Meet Ross

Hi, I'm Ross, the person behind Your Mate Pat. If you're wondering who Pat is, there's a confession on the about page. Short version: Pat is the expat in all of us, and I'm the one who actually runs the site.

I moved from London to Palma, Mallorca in 2021. Like most people who move to Spain, I spent my first few months learning the bureaucracy the hard way: getting an NIE, registering as autónomo, and trying to find an accountant and a dentist I could actually understand. A lot of what's on the blog started as notes I made while working it out, partly so the next person wouldn't have to.

What I write about

More or less, everything I had to figure out for myself. NIE and residency paperwork, what a gestor actually does, tax and life as an autónomo, and finding doctors, dentists and other professionals who work in English.

I want to be straight about what I am and what I'm not. I'm not a lawyer, a gestor, or an accountant, and nothing I write is professional advice. What I am is someone who has been through this, kept track of what worked and what didn't, and spent a lot of time since talking to other expats and to the professionals who help them. When a topic gets into legal or financial territory, I'll point you toward someone qualified rather than pretend to be one.

How I choose who gets listed

Every professional listed offers their services in English. That's the baseline, and it's the whole reason the site exists. Beyond that, listings come at two levels. The ones marked “Approved by Pat” are the ones I've gone further on, including making direct contact, so you're getting a bit more certainty. The rest are listed, but I haven't personally spoken to them yet.

Either way, treat the site as a strong head start, not the final word. I'd still recommend doing your own due diligence and shopping around before you commit to anyone. What Your Mate Pat saves you is the worst part: finding English-speaking professionals in the first place.

A bit about me

Outside of running Your Mate Pat, you'll find me with my wife and two kids. We love going to the beach, trips up to the mountains or a park in the city. I recently caught the Padel bug, and if I can catch a game of football on the TV, whether that's Barcelona v Real Madrid or UD Poblense v SD Ibiza in Segunda RFEF - Group 3, I'll watch it.

Say hello

You can reach me at ross@yourmatepat.com. If you're a professional who works in English and want to be listed, fill in the contact form. And if you're an expat trying to get something sorted, I hope the site spares you a few of the headaches it was built around.