How to calculate tax?

Q.- As a non-resident owner of property in Spain, I complete the annual Impuesto sobre la renta de no residentes on Modelo 210, which includes three variable values. The catastral value, and the tax bracket (19 per cent or 24 per cent) can be discovered with a little research, but you must apply a factor of 1.1 per cent or 2 per cent to determine your property tax. This factor depends on how long ago the catastral valuation was calculated. Where can I find this information?

K W (Costa Blanca)

A.- Your catastral value is what in England is called the rateable value, used to assess your property tax. This tax, called the Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles or IBI for short, is paid to your town hall. It is regularly raised a small amount to keep up with inflation. I am going to suppose that you pay your yearly IBI through your Spanish bank.

If you look at your IBI receipts for the last few years and you find a sudden large increase for one year, then you can use the 1.1 per cent figure. Otherwise, apply the 2.2 per cent. If you wish to delve more deeply into this, the Junta de Andalucia publishes a table of tax rates every year.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090