Any rebates available?

[jackdaw]

Like many others we're sitting at home frustrated, unable to visit our Greek house, where the overheads are ticking over. I think I read that DEA were offering a rebate for low consumption customers but our direct debits remain the same. Cosmote still want their 30 euro a month. ENFIA will be due sometime soon. The car is taxed but hasn't moved in 2020. I wonder if there are any schemes to ease the pain for those in our situation or are we just going to have to suck it up and hope for a better year in2021?

[ros21m]

Jackdaw, Reading your post made my blood boil! Yes, there are some schemes for deferring bills etc, for those people LIVING in Greece, who can't pay their bills, because they're not working. The Greek government has been giving some money to prople unable to work, but it's not a lot. Nothing like the UK has been paying out & by no means does it cover everyone, or their bills. A lot of people are literally scraping by, just to put food on the table for their families.


i have seen friends, sat with their head in their hands, crying, because they don't have a single euro, to buy food for their family, let alone pay an electric or water bill

In my village, we have made sure no one has starved, the villagers pulled together, to make sure every person & family had food,

[TweetTweet]

My blood got rather warm too!

Bravo ros21m - my small village is the same i.e. people crying etc and ditto locals pulling together to make sure nobody completely starves.

The covid story will ensure that way too many people throughout Greece (particularly cities) will have very growling stomachs this coming winter. A growling stomach will likely make people do some desperate things.

[SueA]

Thank you, ros21m, for saying what many of us must be thinking. I know so many people who, if they are unable to open their businesses this summer, will struggle to pay their rents in the winter and will probably lose their livelihoods and maybe even their homes. I cannot understand the attitude of people who want help to pay for what is essentially a luxury item. Jackdaw, do you get a rebate on your council tax for the time you spend in Crete? Do you not get charged for your telephone or TV contract when you are in Crete? A little empathy would be nice.

[Maud]

I am speechless...for once! Well said Ros21m.

You are also correct SueA. When on Crete we still have to pay our council tax, telephone line rental, tv contract etc when not in the U.K. I do not expect financial help because I am not using the facilities!

[jackdaw]

Wow. Wrist well and truly slapped. Retreats with tail between legs. Was going to list all we do to support the local economy, but decided to stop digging.

[Kamisiana]

Jackdaw, Reading your post made my blood boil! Yes, there are some schemes for deferring bills etc, for those people LIVING in Greece, who can't pay their bills, because they're not working. The Greek government has been giving some money to prople unable to work, but it's not a lot. Nothing like the UK has been paying out & by no means does it cover everyone, or their bills. A lot of people are literally scraping by, just to put food on the table for their families.


i have seen friends, sat with their head in their hands, crying, because they don't have a single euro, to buy food for their family, let alone pay an electric or water bill

In my village, we have made sure no one has starved, the villagers pulled together, to make sure every person & family had food,

The Greek government seem to have been less than generous with their furlough scheme compared to the rest of Europe just a one off payment of 800 euro for the few, maybe their hands were tied.

[john4d]

I'm sure jackdaw is more than capable of defending himself, but I found the reactions to his post, although understandable, a little strong. What is the expression, you have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand them. No one knows anyone else’s circumstances. A person might have a successful business in the UK enabling them to buy a holiday home in Crete, that business may have been closed for the last 3 months with no immediate prospect of reopening and haemorrhaging money. They may need to reduce expenditure where ever they can.

Remember all jackdaw did was ask if there are any rebates, a not unreasonable question.

The UK has been far more generous to its citizens than the Greek government who have a long history of not caring. The people though, as usual have rallied round their friends and neighbours and supported them. There have been 'social supermarkets' in Crete since at least 2008.

On a lighter note did you know the Nederland’s had furloughed sex workers? Albeit at only €1000 per month, well they've got to keep them off the streets during lock down.

[Kilkis]

It's a simple decision, John. If you want help, go and ask the government to whom you pay your income tax. From his post I am guessing Jackdaw pays his income tax in the UK so go and ask the UK government for help.

How much help would a Greek citizen, resident and tax resident in Greece, who owns a holiday cottage in the UK, get from the UK government? Not a lot I suspect.

Warwick

[Mixos]

I've never met jackdaw but, like john4d, I think the replies to his post were a little strong. I would go further and say the reactions were overblown and unpleasantly holier-than-thou. Jackdaw asked a perfectly reasonable question and a simple "No chance!" would have sufficed. All of us who live, either full or part time in Cretan villages, need no lessons about the hardships suffered by our neighbours and I hope and assume that we treat them with respect and sensitivity. Like jackdaw and hundreds of others, we haven't been able to get to our Cretan home since February and we thank goodness that we have a friend who keeps an eye on the place, feeds the cats and waters the pots. I too watch the money going out each month for electricity, phone and water, although it has never occurred to me that we would be due or expect any rebate. But that's no reason to jump on a forum member who might, as john4d says, have perfectly valid financial or other reasons for asking the question.

[Maud]

My reaction was based on the fact that someone would even consider they were entitled to money from a government that they probably don’t even pay tax to Mixos and John4d. I would not expect or accept a hand out from a Government, when their own people were struggling so much financially.

We make a choice as to how we spend our money, be it on a second home, holidays, or saving for a rainy day. If our circumstances change we hope we can cope with the financial decisions we have made over the years. If not, we have to make changes to our lifestyle, not expect money from a Government that we have not paid taxes in to. (Apologies to you here Jackdaw if you are a Greek tax payer). I don’t feel however that general ‘living costs’ for your home and lifestyle when on Crete constitutes ‘paying in to the economy‘ and deserves a financial hand out. That is stretching things a bit.

If someone wants to own a second home anywhere, it is their choice. I don’t think it is then reasonable to expect financial help if you are unable to use it. This is why I responded to your question the way I did, and I am surprised that others on here feel it is acceptable to ask such a question. - If one asks the question one has to assume that if money was available a person would take it. I am sure all the Greeks who are struggling at the moment would not be happy about handouts to foreigners who can afford to buy a second home in their beautiful country, whilst they cannot afford to put food on their table.

[BST]

Totally agree Maud. I was shocked by his question. Very British

[jackdaw]

As I said in my previous answer to this post, having dug myself a deep hole I'd decided the best option was to stop digging, but now, following another tirade on another post I'm provoked into replying.
Some years ago I read (on here I imagine) that DEA offered a reduction in bills for those who payed early. I pay my bills by DD so expected this percentage cut to show up, but it never did. Put off by the queueing in the office in Chania I shrugged my shoulders and continued to pay. Then, more recently I read (in one of the English language newspapers on line) that DEA were offering a discount for low-usage customers. This offer preceded the pandemic and, as I understood it, was not a government initiative to help Greeks, exclusively, to cope in this time of difficulty. So I asked my question. I expected an informed answer (or, as someone else answered 'No chance')
I'll remind those on here who used to live in the UK that there is a system - SORN - where any vehicle kept off the road is not liable for road tax. I thought there might be a Greek equivalent.
So there it is. Next week we'll arrive on Crete and, as always, begin making our 'insignificant' contribution to Greek government coffers. Maybe I'll go to see Nico, at the hardware store and cancel my order for aircon. I can manage another year without it. The car couldl go without its annual full service. It'll be fine. The stone wall in the garden? I'll tell the masons that I might do it next year. And scrub the occasional meal in my neighbours struggling taverna. And a few beers in the kafe. I believe all these Cretans would have welcomed my money.
The ultimate insult 'so British'. I have always avoided my fellow Brits, tourists and Ex-Pats alike. I prefer the company of local people, even though I struggle to understand their conversation. The comments on here have done nothing to make me change my mind.

[SueA]

... begin making our 'insignificant' contribution to Greek government coffers. Maybe I'll go to see Nico, at the hardware store and cancel my order for aircon. I can manage another year without it. The car couldl go without its annual full service. It'll be fine. The stone wall in the garden? I'll tell the masons that I might do it next year. And scrub the occasional meal in my neighbours struggling taverna. And a few beers in the kafe. I believe all these Cretans would have welcomed my money.
The ultimate insult 'so British'. I have always avoided my fellow Brits, tourists and Ex-Pats alike. I prefer the company of local people, even though I struggle to understand their conversation. The comments on here have done nothing to make me change my mind.

Well done for doing so much to help the local economy. But it does raise the question that if you have so much money to spend, why did you want a rebate? I'm sure many people would love air-con, a car, a new garden wall, a meal out and a few beers. Unfortunately they are struggling to feed their families at the moment. That won't wait a year.

[Maud]

Rather like cutting off your nose to spite your face’ there then Jackdaw. - Sweating it out without air con, driving your car when it needs checking over and could cause an accident, not building your wall therefore not getting even more enjoyment out of your garden. I believe these things are for your benefit, not that of local Greeks. As for the taverna and bar, - once again you are visiting these for your own pleasure.

Your money might be going in to the Greek economy, but it seems strange to view these activities as a benefit to the locals. I would see them primarily as a benefit to myself. Perhaps that is why our views differ as to your looking for rebates during these difficult times.