Property taxes Mijas, Big Brother is watching

ON January 20, the Foreigners Department of the Mijas council issued a press release concerning the matter of property taxes and advised that the Cadastral Department of the Spanish Inland Revenue during 2013 and 2014, with the help of satellite cameras, carried out a revision of all properties in Mijas.

The result was that the taxes for over 4,000 properties that had carried out enlargement building works of over 15 square metres, most of which were swimming pools, terraces and garages that had not been reported to the Cadastral Planning Department, were updated.

Letters from Inland Revenue Cadastral Department have been sent out to the property owners affected advising them that there would be a charge of €60 to cover the rate adjustment. Due to the number of holiday properties many foreign property owners have not received this letter as they were out of the country.

These properties have been reassessed, and Inland Revenue will collect any additional amount going back four years. The result is that many property owners are receiving a notification from the Mijas Town Hall informing them that they have these extra amounts pending.

“Even though the local government has no intentions of raising taxes, we believe that everyone should pay for what they own,” stated Mario Bravo, economic councillor of the Mijas Town Hall. So, even though the rates (IBI) in most of the cases will go down 6 per cent in 2016, more than 4,000 bills will be increased because of this “correction”.

If any reader has received this letter, please read it carefully and, in case of doubt, contact the Mijas Foreigners Department by telephone on 952 589 010 or e-mail frd@mijas.es.

You may take the opportunity to visit Mijas Town Hall (in La Cala, las Lagunas or Mijas Pueblo) to confirm your address, include your email and mobile number, and even check your Padron.