By Trevor Hughes…
First Time Driving License Applications
When applying for a first-time TRNC driving license, you will need to have your paper work “rubber” stamped by the tax office personnel, as before. Now here’s the change. There is now a charge of 29.50tl which must be paid over the counter at the tax office and you will be given a receipt. This must accompany your application in Lefkoşa. Without their official stamp and receipt, your application will be rejected.
Change of Address
If you need to change your living accommodation, you will need to inform KiB -TEK accordingly, so they can update their files in your name.
To make these changes for the new owner/ renter you will be charged 1400 TL, but this could depend on the size/type of property you are buying or renting.
KiB -TEK may not be very clever at running their service, but they are certainly past masters on how to charge members of the public for their poor service, with very little effort.
I drove past their site on Monday last week and witnessed three chimneys belching out thick black smoke, which I would presume was far from being healthy!!
Third Party Car Insurance
With effect from June 7th, third party vehicle insurance has been increased by 60%. The decision was taken by a government minister with the support of the Insurance Association to raise the maximum payout limit from 150,000 TL to 300,000 TL in the event of an accident. This should protect you from having to pay out of your own pocket when a large accident occurs and there is a financial shortfall. This has come about due to the weakness of the Turkish lira.
When asking your insurance company for a new or renewal policy, to show the value of your car in UK Sterling and not in Turkish Lira. This is because if you suffer a road traffic accident, there may not be sufficient value in the Turkish Lira to cover the full cost of repair and any shortfall must be met by the policy holder.
If you have full comprehensive insurance and the cost to repair falls short of the maximum Lira, any shortfall will need to be paid by you!
Remember, your car is devaluing faster if it’s shown on your policy in Turkish Lira and not British pounds!
Electric Car Windscreen Replacement
If you own a hybrid or electric car and you suffer damage to the windscreen, before taking out a new/renewal policy, ask your provider if the policy covers you for a replacement screen if and when needed?
After undertaking research on these screens, it became evident that they can be very expensive and it takes skilled personnel to be able to fit them. They need to ensure the fittings which are attached to your old screen, operating numerous devices on your car, may need to be calibrated.
You may have to pay your insurance company an excess to have this facility included on your policy?
Capital Insurance has thoroughly investigated the possible need to replace screens and is fully equipped to be able to carry out the replacement facility, if and when needed.
If you have one of these electric cars, you may decide to have a charging point fitted at home, but you will need a specific charging point that some electricians have little knowledge about. If a charging point is fitted incorrectly, it could cause untold damage to your home and or your car, in which case an insurance claim may be invalidated.
Not only are they more likely to give you an electric shock, but they can also increase the risk of electrical fires. Always be careful about the length of charging cable you use as a very long cable can cause a fire because of overheating for which your house/car insurance may become void!
Whomever you chose to install your charging point, make sure the electrician follows the manufacturer’s instructions.
The Reintroduction of Face Masks
The Government is carefully considering the wearing of facial masks in closed areas again, due to the increase of Covid cases. Quite what they mean as a closed area we wait for more information.
British Passport Renewal
There has recently been considerable press coverage of people facing travel cancellations due to waiting times for passports.
People who need a new passport should apply for one as soon as possible to ensure their passport arrives on time during peak times and possible industrial action.
Members of the public can also help with their application by ensuring there are no delays, such as using a high-quality photo with a digital code, or applying for a new passport more than 14 weeks before they are due to travel.
It is important to stress; that you should not book travel until you have a valid passport – because your new passport will not have the same passport number as your old one. We at Capital Insurance can make your application in the quickest way possible and use DHL as the UK Government’s preferred carrier, which can circumvent the overload of applications and the possible effects of industrial action, should the post office in the UK decide to take strike action in their pursuit of a pay increase.
Electricity Price Increase
The cost of electricity is increasing in July, yet again! KiB -TEK issued a statement announcing that prices will increase by 56.58 Kuruş per kilowatt hour with effect from 1st July. They announced that prices have to be adjusted at least once every two months.
July Bayram Holidays
Bayram holidays for the month of July, where all Banks, Government/local Government offices, Schools, and some shops will be closed on:
July Friday 8th Monday 11th Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 20th
If you wish to ask me a question, please do so in the contact box below.
Best wishes
Trevor Hughes
