HOW DO SPAIN'S LOCAL TAXES COMPARE WITH UK COUNCIL TAX.

HI ALL

I AM WONDERING HOW SPAIN STANDS WITH THEIR LOCAL TAXATION

COMPARED TO THE UK COUNCIL TAX ON LETS SAY A THREE BEDROOM

AVERAGE PROPERTY,WHICH I FIND IN THE UK TO BE QUITE PROHIBITIVE

TO SAY THE LEAST AND RISING YEAR ON YEAR .I AM AWARE IT VARIES

FROM COUNCIL AND AREA TO AREA BUT IT IS STILL AN ENORMOUS

AMOUNT TO DISH OUT EVERY YEAR .

ANY THOUGHTS OR VIEWS ON THIS ?

P.S VERY WARM AND BEAUTIFUL DAY HERE IN UK CLOUDLESS SKY.

REGARDS

HERBY

 We live on an urbanisation, detached villa, 3 beds, 3 bathrooms, on a 600sq metre plot and pay 385 euros a year. In the campo, a similar house may pay only 50 euros. We have some shops, mostly bars, a very inadequate bus service, some have no street lights.poor roads, so it cannot be argued that we have better amenities than a country village that fares better than us. I think the council regard us as a "cash cow". Don't just think of council tax, there are plenty more expenses out here that  wipe out any savings you may make . You will get lots of postings about how cheap it is here,but take them with a pinch of salt. Stay in the UK- have nice holidays in Spain, without the pain!

 Whilst Spains council taxes (IBI) are very low compared to UK, you would also have to take into account the local community fees.  These are fees charged to maintain the pools, pay for street lighting within the community, keep the roads cleaned, maintenance of lifts (if any) and so on.  Depending on the size, these can range from as little as €200 a year up to €1,000 a year plus.  We live on a fairly large community and have 5 swimming pools plus gardens.  Our cost is €600 a year whereas a larger complex across the road (albeit with only 2 pools) pay €300 a year.  

Add our €201 council tax to the community fees and it's €801 a year (approx £650).  OK, less than half what we were paying in UK but it does help to do your homework.  Most properties for sale will tell you how much the community fees are.

On the other hand, our water rates in UK had just gone up to £440 a year and we pay (metered) here about €240 a year (sorry for mixing up pounds and euros).  Electricity is more expensive in Spain than UK but is offset by the fact that the heating bills are so much lower (you need it about 2 months of the year instead of a minimum of 4 months in UK) and we don't have gas bills so it sort of balances out.  

 Bobaol you obviously don't live in Murcia, 2 months only for heating?-you are joking. Heating is needed at least Nov- Feb. You must be a hardy soul!

Council tax 16 € /year. gone down 50% after 2005 revaluation

Water/rubbish 270€ year.

irrigation water approx.50€/year

electric averages 70 /month more in summer ,less in winter.

wood is around 550 for 8,1 tonneswhich last us at least 2 years as the fire is normally only lit for a couple of months.

i have never understood why any one buys something on which there are additional monthly 'community charges' Just a licence for someone to print money .

In 10 years I have never had an xmas day or new years day where I havent sat in the sun in Águilas.

We'd like to see some rain here! .last weeks few hours in the night was only the 2nd time since 1st september last year !

My wife reckons that it's only january & february that are cold , & yes it has dropped to -8º c on some nights ( this is the problem in winter when you get sun all day , you get low overnight temps ) but as soon as the sun comes up the temp i9s soon up to the high teens /20's..

 Thank you all that is really interesting as I am likewise doing my costings. It looks though as if you have accounted for most of the general expenses.

Just the car, travelling, Insurances, clothes, food & some lesser commodities to think about.

Oh!! family & friends visiting mustn't forget that.

Keep the useful information coming. 

 Oh! & Herby, don't shout at us please ...... Over on the left of your keyboard is a key called Caps Lock, press that & you stop shouting. 

But Herby I love the discussion request, it has helped me a lot, and it's cool in the midlands in England.

 How on earth can someone  pay just16 euros IBI? Its crazy, and unfair. -no wonder the councils say they have no money for anything. On Camposol we have the ridiculous situation where out of 4,500 villas,  only 900 owners pay IBI, and in Mazarron town, a third don't pay.Why can't he council get its act together?

Obviously the people of Aguilas are hardy souls if they think you only need heating for 2 months. Here in Camposol. the chimneys are smoking away November -February, and often longer. Why does it seem Camposol is much colder than anywhere else? If you ate your Christmas dinner outside you would have congealed gravy and frozen brussels!