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Hello. I wondered if someone could answer my question as its worrying me silly.
I have lived in Spain for over 7 years now and live in a lovely urbanisation and have lots of lovely neighbours and friends
I have no regrets moving to Spain!
Many of my friends and neighbours are elderly and dont own a car, so I often offer to take them to and pick them up from Alicante and Murcia airports, as well as shooping trips to carrefour etc
I dont take any money or gifts for this as I am just being neighbourly and hope that one day should I or my wife need assistance someone would help me out. In fact I quite enjoy the driving and chatting. I used to be an HGV lorry driver.
I am concerned that I might get a fine as I have read that Alicante airport are recording number plates and fining people who appear regularly at the airport but are not a taxi
As I dont charge for my time or fuel I dont believe I am doing anything wrong
Could someone advise me If I should continue or how I could continue
Its a shame I would have to stop as I am only helping my friends, but I could not afford a big fine
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It sounds innocuous enough I know, but the law in Europe is guilty until proven innocent and it's rather difficult to prove that you have not charged for the service. Although not legal advice, I would be careful as I know someone who did much the same and although he did charge a nominal amount denied that he received any remuneration. He was however hauled into court and fined, just in case! He stopped the service. As you are probably aware, As a non resident in Spain even though you may not let out your property, you still get taxed as though you did, just in case.
M.
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If I were you and wanted to do people a favour I would probably take them to the nearest area with a Taxi service and let them take a taxi the last couple of miles. People have been fined for doing exactly the same thing as you are doing at Alicante Airport, even though they may be totally innocent.. From the Spanish point of view if they see the same people time after time picking people up or dropping them off, you cannot blame them for concluding that there would be some form of reward.
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Lets not be naive here guys.
We all know that some people make a very good 'on the side' income from doing airport runs.
If you do it on an occasional basis with genuine friends and family I do not believe you will have any problems. I have been doing just that for 25 years. I must admit I always give my son and his family big hugs when I drop them off and even give a hug to my friends
Guilty until proven innocent, WRONG, that applies in France (Napoleonic Law) but not in Spain.
And the ‘just in case you rent tax’ is nothing of the sought.
It is that you as the owner have somewhere to stay effectively rent free, like a perk at work, the school caretaker’s house, a company car, etc. on which tax must be paid.
If you let your property in Spain that must (should, in most cases) be declared as Income Tax, and if you are non-resident, that would be in addition to the Non Residents, Foreign Owners Property Tax.
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_______________________
Todos somos Lorca.
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Surely the law in continetal Europe is based upon Roman Law, however, the reference was made more 'tongue in cheek' than factual in order to reflect what seems to me as the attitude of the Spanish legal system. Also, we pay all the normal taxes on our property as demanded by the Junta as well as a special tax levied upon absent owners which I am informed is levied just in case I am letting out my property without declaring it to the applicable taxation authorities.
M.
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Thank you for your thoughts. I always park in the car park whichever airport I am going to. I never use the drop off points. Do you think I will be ok of I do that?.
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My thouhts are..............to good to be true, why would you worry if actually it is true; you often drop off at airport, park in car park don't charge for time or fuel?
You haven't convinced me, so pretty sure you won't convince spanish criminal system either.
_______________________
May be tomorrow.......... Always better today!!
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I'm sorry you don't believe me. I suppose that's the world we live in where people think that a kind gesture to friends can't be achieved anymore.
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johnzx wrote: It is that you as the owner have somewhere to stay effectively rent free, like a perk at work, the school caretaker’s house, a company car, etc. on which tax must be paid.
What a silly statement. As if someone else had bought the property and let you stay there for nothing. Discounting the 7% taxes you paid on the property, possibly a mortgage, the community fees, the standing charges for electricity and water etc, the municipal taxes that are paid every year and the extra non-resident charges levied by the banks. Hardly rent-free. Or do people who live there permanently have to pay rent to enjoy the property they own? Hardly a perk. All the examples you quoted are provided by others free of charge. A house in Spain has certainly not been.
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OK guys, excuse me but I thought I had made my explanation of the Non Resident Property Owners Tax so simple that everyone, , would understand, apparently not so !!!!
I will try again for just for that one, everyone else who will have understood it the first time can switch off.
The tax in Spanish is ‘Renta Imputada.’
When we look that up its:- 'Imputed Tax.'
OK so lets see what the dictionary says about ‘imputed,'
Oh its not so simple after all I fear that guy will not understand, but here goes : -
Income that may not be seen as cash, but instead comes in the form of a benefit...sometimes by having another pay an expense...sometimes by having a benefit provided.
Examples: The value of a car provided by your employer that you may use for personal use. That value is imputed income.
Likewise, the value of having some other benefits - over $50,000 a year of life insurance provided by your employer (the value of the insurance is imputed income).
An employer sponsored (even if what it does just work to make the costs lower) of an on site cafeteria - imputed benefit.
Having a below market rate loan...that some employers provide certain employees...the lower interest that they forgoe is a benefit to you...and hence imputed income.
Opps!
Sorry I fear that this will go completely over 'his' head, in which case 'his' response will be to say that I am silly ! ! !
although 'he' could try going back to my last post, it really is quite simple !
This message was last edited by johnzx on 24/02/2012.
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