Silverman Sherliker rescue Italian super-car in Mallorca

A client based in southern Spain called Jonathan Silverman with an unusual problem recently. The client had been visiting friends in Mallorca earlier that week and had taken with him ‘his pride and joy’, an Italian super-car.

Unfortunately, whilst on the island, he let a friend drive the car, only for him to be stopped by the local police - not for a speeding offence, but as part of a routine driving licence check.

Regrettably, the check revealed the driver was a UK national. The car was on tourist plates and was promptly impounded because one of the privileges of it being on tourist plates (and thus not subject to VAT) is that the car must not be driven by an EU resident.

The client was in luck, to some extent at least, because Jonathan oversees our expat service and specifically handles the affairs of a number of UK nationals living in Mallorca.

Through his existing network of professional contacts on the island, he was able to identify suitable local counsel with a good working relationship with the Balearic tax authorities.

Some days later the car was released from the pound and the client swiftly took it back to the mainland!

Knowing the local rules governing the use of assets such as cars and yachts owned by non-EU residents within the EU requires careful consideration to avoid such horror stories.

For more details of our specialist service for overseas-based UK nationals see www.mallorcauklegal.com or call Jonathan on 020 7749 2700.