Solicitors fees.

Hi Sue,

Did you agree to keep your solicitor on an annual retainer to complete, for example, your Non-resident tax?

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi

Thanks for getting back to me. 

From memory we didn't agree to carry on using them after they arranged our house purchase. They only sort out sumo.,is it easy enough to do this yourself.

Regards

Sue

Hi Sue,

Yes, it's very easy to pay your IBI (Council Tax) and Basura (refuse collection, if it's billed separately, rather than included in you water bill) on the SUMA website, as long as you have sight of the bills, as you will need the bill reference number.  You can request copies of bills by contacting SUMA's helpline on 00 34 965 292 000. 

Go on to www.suma.es - you can change the language to English at the top right corner of the homepage.  From the menu across the top of the page, select 'Tax payers', then 'Pay online' and follow the instructions to pay by debit or credit card.  You can also print off and/or email yourself a receipt.

Alternatively, next time you're in Spain, pop along to your nearest SUMA office or your Spanish bank and arrange a direct debit.

You don't say when you completed on the purchase, but if you didn't own the property on the 1st January this year, the previous owners are liable for this year's IBI bill, which would have been due at the beginning of October.

If you haven't retained your lawyer to submit your Non-resident Tax, you need to find out what their charge refers to.  If you want a much cheaper way of submitting your Non-resident tax, I would recommend using www.spanishtaxforms.co.uk .  I also recommend you read Jim Taylor's guide on this forum, "Non-residents income tax in Spain".

As you've said that you're not renting out your property and depending on when you completed your purchase, your first Non-resident tax return may not be due until end December 2020.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kim, 

Thanks for all your help, it's been really helpful.  We are there next week so will call in to the Suma offices in Rojales. 

Kind Regards

Sue

Hi Kim, 

Thanks for all your help, it's been really helpful.  We are there next week so will call in to the Suma offices in Rojales. 

Kind Regards

Sue

Take your passport

This is very interesting as I am currently about to pay my solicitor €150 annual fee and was wondering what on earth it's for. All my taxes etc. are paid by direct debit or standing order, I just get an email from the solicitor telling me how much it's going to be. I bought my property 4 years ago and have been paying every year since. Last year my wife passed away and I had a list from the solicitor regarding what the charges are going to be. The biggest being €1400 for notary and €1300 solicitor fee. Then charges for deeds, translation, power of attorney etc. All coming to just under €4,000. No discount for paying the annual fee. There was no IHT to pay. All of this came to £750 + vat in the UK. A much bigger property and probate, deeds, will update etc. in the UK. I do wonder what the annual fee is exactly for in Spain, you'd like to think you can trust a solicitor. I am currently questioning what the fee is for, maybe should have done much sooner. 

Hi Olwen

Seems to me when reading your message,that you are paying everything yourself.

You need to contact the solicitor ask what are you paying them for?

Good luck 

Let's know how you get on.

Regards

Sue

Hi Sue, the solicitor told me that the fee was for submitting non resident tax form annually, in Spanish, and also a retainer to be available for any other things that crop up. I did ask if they charged to keep a copy of my will. The answer was not very clear. In the uk the solicitor makes the will for a one off fee, then stores the will foc for many years. Interested in any other views on this, particularly the annual non resident tax form