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Shady `immigrant tax` dealings

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  • 09-12-2021 2:10pm
    #1
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭


    Recently moved abroad for the second time.

    I arrived and i was accidentally put into the wrong apartment. There was a mix up. A genuine mistake i believe. The apartment im in is quite nice but not the one i wanted.Upon working out a solution of moving to the correct apartment in a couple months when that tenant moves out.. i received a phone call from my real estate agents boss cancelling that agreement unless i agree to pay more rent as they were intending to put up the price of the rest next year.

    I of course, out of self respect wont pay more rent for an apartment i already was suppose to have and was advertised at the same rate of my current wrong apartment.My real estate agent quit her job the next day after getting into a fight with the boss, tell me there are always shady deals done to immigrants. She showed me emails on her phone showing me she fought for my right to same rent but that the boss told her to <translated> sh*t on him </translated>

    I was disappointed. No need for people to treat others disrespectfully and unfairly. There is usually a win win available. I intend to move out and into a different place. Not comfortable staying with a landlord who treats new tenants as such. A few restaurants I've been in have charged me more too. A native friend has popped into the places to show i am with her. The prices have come down. Apparently i was getting the immigrant menu which is common in this area.

    So any stories from others that have found them selves paying immigrant tax like this?



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    #2
    connected1
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭connected1


    And that's why I don't like abroad.

    Sorry, being facetious here. It's never happened to me but maybe I've never been to where you are.

    Would you like to tell people where this happened?



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    #3
    Feenix
    Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭Feenix


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058222064/shady-immigrant-tax-dealings

    No. Would imagine this type of stuff only happens to people you'd spot coming a mile away.



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    #4
    The Ging and I
    Registered Users Posts: 387 ✭✭The Ging and I


    It happens. Where I live theres a local rate for coffee and a tourist rate. Only on the coffee nothing else.



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    #5
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,054 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118295630#Comment_118295630

    That sounds like something I read about Italy - locals will have their morning espresso at the counter and get charged accordingly, but tourists will typically sit at a table and go for something else and ao get charged more. Not sure how broadly it applies but I certainly saw it in effect when I went to Sorrento (though to be fair they didn't hide the prices).

    As to the thread - I'm not sure I like this sort of vague and non-specific "some foreign guy was mean to me" anecdotes like the OP, particularly absent of any detail about where and when it happened. At least a specific location would serve as a warning to others considering moving there.



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    #6
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,943 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Happens in Ireland too.



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    #7
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118297372#Comment_118297372

    Yeah apparently coffee is a big one over here too. tourist prices and local native prices. The general rule seems to be if you dont speak native and arent with a native. You get the inflated prices, unless they know you are a local of course.

    It really surprised me. Im just west of Lisbon in Portugal. Kinda assumed that so much of this would of stopped given how long free travel has been around. Portugal is kinda poor by EU standards so i guess its a hold over from that.



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    #8
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118295533#Comment_118295533

    Im currently west of Lisbon in Portugal.



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    #9
    connected1
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭connected1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299490#Comment_118299490

    I've never been charged differently than a local for food or drink (that I'm aware)

    I know that in some Eastern European countries, there used to be a different ticket price into national monuments, museums etc, for locals. But for those that joined the EU this was outlawed.



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    #10
    El Tarangu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,618 ✭✭✭El Tarangu


    Sometimes it works the other way: a colleague of mine, Greek, rang up a hotel in Greece to get a quote. When she spoke to them in Greek, they gave her a certain price.

    She rang up a few days later and spoke to them in English, and was given a different, cheaper price.

    She claims that this is quite common; she says that Greeks reckon that foreign tourists are more likely to spend more overall, so they offer them a cheaper rate as a sort of loss-leader to get them in the door.



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