Possible Council tax decrease for Mojacar

The IBI land value tax Mojacar is too high, said the town’s Mayor.

During a recent interview on Spectrum FM Radio Mayor Rosa Maria Cano said there is a good chance that taxes will go down next year if more property owners start paying their dues.

She explained that in a meeting with the sub-director of the land registry in Madrid she had been informed that Mojacar’s tax could be lowered but that the land registry must first be updated.

Cano explained that a company contracted by the regional government, the Junta de Andalucia, has taken detailed aerial photos of all houses and other buildings in Mojacar as part of a campaign to update the land registry.

Cano said that the aerial photos are very precise and are being used to measure the size of buildings and verify them with the details on the land registry.

She said that some citizens are paying too much tax relative to the size of their property, others are paying too little and that many are simply not paying at all because they aren’t registered.

The local police have been visiting homes where discrepancies have been found (700) and giving property owners official letters explaining the situation.

Cano pointed out that although the photos are very accurate, errors can occur and that people who have received letters should take them to the town hall office in Marina de la Torre in Mojacar Playa within ten days and make claims if necessary.

She said that about 200 people had already visited the office in response to receiving such letters.

In a recent EWN interview with Ric Polansky, Cano said that many foreigners have bought properties and not been paying taxes.

She said that they think they have ‘escaped’ but that the town hall will have no choice but to put embargoes on their bank accounts.

When asked in the Spectrum interview what will happen to holiday home owners who are not currently in Spain so don’t receive their letters, Cano said that the situation has gone on long enough and people have had plenty of time to register their properties.

She repeated that it was very important to go to the town hall office and that the final deadline is March 20.

Property owners that don’t present their paperwork before the deadline may face fines from the national tax office (Hacienda) as well as having to make back payments.

If in any doubt one should seek legal advice or speak to the town hall.

By Susan Leach
susan.leach@euroweeklynews.com