OnTheLash

Will they come out and do a survey if asked? What is their normal fee for this?

95,000 km is too high. I tend to go for cars around the 20,000 km mark. Thanks for letting me know.

Only for past gaps. If I pay the 15 years now I will be paid up. I will have paid a total of 40 years. In my case it was 41 years but I got a free year when I was 16 at college. There is a big difference between class 2 and class 3 as I am sure you know. I left the UK in 1998. I made a payment 15 years ago and in hindsight probably overpaid. Every case is different, it is not as straight forward as some people will tell you.

Use Skype. It costs peanuts!!

I filled out the form and sent an accompanying letter a month ago. I rang them up a few days ago and I was told it was lucky I called, because my form and letter were in the wrong queue. BTW its my 3rd letter...long story!! I believe I am eligible for class 2 contributions. I owe 15 years. I was told on the phone that there is a 32 week wait. I said to her do you means 32 days?... she said no 32 weeks. Massive backlog now. Its not a problem as long as the application is in before 5th April 2025. Call at 08h00 UK time, it normally takes 15 to 20 minutes for them to answer. I have called approximately 8 times in total. Hopefully I will get there in the end, I have time on my side.

Stitched up by his Thai partner and the police. The confiscated drugs will be resold and the Thai will have new ''business partners'' Rinse and repeat! I know somebody who attempted to go into a cannabis business with a Thai. He was ripped off before it even got off the ground. (Probably did him a favor).

'' what is the one thing that I have learned from lefties''? ....that the vast majority of them are useless degenerates!!

Whatever happened to Crazy Joe? He used to cycle down Jet Yod road most nights tooting his horn? Bit of a character and like-able bloke. He was from the states.

Sorry to hear about that Agmech. What happened to you is a common occurrence in Thailand. You made some good points about lease on land etc. also Usufruct as a previous poster mentioned. As I said before everybody's circumstances are different.

Good advice, thanks.

Thanks for the response. I've never considered an usufruct. If it all goes pear shaped I just walk away, its not an issue to me. Everybody's circumstances are different. This will be my 7th house purchase in Thailand with the same woman. I have signed my life away 6 times in the past at the land office. I was looking for recent experiences of posters using and not using a lawyer (I have never used one in the past). Lawyers certainly seem to be charging a premium now when a foreigner is involved, unfortunately I have to be there.

The rates are a little steep now. Up to 7%.

Thanks for the replies. I thought that 45k was a lot to charge just for holding our hands at the land office. The land office should check the chanote etc. I guess its more about peace of mind. If it did go south I am sure the lawyer would run a mile anyway.

I am in the process of buying a house and would like to know your thoughts on whether I should engage a lawyer or not? The house is in a Thais name and will be going into my Thai wife's name. On the face of it a straight forward purchase. I have been quoted 45,000 baht lawyers fees. House price 5.5 million. I would like to know your experiences buying houses with and without lawyers.