Hi Purpurei
Correct re the mortgage payments - in fact non resident landlords aren't entitled to claim any expenses at all. Your idea is good....and providing you've got an agreement with the tenant to pay the IBI and community charges there should be no problem, since you can't be taxed on income you're not receiving.
Just a thought, have you considered the tax implications in your home country of receiving a rental income in Spain? For example, the UK/Spain double tax agreement provides that rental income from say a UK situated property is always taxed in the UK, but this doesn't mean that the rental isn't also assessed for tax in Spain.
Normally what happen is that the income tax that would be payable if the property was situated in the Spain is calculated, and an allowance is given for income tax already paid in the UK. If less tax is paid in the UK than would be due in Spain (rare) then the difference is payable in Spain.
Spanish residents can claim expenses against rental received, and they are also entitled to a 50% deduction on the rental income itself, plus they can amortize the property value.
This message was last edited by NeilinElche on 3/29/2009.