually go back. And then we’ll see a rush to grab bargains – yet again. The golden rule to remember is: wherever you buy, only do it if you can really afford it. Take advice and ask questions. And it might be wise to leave your credit cards at home when you go on holiday – your plastic might be a touch too flexible for your own good.

Almanzora Group has completed holiday homes ready for occupation in the Harbour Lights waterfront development in Villaricos, one of the most sought-after locations on the Almeria coast in south-east Spain.

Villaricos is a traditional fishing village located on the coast between the Almanzora River and the Sierra Almagrera. It was once a Phoenician port and, in the nineteenth century, a silver mining boom town.

Today its two harbours are busy with fishing boats and, following new developments to accommodate an expanding local population, Villaricos has around 19 restaurants, cafés and bars. Most are Spanish and the village has retained its very Spanish character.

“Current market conditions mean that prices are at their lowest for six years with the price of a two-bedroom apartment at Harbour Lights at €147,500, a discount of almost one-third (30 per cent) off the list price,” says the firm’s sales and marketing manager Bridget Rosser. “Would-be owners who buy now will be put on a fast-track to completion to ensure that they are able to enjoy using their new holiday home this summer.”

Traditional small Spanish town

Currently available at Harbour Lights, the waterfront development overlooking the Esperanza harbour and a five-minute walk from the sandy Villaricos beach – are two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and townhouses.

Designed in a style which reflects many aspects of traditional small Spanish town and village architecture, they are built in private and secure gated communities, around courtyards and a swimming pool, as well as around formal Spanish plazas, with orange trees, water features and quiet seating areas.

Villaricos is easy to reach thanks to three international airports. There are flights from the UK to Almeria Airport, around 40 minutes away from Harbour Lights by road, Alicante Airport (less than two hours away) and Murcia Airport (80 minutes by car). Airlines currently flying to the region include Ryanair, easyJet, Monarch, Jet2, Jetair Fly and Thomas Cook.

For more information call The Almanzora Group on 01242 680299 or visit the website:www.almanzora.com

Foreign Currency Direct

New research from Foreign Currency Direct reveals that one in four British workers feel compelled to work abroad. With 23 per cent of British workers contemplating a move overseas in the next two years, the incentives driving British workers to follow their foreign worker counterparts in search of new employment overseas have been revealed.

The research by specialist foreign currency broker, Foreign Currency Direct, reveals that Britain’s workforce has an overriding positive perception of working overseas, with more than one in four British workers feeling compelled to work abroad by the prospect of cheaper costs of living (59%), a better work life balance (58%) and the opportunity to embrace a new culture (55%). The only significant barrier to a career move abroad is the fear of being isolated from friends and family in the UK (61%).

Peter S Ellis, CEO, Foreign Currency Direct

Of the 1,283 British workers questioned, 24 per cent felt extremely positive about a career move overseas, giving an overseas career move a score of between eight and 10, on a scale of one to 10. Seven of Britons’ top 10 considerations for a career move abroad were positive.

Positive impact

Sparking concern of a “brain drain” of Britain’s brightest young talent, workers aged 18 to 30 are the most likely to see the positive impact a career overseas could have on their lifestyle, more than one in four (27%) are feeling extremely positive about a job overseas, compared with just 17 per cent of 51 to 60 year olds.  People in this age group identified twice as many positives than negatives to a job abroad (four compared with two), with a better work life balance being their number one motive (61%).

Tax Relief Drives People to Look Elsewhere

Coinciding with the Government announcement that tax will be raised to 50 per cent for high earners, the research reveals that one in three (31%) UK workers would move abroad because of the tax incentives available on foreign shores. Looking for the best way to maximise their pension payments, this figure increases to 39 per cent amongst the over 60s.

Londoners Look Abroad

While they are among the most likely to worry about leaving friends and family (62%), those living in London are, overall, the most optimistic about a career move abroad. Two in three Londoners (66%) identified their main motive to move abroad to be cheaper costs of living.

Foreign Currency Direct is a leading foreign exchange provider and the first choice for thousands of businesses and individuals to save money when transferring funds.

For more information about Foreign Currency Direct call: 0800 328 5884 or look at the company’s website: http://www.currencies.co.uk/

Storing your possessions when you downsize

One of the hardest things about downsizing is what on earth do you do with those things that won’t fit into your new home? Sell them? No, you probably won’t want to face that as well as everything else. How about storing them? That’s worth investigating. You could call storage experts Ready Steady Store on 0800 321 3211 or go online at www.readysteadystore.co.uk.

Self storage is a very cost-effective and simple method of dealing with the issue of downsizing.  Firstly, find a professional self storage company local to you; check its security credentials such as 24-hour surveillance, access via PIN code and individually-alarmed units;  talk to the store staff about the size of unit that will suit your requirements – you’ll be suprised how much you can fit into a 50 or 100 square foot room;  and obtain a transparent price – not one that looks cheaper at the outset, but may contain lots of hidden extras and surprises long the way.

The other great thing about self storage is that you can move items into storage that you can’t bear to part with immediately, and then keep revisiting your unit so you can gradually throw unwanted items away.  It makes the whole process much less painful and far more enjoyable.

Accurate information from World Travel Guide

If you’re thinking of buying a home abroad, you’ll need two things. The first fact is that you’re going to have to travel and this means having accurate information to avoid delays and mishaps. The second item you’ll want is accurate information about your chosen destination, and this includes background to the individual country and if, for example, you’re aiming to own a home in a city, it’s important to have an up-to-date and detailed guide at your fingertips.

World Travel Guide hosts a comprehensive web site dedicated to global travel. The information includes weather forecasts, a world clock, a World Events Guide and much more. In addition, there are country, city, beach, cruise and airport guides and many other travel essentials.

For more information, go on-line at www.worldtravelguide.net

Eurostar Single Fares From Just £35

A new fare range offers greater flexibility to travellers and wider fare simplification and sees the end of ‘stay away’ conditions. Eurostar, the provider of carbon neutral, high-speed rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, has today introduced single fares to all its destinations. The new fares start from the wholly inclusive price of £35 for London to Paris/Brussels, and can be purchased without any airline-style extra charges.

Take Eurostar from London to the snow

As part of a commitment to greater transparency, Eurostar is helping travellers find better deals, by simplifying its fare structure. Travellers can expect more flexibility with the removal of ‘stay away’ conditions such as Saturday Night Away, One Night Away, Midweek Day Return and Weekend Day Return.

A different route

Nick Mercer, Eurostar’s Commercial Director, commented: “We want to help travellers who are planning a tour of Europe or who need the flexibility to return by a different route, by making low priced single fares available. “We hope this greater range of fare options will allow travellers to make even more use of Europe’s high-speed rail network and exploit the environmental advantages of train over plane for seamless rail journeys.”

As part of the changes and in a move that more accurately reflects the product offering, Leisure Select fares have increased. The new lead-in fare for Leisure Select return travel from London – Paris/Brussels is £175 return. Passengers travelling Leisure Select benefit from more spacious seats, roomier carriages, a three-course meal with wine*, complimentary newspapers and magazines, and excellent ‘at seat’ service.

Eurostar continues to offer its widely available lead-in return fare of £59 which has gone unchanged for over six years.

*wine is not offered on morning outbound services.

1. Eurostar high-speed passenger service links the UK and mainland Europe, providing carbon neutral journeys between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris,

Disneyland Resort Paris is for all the family

Brussels,Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

2. Eurostar ticket holders can make connecting rail journeys to either Kent station for free from anywhere on the Southeastern trains network. They will also be able to connect with Southeastern’s high-speed domestic services, which are due to begin later this year

3. Eurostar single fares start from just £35 and return fares from only £59. Travellers can also buy connecting fares to the Continent from 150 towns and cities across the UK. Return ticket prices range from £65 and include Brighton from only £71 and Edinburgh from only £92. To book tickets or for more information, visit www.eurostar.com or call 08705 186 186.