ISSUE NO. 1664
25 - 31 May 2017
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
Rebate revenge Property claims set to snowball By Matthew Elliott The Surplus Value Tax has officially been abolished in Almeria, paving the way for an avalanche of claims from property owners across the province. The controversial toll meant that people who sold their properties were forced to pay tax on the increase in their home’s value since its purchase, even if the pro p e r t y a c t u a l l y d e creased in value. A survey from property specialists Tinsa recently found that more than 10,000 people across Almeria alone sold their homes for less than they paid for them in the past four years. Every one of those homeowners were forced to pay tax on the ‘profit’ they made from the sale. Now, following landmark rulings in the Spanish Constitutional Court, every victim of the convoluted tax system has the right to apply for a full refund. The average tax paid is around € 3 , 0 0 0 . I f all 10,000 Almerians get a re-
fund in that ballpark the total pay out by councils will hit a staggering €30 million. The ruling only applies to properties sold between 2013 and 2016. T h o u g h g o o d n e w s for
sellers who feel cheated by the tax, it is a disaster for local councils. Not only do they face a barrage of legal claims, they will also lose the valuable stream of income the Surplus Value Tax
Property Special
has provided for years. In 2015 for instance Almeria c ity ra is e d €3.5 million from the tax alone, money which it, and councils from Nijar to Mojacar, will now do without.
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HOMEOWNERS: Were forced to pay tax.
Party monsters AT a glitzy event the Popular Party (PP) celebrated their 13th congress in Almeria. The party rules Spain at the national level and local leaders were keen t o set out j ust what Madrid under PP r ul e has done f or Almeria. Spokesman Rafael Her nando sai d t he province will benefit greatly from €25 million in tax cuts for the agricultural sector. He claimed his party has brought 50,000 new jobs to Almeria in the past four years. Her nando ci t ed t he openi ng of t he Poniente desalination plant and investment i n a new one i n t he Levante as a symbol of commitment to resolving the province's water crisis.