We fled London millionaires’ paradise because we felt unsafe… now we live in sun-soaked haven & even save £1,000 a month
A COUPLE who fled a plush London district because they felt unsafe say they are now saving £1,000 a month in sun-soaked Spain.
Tim Sunderland, 35, and his fiancée, Sally Biddal, 33, ditched their new build studio flat in upmarket Fulham and say they are “living the dream” abroad.
The pair claim the cost-of-living crisis coupled with a spate of local crimes including a stabbing on their street propelled their decision as life in the capital felt like a “chore”.
Life-long Londonder Tim said he felt “a lot of tension” in the city – especially as he and his friend were mugged twice.
Tim – who runs a multi-asset brokerage Mitto Markets – decided to shut up shop in the UK in March and now operates from his laptop on a sunny terrace in Nerja, Andalusia.
The couple claim living in Spain saves them £1,000 every month – and so far, they’ve saved themselves £3,000 by moving out of London.
Tim and Sally – who runs a remote digital agency called Dandelion social – are renting a long-term Airbnb for 90 days in Nerja, costing around 60 euros per night.
He owns his flat in Fulham, but if he was renting his house it would cost at least £2,300-a-month whereas a like-for-like holiday apartment in Nerja costs just £1,700-a-month.
Tim said: “It doesn’t feel like a holiday from Monday to Friday.
“Me and my fiancée both run very full-on businesses and we’re entirely focussed on that.
“Taking on such a heavy work commitment like we have, it’s become completely necessary to take more care of our mental health – and living near the sea in a sunny country and away from a major city, it helps us keep perspective on life
“You rarely ever hear sirens. I have maybe heard two in the three months we’ve been here versus three every two hours in London.”
Tim said the dining scene is also much cheaper, with a beer, water and two tapas dishes often totting up to just 4.45 euros (£3.85).
And his new lifestyle means he can roam around different countries with access to the internet his only requirement.
Due to Brexit and new regulations, Tim can only remain in the EU’s Schengen zone for 90 out of 180 days at a time.
It means the couple can only stay in Spain for three months before they have to leave and cannot return to a Schengen country for another 90 days.
Tim added: “We’re doing 90 days in Spain then 90 in Montenegro, then we will head back to Spain.
“It’s not as easy as it was to live in Spain as it was pre-Brexit.
“But there you can still get a visa if you can prove you are generating income in Spain and employing other people – so we are hopeful we will be able to get this.”