Will Other Spanish Regions follow Barcelona

I seen on another forum I use a real sad story with a couple who could lose everything and maybe face prosecution as a result of this in Barcelona

Here in Barcelona there is a huge witch hunt for illegal tourist lets and due to an aggressive campaign this tax year 25,000 letters to those discovered on the internet have received a letter from Hacienda asking for declarations from 2011 to 214, plus of course 2015.

I wonder if this will happen in other regions

Sad story?   They should pay their taxes.   

Roly2

I agree with you but it is still sad and a lesson to many - maybe a lot more people should start looking over their shoulders and stay awake at night a bit more

You need a Touristca license and pay  tax on the profits that you make on holiday let's. ,I thought this was a leagal requirement all over Spain I heard this about 5 years ago and I am sure the people you are talking about new this as well remember there is no excuse for ignorance in a court of law.

I am sure other regions will follow.

We have rented from UK owners who I suspect didn't declare their earnings, however in many cases they have charged similar to legitimate rentals, and have provided very poor service standards. We now rent on a fabulous complex with 3 pools (2 heated), gym, sauna, steam room etc, maid service, security guards, lovely gardens, tennis courts, the electrician and plumber are a phone call away and the reception staff can't do enough for us.

It's a human failing to think that you are getting a better deal by dealing cash in hand, do the illegal taxi's still exist? If the answer is yes I can't see why anyone would use an unlicenced driver of an old banger when they can pre pay with Viva and have a legitimate limousine and professional driver waiting at the airport and outside your rental at the end of your holiday, it cost us £70.00 return for two 35km trips.

So that would be  (at current FX) €91. Compare with Alicante "full" fare of €286 for 2x110km trips, Whereas I pay €140 in a good clean up to date car. Who is ripping off whom?

Probably not the real taxi driver who has had to pay for his taxi license, pay tax on the income, pay extra insurance for the right to carry fare paying passengers and, if self employed, the social security payments.

Whereas your nice, up to date car driver does not have a license to carry passengers, does not have insurance to cover those passengers, does not pay tax on the money he gets .......well, you see where I'm going.

Marcbernard,

I'm not quite sure what you are saying, I find a good legal service for £70.00 return (Malaga airport to Calahonda and back) in a quality vehicle is good value, what could I save by using the man in the bar? £10.00 maybe £20.00 stuff that, I'll stick to Viva. 

mariedav

well said

pirate taxis (and dodgy landlords) are crooks end of story whether their car is clean or not

those who use them would be the ones who shout the loudest if an accidnt happend and no insurance and complain about the illegals in the UK

noe excuse for tax dodging (tax pays for a lot of things we take for granted) , illegal rents or illegel taxis - those who pay are just as guilty and the root of the problem

Spanish taxi drivers  Are running a illegal close shop the Spanish government have been ordered by the EU to allow competitive private hire just like you get in other EU states but have not complied as of yet .hear in the UK if you want to run a taxi business it is as easy as going to the local council and applying for a licence try that in spain and you will be shown the door so you will just have to live with the rip, off Spanish taxi firms extremely high Price's ,I have also heard that Spanish taxi drivers when they retire sell the badge illegally on for up to €250,000 cash in hand .

windtalker - I have heard similar stories about the fees for taxi licences and transferring etc. and I heard about the deregulation rule but nothing else in the way of enforcement by Spain or the EU - so is it really enforceable

if this EU ruling came about howmnay of tehse pirate taxis would go legal and pay extra insurance?

however, that does not justify any pirate taxis who do not have insurance and pay NO tax and if people want to take the risk then as Hep says for 10 ro 20€ extra is it really worth it.

Wonder if peoples travel insurance would pick up the tab if they were involved in an accident to cover any injuroes, losses etc whilst "hiring" an ilegal taxi or in an unlicenced holiday rental

I find Spanish taxis no more expensive than anywhere else I have used taxis recently

I for one hope so, some of the crap these holiday rentals are let out to could not give a f--k about the surrounding property owners that live next door the people that own the villa next to mine let their property out once and that was the last untill I reminded then about the Turistca licence and the Tax that had to be paid they have now put the villa up for sale . 

I'm curious: as far as I know, one of the criteria for the tourist rental licence is that any and all advertising must show the licence number. I've just looked at half a dozen or so random properties on rentalia.com and haven't come across a licence number yet. This is one of the best known portals in Spain, so surely it would be extremely easy for the authorities to crack down on owners advertising there without licence numbers? But what about those advertising only on foreign language (non-Spanish) websites? Unless someone reports them, how are the Spanish authorities ever going to discover them all?

One other point: the requirement to provide free wifi to guests is surely unfair: I know of at least one 3* hotel near me that charges guests for wifi (it even charges to hire sun loungers by the pool!), so how can private landlords be forced to provide a service (not free to them) over and above that of hotels?

But what about those advertising only on foreign language (non-Spanish) websites? Unless someone reports them, how are the Spanish authorities ever going to discover them all?

Well Roberto, apparently the authorities have commissioned a 'bot' that will undertake a ongoing automated search of these websites and any adverts not displaying the ATR number will be cataloged for further inquiries - there is no hiding place

I understand the wifi requirement in Malaga has beed dropped - See SPI

Interesting. Considering most Spanish govt.websites are so poorly developed (most don't work properly in one or other of the main browsers), I remain a tad sceptical  Do the "authorities" really know what a bot is, let alone how to commission one?!