PAYING SPANISH DIRECT DEBITS FROM UK

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body p

http://www.hifx.co.uk/personal/regular-transfers.aspx

http://www.hifx.co.uk/business/online-international-payments.aspx

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I think so under the SEPA arrangements. Not all banks are doing it (Barclays aren't) but RBS is, others probably are too but this is all I know.

Remus, don't blame the Spanish. The MO you used to buy,  recommended by your adviser,  was almost certainly aimed at avoiding Spanish taxes.  Just like most tax authorities, Spain has been trying to close the loop holes.

.......................  in the meantime would like to pay my bills from UK with a Euro account.  Has anyone done this please? 

In the first instance, why not ask your UK bank, if they cannot do it then thats it.   If the can I  would think that the charges might be on the high side.

http://mibsites.rbs.com/sepa/en/home/how-can-rbs-help/direct-debit

My understanding is payments under the SEPA arrangements should cost no more than domestic payments.

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Sorry Remus if I got it wrong but seems I may not be alone.

This EOS thread from 2011 discussed the same MO.  Under heading;-

“Purchasing a property with a UK company”

This is just one of the posts on that thread:-

14 Sep 2011 12:03 by norm de plume:-  

“I too am a lawyer, albeit retired.  I have considered the private company purchase for my own needs and rejected it as too risky and too expensive. (I believe some transactions have resulted in prosecutions for fraud.)  …………………………….”

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Remus:  It was most certainly NOT to avoid tax.

May I ask why it was then, as all the advice I can find on the web about doing it revolves around avoiding taxes.-.

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I've owned several properties in USA & South Africa (none in Spain) via a close corporation (roughly same as a Ltd company). The main advantage has always been speed and opacity. Instead of the long drawn out process of transferring the deeds from, and into, individual's names, and paying transfer duties, the property stays permanently in the name of the company. Just like when you sell stocks and shares in Lloyds Bank they don't have to alter the deeds on all their premises. lol. So you can fill out a share transfer certificate, or whatever, over a beer while counting out the cash, and Bob's your uncle, the company and any property it owns now belongs to someone else. Of course, you can keep a stack of signed undated certificates in your safe. So a farm, for example, might belong to a cc owned by ones children thus avoiding death taxes if the parent dies young. But if the kids (or a wife) got uppity and tried to assert ownership one would doubtless be able to find another signed, undated certificate that they had signed (at time of signing original papers) transferring it back to the parent.Sneaky is as sneaky does. Naturally, thieving governments hate this sort of thing as they like to keep close tabs on transactions so they can pick your pocket. It is one's moral duty to resist.

Remus, you said “It was most certainly NOT to avoid tax ……… I would add that ISAs are to avoid tax.  Tax avoidance is perfectly legal.  Tax evasion is illegal.  It has been said that about 50% of labour in Spain is on the black market.”

ISA’s and tax avoidance using a UK company, the only asset of which is a Spanish property, are not comparable.

If it was not to avoid tax then why did you do it ?  

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Why has this turned into an interrogation of remus98 tax affairs?

I am not saying you did anything wrong (so no need to become abusive) but as you later said, you did not do it to avoid taxes,  I am just asking then why did you do it.  Maybe if readers knew why,  they can suggest how you can get yourself out of the hole you apparently find yourself in.

Hi,  my small house in Spain is in a UK limited company name, done that way in 1988 on accountants advice.  It has not been a problem but recently Denia tax office has insisted that we have various documents with apostile stamps and Spanish translation to say who directors are.  They could look at Companies House web site but they want me to spend €700 doing it and another €250 a year to have a legal rep. Have now done so even though first certificate was 3 weeks old and deemed too old.  BBVA have now frozen my account which I have had since 1988.  They want the same apostile docs but I have refused.  The Benitachell Suma are charging us two different sets of charges due to a change of quota and refuse to deal with me, despite personal visits. I have had a lawyer working on this but without success so far.  I expect this is all to do with raising money for Spain from foreigners to pay their bale-out costs.  I am desperately trying to sell but in the meantime would like to pay my bills from UK with a Euro account.  Has anyone done this please?  TIA.

He already said why ...

"Johnzx.  It was to avoid being sued for millions should an accident happen whilst someone was using it.  Lawyers advised that insurance only covers so much and so many risks.  A limited company can only be sued to the limit of that company, or so we were advised in 1987.  I would never do it again though."