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Hi Lisa. We use mains gas, because it is very convenient; however, our is a holiday home and many of our neighbours need to use pellets or wood to complement their heating needs as they say that using gas is expensive.... Nevertheless, I have to say that in our case it is not that expensive because the house is very well insulated and compact, and it has very thick stone walls and modern double-glazed windows. It warms up very quickly even after being uninhabited for many months and it keeps the temperature without difficulties. This may show you that there are houses which have problems that are difficult to solve and you must be very careful when you decide to buy something. Insulation is vital if you want to keep costs at a reasonable level.

Hi Leslie and welcome. Best wishes regarding your future plans.

Hi Lisa, you are doing the right thing by trying to find out as much as possible beforehand. Penny´s advice is correct, you will be required to pay something for your ½ûÂþÌìÌà health cover unless you are over the age of 65 (retirement age), but it should not be much and definitely much less than what you pay in the USA.If you are buying a house and it is your first house in Italy you should not worry about ICIThe cost of utilities is very high and heating in winter can be fairly expensive. For this reason, proper insulation and choosing the right heating system are major considerations.There is a taxation agreement between Italy and the USA and here you have the full textMy advice will also be to engage the services of an accountant who knows about the two regimes.Good luck with your plans!

Hello Gavin and welcome. Best wishes regarding the move. Please, keep us informed.

I think that the best thing that you can do is to get a few detailed quotes and compare figures.

We also turn off everything for all the reasons detailed by the others. The house does not take long to warm up and it is more sensible for safety reasons.

A forum, community or whichever way you want to call a discussion place, is what members make of it. Without contributions, there is nothing to talk about. To be alive, interaction is needed. Several people have gone a bit quiet, including myself. In my case, it has nothing to do with the community. I am having a rough time because of some family problems which are affecting me more than what I anticipated. I don't have neither the energy, nor the time to devote to the community. Other people may be experiencing similar problems for different reasons.... it is hard to tell.I don't think that it has much to do with the new format in any case. 

Following Gromit´s advice and your response, I think that, even if the address is wrong on the form, you should contact your bank and ask for direct debit and clarify with them the old address issue. They should be able to help.

A warm welcome James. Great to see that you have thoroughly planned your move. Best wishes for the future. Enjoy Italy!

Hi Maureen and welcome. I am sorry that I cannot help you with Abruzzo, but there are many members in the area who will be able to give you advice.Best wishes regarding your plans.