½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

There was a very good talk in the Abbey at San Ruffino, earlier this year, about the Servigliano POW camp and of the local families who helped. I think you were in the UK at the time, but am sure you would have been interested, as know you have been researching it as well. There were quite a few English and ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs there and it was a good night.

And Badger, aren't we a tad Xenophobic here being in the spirit of EU harmony, it's not OK for a Polish person to work and pay taxes in the UK and get the benefits, but it's fine for a Brit to come to Italy and get their Benefits?? I don't begrudge anyone getting what they are due if it's done properly and benefits are transferred (as in the Form S1/S2 not sure what the Polish equivalent is) between Counties but it is not perceived as easily as that, is it, because we are not 'Johnny Foreigner' sponging of the State are we? No I am not xenophobic, as you put it, otherwise would not have worked in Saudi Arabia for 4 years. In fact I had very good Saudi friends as I did not live on a compound, but in the local community. Also we had no problem in taking a Cambodian Tuk - Tuk driver on a weeks holiday from Phnom Penh to Angkor Wat, or buying $50 of food for his family as they were so poor. Had a lovely meal in the Kampong and meeting the Monks and locals in the Temple!!! There you see poverty, without benefits being given. Another case of the 2 cyclo guys we had in Saigon. They lost their businesses after the war to the vietcong, so were living on $10 a day, when they managed to get work that is. We used them every day to sightsee, and bought them meals in restaurants they recommended, which was not part of the $10. Those people I am pleased to help out, not the spongers, layabouts, asylum seekers, benefit cheats or other detrius that comes into the UK from the great EU, just to work the system. I do not receive any benefits in Italy, apart from the reciprical health treatment and a reduced UK company pension, thanks to the last Liebor Govt. If you read the articles properly that I posted, then you would see childcare allowance in Poland is only 3.30Euro per week, but the loophole allows them to claim for their children not living in the UK, so one works in the UK and pays taxes and claims for children in another country. The article just really mentioned the Poles, but I am sure many others are working the system. It's OK, only your money, keep paying!!

Another article from 2008 showing the loophole!!!

So a few of us who have paid taxes etc all our lives, should not be entitled to it then Flip? Its so amazing that since joining the EU, there has been such a influx of member EU countries people flooding into the UK, to get on the benefits wagon. I see no reason why the Polish workers in the UK, can claim child benefit for children that do not even live here, but you begrudge people who have worked all their life in the UK for £200 a year!!! The great Gordon Brown raided pension funds, sold off a load of gold at the lowest price he could get, as he was brainless. No wonder British pensioners are paid the lowest in Europe.

Hi Atessa. 1) The GSHP would be expensive. 2) The ASHP I quoted, would also @ circa 11k be over your budget on the basic system. 3) Alternative, is the Nuos, that you mentioned, plus 2/3 Inverter units. I would estimate, that you would get to about E5000 for that type of setup.

Ariston Nuos. If you do not mind me, commenting on this unit. The Nuos is primarily designed for the low usage ½ûÂþÌìÌà market, where the electricity supply is low. This is why they say only a 300w energy need, with the 1200w heater for a boost. Obviously the reheat time is high, but then you have to take in the amount of water you would normally use over a day. The last price I had on the unit from a few years ago, when first introduced for the 80ltr model was circa E800. On another point with your house heating, you could consider 2/3 air to air inverter units. These would provide winter heating and aircon in the summer.  With a air/air, you could also have the lower rate tariff meter.

We use anything between 9 - 10000kwh per year. I cannot give a accurate figure for the pump, as it is still on the single meter, until I change to the special lower tariff 2nd meter next year. As a rough guide, the heat pump has run from 24/10/2011 to 29/10/2012 for 1788 hrs. Its input is 2.2kwh, so approx 4000kwh. Heating is on 24/7, with hot water timed off overnight. Room temp is set @ 18.5C with hot water @ 48C. Current temperature in the house is 18.7C, with an outside temp of 5.5C, but it must have been around 0C overnight as frost on the cars. Hope this helps

Outside temp must have really dropped down last night. Thismorning was only 8C @ 9.30. Pump had run for 5 hours in 24, so probably 4 hrs on heating cycle!! Temperature outside now 9.6C, inside house at set temp of 18.5C, underfloor flow temp 25C.

Floors are now starting to warm up. Pump had only run for 5 hours so far this week, so will be interesting to see how much by tomorrow morning when I take the readings again!!!

Have not gone grey yet, thinning a little though. 64 soon, but can still drive 400kms to look at projects ...lol