Intending to leave the UK to live in Thailand. Help needed to know a few facts

[Keith5588]

Hi all,

I am a 64 year old British male, and I am retired from work. I recently stayed in Thailand for 4 months and returned to England 5 weeks ago. I met a Thai lady while there and we got along really well together and so I am going to give it a go and to take a one way flight to Thailand to be with her. The plan is to be ready to take the flight this coming August.

At the moment I am preparing my house to be rented out, I have already met with 3 letting agencies and will pay for full management.

The only family I have in the UK is one brother. I intend to have my post forwarded to my brothers house.

 

I will apply for a non Immigrant O-A visa (I have already received some great help on this from this forum).

Assuming I travel to Thailand on a one way flight as planned this coming August.

 

I would love to know a few things and would be grateful for some help.

 

1.  At what point would I cease to qualify for NHS treatment?

 

2. I need to inform the HMRC (Inland Revenue) that I am renting out my house and I will be living abroad so that the letting agency can pay me the rent without deducting tax.

At what point would the Inland Revenue class me as not living in the UK, so for example the state pension would not increase?

 

3. I bought my house in 1980, and have just the one house.  I know it used to be that if I sold it I would pay no capital gains because it is my main house I live in.  If I now rent out my house then I sold it in future years would I then have to pay some capital gains tax?

 

Thank you in advance

Keith

[Kwasaki]

All a bit premature if you ask me come here and see how things go first. 

[saakura]

You stayed here for 4 months in total, meet a girl and decide to close down shop in UK and relocate to Thailand for being with her. Love you 'long time'

[CharlieH]

Contact HMRC and get their guidance, they are not the ogre's often portrayed. Get it from the horses mouth on that aspect and then you 'll know where you stand. Please dont make major decisions based on "he said, she said".

 

 

 

 

[berybert]

Just use your brothers address for everything and you wont have to inform anyone of anything.

 

[teddog]

18 minutes ago, berybert said:

Just use your brothers address for everything and you wont have to inform anyone of anything.

 

 

Say nothing to anyone,regarding status in TH,frozen pension etc....even your GP     only need to know and not everything....ps  do not be tempted to buy her a house either  you eventually will lose the lot

[Apiwan2]

If you rent out after if you do sell you will be liable for CGT.

unless you go back and live in it for a while then it tapers off

[i claudius]

See how it goes ,with the girl ,usually they taper off after a while ,you need to live here and meet and stay with a person a fair bit of time before you know if its going to work just use your brothers address,(its where you now live,isnt it ) then go on as normal your British you paid in all your life. Your asking no one for a "benifit" its yours bought and paid for

 

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[Keith5588]

Hi all,

Thanks for all your replies.

 

I need to telephone HMRC about another matter and will ask them a few questions.

 

I have thought a lot about what to do, there is some truth to the saying of old people "that they do not regret anything they have done, it's what they didn't do that they regret". I have a large garden and without family near it is difficult to just go and leave my home empty except over the Winter months and then neighbours and friends helped last time by visiting my house. Now renting out my house seems to be best way forward.

 

My Thai girlfriend is 50 years old.  I think most Thai females look for financial security when they are with a farang, but I'm not going to build her a house (she has her own house in her village), or get married. I just feel it is right to give it a chance in being with her for a longer time, actually last time we were together for only 6 weeks but it was 24/7 always together.

 

All the 3 letting agents I saw seem to feel it is best for me to inform HMRC that I will be letting my house and living abroad. One said that some landlords do not inform HMRC but HMRC usually eventually find out.  I cannot lie to the letting agency as I would need to be informed and also probably make decisions about tenants and repairs etc.

Yes I worked hard for over 40 years.

 

Thanks

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Denim]

You could sell your house in the UK and size down.Renting out a house is not as problem free as renting out a nice one bedroom apartment because bad tenants can do more damage to a house than an apartment.

After you have scaled down your investment in the UK you will have a nice sum to come to Thailand left over plus if things go pear shaped you will still have a foot in the door back home.

The worst thing you can do is burn your bridges on a flight of fancy based on a short 4 month visit to Thailand.

Thousands have gone before you and got badly burnt.

Don't be a mug and follow their example. You have to live here a few years before you discover if it's truly everything you had hoped.A hell of a lot of people find that the joy of sex with a local was not worth losing a lifetimes worth of hard work.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, berybert said:

Just use your brothers address for everything and you wont have to inform anyone of anything.

 

Use the brothers address for many things but l'm surprised by the amount of to liking the idea of fraud. 

[berybert]

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

Use the brothers address for many things but l'm surprised by the amount of to liking the idea of fraud. 

And who gives a damn. Fraud is having your pension frozen. Legalize fraud maybe, but still fraud.

[swissie]

OP: Whatever you do: Keep your house in the UK as well as other main assets. Go slow !

Resist the requests of your Thai-Aquaintance to transfer more and more of your UK assets to Thailand. In such a case, a red flag situation would be in place.

If plan "A" (Thailand) should not pan out, you can always fall back on plan "B" (your remaining assets in the UK).
Cheers.

 

[teddog]

8 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Use the brothers address for many things but l'm surprised by the amount of to liking the idea of fraud. 

Surprised a statement as this has emerged in a thread concerning a near OAP seeking advice.  For one its not "fraud" as you would know it,nothing illegal,no criminal act,all you are doing by not opening yourself up to eventual poverty if many years are to be spent in TH,keep your money,its yours paid for over the years,not to be browbeaten by a stupid system that was introduced donkeys years ago and many attempts now to cast off.  

  I assume the poster is already in the "net" and jealousy rules, do not be a mug

[tomwct]

You met a girl. Congrats that's what happens when you come to Thailand. You meet a girl and you pay her for her time. Happens everyday and they are easy to get along with as long as you have a pocket of cash. These are some tips for successfully retiring to Thailand. First, date many girls. Try one for a few months and go get another. Two, learn a little Thai. They will talk about you behind your back. Third, do not bring a lot of cash with you.because you'll be renting an apartment and/or a house for 2-3 years. Your first Visa will cover you for a year of retirement. Fourth, Do Not Buy Anything except maybe transportation, bike, motorcycle, or car. Put in YOUR NAME not the girl you just met! Fifth, do not retire to a Tourist Area, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, ect. You came to Thailand to experience Thailand, not the Go Go Bars. Try NE Thailand, Korat, Khon Kaen, ect. Sixth, Do Not Buy Anything until you decide to live here permanently and always seek help from fellow Expats who have lived here for a long time. Visit the villages, but stay no longer than 1-2 weeks. You do not want to live in your present GF's Village!

Edited May 2, 2017 by tomwct

[mduras01]

There are plenty of great women in Thailand. The litmus test I find is simply her asking you for money, directly or indirectly--sob story and all. (I know, I know, but she's different). So long as she never crosses the money line, enjoy! As soon as that line is crossed: run. No excuses. Run.


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[stephehr]

Stay in the UK at least you have soem medical even though you have to wait a long time.  When you leave  your NHS treatment will stop until you return.  Kind of stupid wanting to come here if you have only been here once.  But when the friend takes your money dont cry

[KK-Mike]

41 minutes ago, tomwct said:

You met a girl. Congrats that's what happens when you come to Thailand. You meet a girl and you pay her for her time. Happens everyday and they are easy to get along with as long as you have a pocket of cash. These are some tips for successfully retiring to Thailand. First, date many girls. Try one for a few months and go get another. Two, learn a little Thai. They will talk about you behind your back. Third, do not bring a lot of cash with you.because you'll be renting an apartment and/or a house for 2-3 years. Your first Visa will cover you for a year of retirement. Fourth, Do Not Buy Anything except maybe transportation, bike, motorcycle, or car. Put in YOUR NAME not the girl you just met! Fifth, do not retire to a Tourist Area, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, ect. You came to Thailand to experience Thailand, not the Go Go Bars. Try NE Thailand, Korat, Khon Kaen, ect. Sixth, Do Not Buy Anything until you decide to live here permanently and always seek help from fellow Expats who have lived here for a long time. Visit the villages, but stay no longer than 1-2 weeks. You do not want to live in your present GF's Village!

One good rule is, Do Not! bring more money to Thailand than you can 100% walk

away from.  Thailand is a fascinating place, easy to get you separated from your

cash.

 

[kannot]

why tell anyone anything?

[rak sa_ngop]

22 minutes ago, stephehr said:

Stay in the UK at least you have soem medical even though you have to wait a long time.  When you leave  your NHS treatment will stop until you return.

These days you have to convince the NHS that you are back for good, i.e. prove you have resettled back in the UK (and even then as happened to somebody I know they knocked him back. He had to return to Thailand and ended up buying a new condo in the same building he owned a condo in before.)

 

Otherwise there is a waiting period of 3 or maybe its 6 months before you qualify for free NHS treatment again.

 

The days of flying back just to get free treatment are generally over, although lots of people will say otherwise.

[steve187]

re NHS, are you registered at a doc near to your brother, are you on repeat prescriptions, do you have to have a yearly blood check.

if yes then get your brother to obtain prescriptions and go back yearly for blood test, if no then the doc will never know you are ' on holiday', also obtain travel insurance good for the time you are in Thailand, then repeat every year, return flights to Thailand are not much more than singles, at present the cheapest i have found are Oman air from Manchester £338.

 

While in Thailand rent yourself a smallish place, if buying car/motorcycle, register in your name, same for bank account your name only.

as others have warned be careful, the nicest Thai girl can be as scheming as the rest, keep all finances separate.

 

you haven't mentioned the area of Thailand you intend to live, just post and people can help with good/bad areas . expat bars/food etc.

 

all the best in your move, but don't burn bridges, and don't invest more money than you can walk away from, be careful.

[TheFishman1]

So you meet girl after four months your in love and packing up to live here Wow TIT

[scorecard]

13 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

All a bit premature if you ask me come here and see how things go first. 

 

Nothing wrong with starting to get some facts together, may be useful or critical in terms of making further decisions.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, tomwct said:

You met a girl. Congrats that's what happens when you come to Thailand. You meet a girl and you pay her for her time. Happens everyday and they are easy to get along with as long as you have a pocket of cash. These are some tips for successfully retiring to Thailand. First, date many girls. Try one for a few months and go get another. Two, learn a little Thai. They will talk about you behind your back. Third, do not bring a lot of cash with you.because you'll be renting an apartment and/or a house for 2-3 years. Your first Visa will cover you for a year of retirement. Fourth, Do Not Buy Anything except maybe transportation, bike, motorcycle, or car. Put in YOUR NAME not the girl you just met! Fifth, do not retire to a Tourist Area, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, ect. You came to Thailand to experience Thailand, not the Go Go Bars. Try NE Thailand, Korat, Khon Kaen, ect. Sixth, Do Not Buy Anything until you decide to live here permanently and always seek help from fellow Expats who have lived here for a long time. Visit the villages, but stay no longer than 1-2 weeks. You do not want to live in your present GF's Village!

 

And, as already mentioned get medical insurance (applicable to Thailand) before you come, lots of options on this, maybe other ex UK guys can suggest some medical insurance company names. And note hospital costs in Thailand (apart from government hospitals) are steadily rising.

 

Just recently we paid the bill for 3 nights in a 3 / 4 star hospital for my Thai son's mother in law, way outside of the city area. 25,000Baht just for the room for 3 nights, plus around 5,000 for doctors rounds, nursing fees, very simple medications, check-in / check-out fees and more. 

[Kwasaki]

10 hours ago, berybert said:

And who gives a damn. Fraud is having your pension frozen. Legalize fraud maybe, but still fraud.

Irresponsible behaviour and we will have to agree to disagree,  I give a dam.

Don't want my pension stopped and get a criminal convictions against me which could get me kicked out of Thailand.

Not my way at looking at it you should of known your pension would be frozen when you made the decision to live in Thailand, that goes for all your ' likers ' too. 

[geronimo]

11 hours ago, Keith5588 said:

Hi all,

Thanks for all your replies.

 

I need to telephone HMRC about another matter and will ask them a few questions.

 

I have thought a lot about what to do, there is some truth to the saying of old people "that they do not regret anything they have done, it's what they didn't do that they regret". I have a large garden and without family near it is difficult to just go and leave my home empty except over the Winter months and then neighbours and friends helped last time by visiting my house. Now renting out my house seems to be best way forward.

 

My Thai girlfriend is 50 years old.  I think most Thai females look for financial security when they are with a farang, but I'm not going to build her a house (she has her own house in her village), or get married. I just feel it is right to give it a chance in being with her for a longer time, actually last time we were together for only 6 weeks but it was 24/7 always together.

 

All the 3 letting agents I saw seem to feel it is best for me to inform HMRC that I will be letting my house and living abroad. One said that some landlords do not inform HMRC but HMRC usually eventually find out.  I cannot lie to the letting agency as I would need to be informed and also probably make decisions about tenants and repairs etc.

Yes I worked hard for over 40 years.

 

Thanks

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go for it Keith! You are right about regrets and you have assets, just be careful with the females here, and hopefully, you'll have a great life in LOS.

[ignis]

42 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

And, as already mentioned get medical insurance (applicable to Thailand) before you come, lots of options on this, maybe other ex UK guys can suggest some medical insurance company names. And note hospital costs in Thailand (apart from government hospitals) are steadily rising.

 

Just recently we paid the bill for 3 nights in a 3 / 4 star hospital for my Thai son's mother in law, way outside of the city area. 25,000Baht just for the room for 3 nights, plus around 5,000 for doctors rounds, nursing fees, very simple medications, check-in / check-out fees and more. 

maybe for the 1st time, for how long will they cover...  really it is a question of doing leg work and visiting Hospitals in the area your going to live..  

 

myself registered with 3 hospitals...  anything minor then next Village to the Government Hospital..  eg, last visit see Dr, then see nurse for injection + 3 x   medication Pills for a week = total bill 204 baht...  anything a bit more then go to the nearest Town.. have had a couple of surgeries done + 1 night stay 900 baht with room + Drs + Nurse and food fees [Dr Fee 400 baht]......... anything more major, then maybe 1st visit this hospital for test.. then go to the Red Cross Hospital in Bangkok...  Room with nurses fee and food = 700 baht per night.. stayed there 6 days last year.....  still visit the Dr/specialist every 3 months.. Dr/specialist fee  is 200 baht, Nurses Fee is 50 baht....  Buy about 50% of my medication there as cheaper than a Thai Pharmacy.. 

 

 medical insurance here is very expensive..... eg age and pre-extincting conditions, with 'in' and with 'out' cover  etc..  

 

Edit:  as a PS lived here over 14 years

Edited May 2, 2017 by ignis

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, teddog said:

Surprised a statement as this has emerged in a thread concerning a near OAP seeking advice.  For one its not "fraud" as you would know it,nothing illegal,no criminal act,all you are doing by not opening yourself up to eventual poverty if many years are to be spent in TH,keep your money,its yours paid for over the years,not to be browbeaten by a stupid system that was introduced donkeys years ago and many attempts now to cast off.  

  I assume the poster is already in the "net" and jealousy rules, do not be a mug

OK l guess and except you don't know what l am referring too. 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

 

Nothing wrong with starting to get some facts together, may be useful or critical in terms of making further decisions.

Yeah there are so many factors and different opinions on TV his head will be spinning.  

[pauleddy]

After 13 years here I can only echo the advice of sceptics. Thailand is a hot and dirty dump. Most "romantic" partners are after your money. It is virtually an unwritten law that girls (and sometimes boys) must send money to mother in a village (or keep a whole family). A few years back, I was living with somebody who was giving me 40 GBP a month to offset rent, power, wifi, food and everything (about 600 pounds a month back then). I did not find out for 9 months that the person was sending 160 pounds a month to keep a family. The last person with whom I got hooked up for a while asked to move into my large house, and actually dumped me when I asked for a token 4000 baht ALL FOUND, to live in a large house where 4,000 does not even cover the electricity. The person could not fathom that it's a 2-way street---giving money also brings a sense of entitlement and stability.

 

The romance vs. family culture here is 180 degrees opposite, and you cannot escape it. I have asked several Thais about "who comes first?" and it is always the parents, then the siblings, and even the old pals from junior school (Thais have "clusters" of friends from school who support eachother forever). The lover or white boyfriend is about number 4 down the list.

 

A friend of mine who is happily hitched to a Thai has given up the fight. He regularly pays for mother to have a new bathroom or car. He calls it "The Tax". It is what you pay for living here. I hate the idea. I have dumped more than one person when they started to ask for money. AND:--be careful because the smart ones REFUSE your money today but play the long game! You may not get asked for a car or holiday for 12 months, while you are being reeled in. All desire for money will be happily denied.

 

I can already hear the indignation...OK, there exists a minority who are happy with the trade-off or consider themselves in a stable relationship. But they are not in the majority.

 

Eddy