The Annual Tax Compliance Checklist for UK Non-Resident Property Owners in Spain

If you own a property on the Costa del Sol and you are not a Spanish tax resident — meaning you spend fewer than 183 days per year in Spain and your primary economic and personal ties remain in the UK — you are classified as a non-resident property owner (propietario no residente) under Spanish law. This classification comes with a set of annual tax and financial obligations that are fundamentally different from what you are used to in the UK, and many of them catch UK owners by surprise.

The single most common mistake is assuming that if you are not renting the property, you owe no Spanish tax. This is wrong. Spain imposes a tax on imputed income (renta imputada) — a deemed rental value — on every non-resident property owner, whether the property is rented, used as a holiday home, or sits empty all year. Beyond this, there are council taxes, waste charges, community fees, insurance renewals, and potentially wealth tax filings. Miss any of these and you face surcharges, interest, and the risk of audit.

This guide sets out every annual obligation, quarter by quarter, with the exact deadlines, applicable rates, and approximate costs for a typical Costa del Sol property. If you are still in the buying phase, our costs and taxes guide covers the one-off purchase costs, while our UK buyers' page provides the complete purchase process overview.

The Most Common Mistake: "I Don't Rent, So I Don't Owe Tax"

This misunderstanding affects a large proportion of UK non-resident property owners in Spain. In the UK, if you own a second home and do not rent it, there is no income tax obligation on the property (you pay council tax, but there is no deemed income tax). The UK system simply does not tax you on the theoretical income a property could generate.

Spain takes a fundamentally different approach. Under Article 24.5 of the Non-Resident Income Tax Law (Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta de no Residentes — LIRNR), non-resident owners of Spanish property who do not rent the property are deemed to receive imputed income based on the property's cadastral value (valor catastral). This imputed income is taxable even though no actual income is received. The logic from the Spanish tax authority's perspective is that by owning a property in Spain, you are deriving an economic benefit (the right to use it or the ability to rent it), and that benefit should be taxed.

Failing to file and pay this tax does not generate an immediate demand or letter from the Agencia Tributaria in most cases. Spain's tax authority relies on periodic compliance checks and cross-referencing of property records with tax filings. This means some owners go years without filing, believing they are in the clear. In reality, they are accumulating unpaid tax, surcharges, and interest that the tax authority can — and eventually does — pursue. The statute of limitations is four years from the filing deadline, and the Agencia Tributaria has access to Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) and Catastro records to identify non-compliant owners.

Quarter-by-Quarter Calendar of Obligations

The following calendar shows when each obligation typically falls during the year. Some dates are fixed by law, while others (such as IBI) vary by municipality. All dates refer to obligations for a typical UK non-resident owner of a single residential property on the Costa del Sol.

Q1: January to March

Obligation	Deadline	Details
Modelo 210 — rental income (Q4 of previous year)	20 January	If you rented the property in October-December of the previous year, the quarterly Modelo 210 filing for that quarter is due within 20 calendar days of the end of the quarter
Community fees (comunidad)	Varies (monthly or quarterly)	Ongoing direct debit or bank transfer to the community of owners
Modelo 720 — overseas asset declaration	31 March	Only applies if you are Spanish tax resident. Non-residents do not file Modelo 720. Included here for completeness, as some UK owners with dual residence questions may need to consider it

January is a relatively quiet month for non-resident obligations unless you had Q4 rental income. However, it is a good time to review the previous year's compliance, confirm that all Modelo 210 filings are up to date, and ensure your Spanish bank account has sufficient funds for the year's upcoming direct debits.

Q2: April to June

Obligation	Deadline	Details
Modelo 210 — rental income (Q1)	20 April	If you rented the property in January-March, the quarterly filing is due by 20 April
Home insurance renewal	Varies (typically annual anniversary)	Annual renewal of seguro de hogar. Premiums are debited automatically unless you cancel or switch provider
Wealth Tax (Modelo 714)	30 June	Only applies if your net Spanish assets exceed the applicable threshold. See detailed section below
Community fees	Varies	Ongoing

The key date in Q2 is 30 June — the deadline for Wealth Tax (Modelo 714) if applicable. For most UK non-resident owners of a single property below EUR 3,000,000, Wealth Tax will not apply (see the detailed section below). But if you own a high-value property or multiple Spanish assets, this is a critical filing.

Q3: July to September

Obligation	Deadline	Details
Modelo 210 — rental income (Q2)	20 July	If you rented the property in April-June, the quarterly filing is due by 20 July
IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles)	Varies by municipality	Marbella: September. Estepona: see Q4. Fuengirola: typically August-September. Mijas: typically September. Check your specific municipality
Basura (waste collection tax)	Varies by municipality	Often billed alongside IBI or separately. Marbella: typically collected with IBI in September
Community fees	Varies	Ongoing

Q3 is when the major municipal taxes hit for many Costa del Sol towns. IBI — Spain's equivalent of UK council tax — is the largest regular local tax you will pay. Ensure your Spanish bank account has sufficient funds to cover the direct debit. If you do not have a direct debit set up, you must pay at the designated bank or town hall during the voluntary payment period (typically two months). Missing the voluntary payment period results in a surcharge of 5% to 20%.

Q4: October to December

Obligation	Deadline	Details
Modelo 210 — rental income (Q3)	20 October	If you rented the property in July-September, the quarterly filing is due by 20 October
IBI (some municipalities)	Varies	Estepona: typically October. Benalmadena: typically October-November. Check your municipality's calendar
Basura (some municipalities)	Varies	Some municipalities bill basura in Q4 separately from IBI
Modelo 210 — imputed income (full previous year)	31 December	The annual Modelo 210 for imputed income on non-rented property for the previous calendar year is due by 31 December. For example, imputed income for 2025 must be filed by 31 December 2026
Community fees	Varies	Ongoing

The most important date in Q4 for non-resident owners is 31 December — the deadline for filing the annual Modelo 210 for imputed income. This is the tax that catches most UK owners unaware, and it is detailed in the next section.

Modelo 210 for Imputed Income (Non-Rented Property)

Every non-resident who owns Spanish property and does not rent it (or rents it for only part of the year) must file Modelo 210 to declare imputed income on the days the property was not rented. The calculation is as follows:

Step 1: Determine the Cadastral Value

The valor catastral (cadastral value) of your property is set by the Spanish Catastro (cadastral office) and is shown on your IBI receipt. It is typically 30-50% of the market value, though this varies significantly by municipality and when the last cadastral revision took place. For a property with a market value of EUR 400,000 on the Costa del Sol, a typical cadastral value might be EUR 120,000 to EUR 200,000.

Step 2: Apply the Imputation Rate

The imputation rate is:

• 1.1% of the cadastral value if the cadastral value has been revised or updated in the last 10 years
• 2% of the cadastral value if it has not been revised in the last 10 years

Most municipalities on the Costa del Sol have had cadastral revisions within the last decade, so the 1.1% rate typically applies. If unsure, check the year of the last revision on your IBI receipt (it shows the "Ano revision" or "Ponencia de valores").

Step 3: Apply the Tax Rate

The imputed income is taxed at 19% for UK owners. This is significant and worth emphasising: despite the UK's departure from the EU, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) has ruled — and the Spanish courts have followed — that the 19% rate (the same rate applied to EU/EEA residents) must be extended to non-EU residents in certain circumstances, on the grounds that the free movement of capital provisions apply to third-country nationals. The Spanish tax authority (Agencia Tributaria) has largely accepted this position for imputed income filings, meaning UK owners can file at 19% rather than the standard non-EU rate of 24%.

Example Calculation

For a property with a cadastral value of EUR 150,000 (revised within the last 10 years):

• Imputed income: EUR 150,000 x 1.1% = EUR 1,650
• Tax at 19%: EUR 1,650 x 19% = EUR 313.50

For a property with a cadastral value of EUR 250,000:

• Imputed income: EUR 250,000 x 1.1% = EUR 2,750
• Tax at 19%: EUR 2,750 x 19% = EUR 522.50

The amounts are not large — typically EUR 200 to EUR 600 per year for a standard Costa del Sol property — but the obligation is absolute, and non-compliance creates problems that are disproportionate to the amounts involved.

Filing Deadline

The Modelo 210 for imputed income must be filed by 31 December of the year following the tax year. For example, the imputed income for the 2025 tax year must be filed by 31 December 2026. The form can be filed and paid electronically through the Agencia Tributaria website, or your tax adviser (asesor fiscal or gestor) can file it on your behalf. Most UK non-resident owners appoint a gestor to handle all their Spanish tax filings — the typical cost is EUR 100 to EUR 250 per filing.

Modelo 210 for Rental Income

If you rent your property (whether as a long-term rental or short-term holiday let), the income must be declared on quarterly Modelo 210 filings. The deadlines are within 20 calendar days of the end of each quarter:

• Q1 (January-March): file by 20 April
• Q2 (April-June): file by 20 July
• Q3 (July-September): file by 20 October
• Q4 (October-December): file by 20 January of the following year

Tax Rate and Deductions — The 2025 Ruling

This area has undergone a significant and positive change for UK property owners. Historically, non-EU residents (including UK owners post-Brexit) were taxed at 24% on gross rental income, with no ability to deduct expenses. EU/EEA residents, by contrast, were taxed at 19% on net income (after deducting allowable expenses such as mortgage interest, maintenance, insurance, community fees, IBI, utilities, depreciation, and management costs).

This disparity was challenged in the Spanish courts, and in 2025 the Audiencia Nacional (Spain's highest administrative court below the Supreme Court) ruled that denying expense deductions to non-EU residents contravened the free movement of capital provisions of EU law (which extend to third-country nationals). Following this ruling, UK owners can now argue that they are entitled to deduct expenses against their rental income, just as EU/EEA residents do. For more detail on this ruling and its practical implications, see our article on rental income tax deductions for UK landlords.

In practice, this means:

• Pre-ruling position: 24% tax on gross rental income, no deductions
• Post-ruling position: 19% tax on net rental income (after allowable deductions), or 24% on gross if you prefer not to claim the ruling (unlikely)

Allowable Deductions (Post-2025 Ruling)

The following expenses are deductible against rental income for EU/EEA residents and, following the 2025 ruling, for UK non-resident owners:

• Mortgage interest (proportionate to the rental period)
• IBI (proportionate to the rental period)
• Community fees (proportionate to the rental period)
• Insurance premiums (home insurance, liability insurance)
• Repairs and maintenance (not capital improvements)
• Management and letting agent fees
• Utilities paid by the owner (electricity, water, gas, internet) during rental periods
• Cleaning and laundry costs between lettings
• Depreciation — 3% of the acquisition cost of the building (excluding land value) per year
• Legal and professional fees related to the rental activity

The deductions can only be claimed for the periods the property is rented or genuinely available for rent. For the days the property is used personally or left empty and not marketed for rent, the imputed income rules apply instead.

Example: Mixed-Use Property

Consider a property rented for 120 days per year and used personally or left empty for the remaining 245 days:

Rental period (120 days):

• Gross rental income: EUR 18,000
• Deductible expenses (proportionate): EUR 7,200
• Net rental income: EUR 10,800
• Tax at 19%: EUR 2,052

Non-rental period (245 days):

• Cadastral value: EUR 150,000
• Imputed income: EUR 150,000 x 1.1% x (245/365) = EUR 1,108
• Tax at 19%: EUR 210

Total annual Modelo 210 tax: EUR 2,052 + EUR 210 = EUR 2,262

IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) — Spain's Council Tax

The IBI is an annual local property tax levied by the municipality (ayuntamiento) where the property is located. It is Spain's equivalent of UK council tax, though it is calculated very differently.

How It Is Calculated

IBI is calculated as a percentage of the cadastral value (valor catastral). The rate is set by each municipality within a range established by law:

• Urban properties: 0.4% to 1.1% of cadastral value
• Rural properties: 0.3% to 0.9% of cadastral value

Most Costa del Sol municipalities apply rates toward the middle or upper end of the range. Typical effective rates for popular municipalities:

Municipality	Approximate IBI Rate	Typical Payment Period
Marbella	0.54% to 0.72%	September
Estepona	0.56% to 0.66%	October
Mijas (including La Cala de Mijas)	0.62% to 0.80%	September
Fuengirola	0.70% to 0.85%	August-September
Benalmadena	0.65% to 0.78%	October-November
Manilva (including La Duquesa)	0.60% to 0.75%	September-October
Malaga city	0.59% to 0.73%	September

Example

A property in Marbella with a cadastral value of EUR 180,000 and an IBI rate of 0.62%:

IBI = EUR 180,000 x 0.62% = EUR 1,116 per year

A property in Estepona with a cadastral value of EUR 120,000 and an IBI rate of 0.58%:

IBI = EUR 120,000 x 0.58% = EUR 696 per year

Payment

IBI is paid annually, typically by direct debit (domiciliacion bancaria) from your Spanish bank account. Each municipality sets its own voluntary payment period, usually lasting two months. If you do not pay during the voluntary period, a surcharge (recargo) of 5% applies immediately, increasing to 10% after three months and 20% after six months, plus interest at the statutory rate (currently 3.75% per annum).

If you buy a property mid-year, the seller will typically have already paid the IBI for that year. The notary may prorate the IBI at completion (this is negotiable and should be addressed in the purchase contract).

Basura (Waste Collection Tax)

The basura (tasa de basura or tasa de recogida de residuos solidos urbanos) is a separate municipal charge for household waste collection. Unlike IBI, which is a percentage of cadastral value, the basura is typically a flat fee per property, varying by municipality and property type.

Typical annual basura charges on the Costa del Sol range from EUR 80 to EUR 200 per year for residential properties. Some municipalities (such as Marbella) include the basura on the same bill as IBI, while others issue a separate bill. In some municipalities, the basura is collected by the water utility company (as a surcharge on the water bill) rather than by the town hall directly.

As with IBI, failure to pay results in surcharges and interest. The amounts are small, but non-payment can create bureaucratic complications when selling the property, as the notary will typically check for outstanding municipal debts before completing the escritura.

Community Fees (Comunidad de Propietarios)

If your property is part of an apartment complex, urbanisation, or gated community, you will be required to pay community fees (cuotas de comunidad) to the community of owners (comunidad de propietarios). These fees cover the maintenance and running costs of shared facilities and common areas, including:

• Gardens, pools, and communal areas maintenance
• Lift maintenance and insurance
• Building insurance (seguro de la comunidad)
• Cleaning of common areas
• Security and concierge services (if applicable)
• Communal water and electricity (for gardens, pools, hallways, car parks)
• Reserve fund (fondo de reserva) — legally required to be at least 10% of the annual budget

Community fees vary enormously depending on the size and facilities of the development:

• Small apartment block (no pool, no gardens): EUR 50-100 per month
• Mid-range apartment complex with pool and gardens: EUR 100-250 per month
• Large urbanisation with extensive facilities (multiple pools, gym, security): EUR 200-500 per month
• Luxury gated community: EUR 400-1,000+ per month

Fees are typically charged monthly or quarterly and should be paid by direct debit from your Spanish bank account. Non-payment of community fees is taken seriously under Spanish law. The community can pursue debt recovery through the courts via a fast-track procedure (procedimiento monitorio), and unpaid fees constitute a charge against the property that must be settled before any sale. The buyer at a property sale is liable for the current year's fees plus the three preceding years of any unpaid community fees — which means non-payment devalues your property and creates legal complications.

Home Insurance (Seguro de Hogar)

While home insurance is not technically a tax, it is an annual financial obligation that all property owners should maintain. If you have a Spanish mortgage, your lender will require building insurance (seguro de edificio or continente) as a condition of the loan. Contents insurance (contenido) is optional but strongly recommended.

Typical annual premiums for a Costa del Sol property:

• Building insurance only: EUR 150-350 per year for a standard apartment; EUR 300-700 for a villa
• Building and contents combined: EUR 250-600 for an apartment; EUR 500-1,200 for a villa
• Additional covers (civil liability, theft, water damage, legal expenses): EUR 50-200 extra per year

Insurance premiums are typically debited annually from your Spanish bank account on the policy anniversary date. Review your policy annually to ensure the insured values reflect current rebuild costs and contents values. Underinsurance is common among non-resident owners who bought their policy at purchase and never updated it.

Wealth Tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio — Modelo 714)

Spain's Wealth Tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio) is an annual tax on net assets. For non-residents, only Spanish-situated assets are included in the calculation. The Wealth Tax is a complex area that merits its own detailed analysis, but the key points for non-resident UK property owners are:

Threshold

Non-residents are entitled to a EUR 700,000 personal allowance against their Spanish net assets. This means if your Spanish property (and any other Spanish assets, such as bank accounts) is worth less than EUR 700,000, you owe no Wealth Tax.

In addition, Spain introduced the Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes (Impuesto Temporal de Solidaridad de las Grandes Fortunas) in 2023, which applies to net assets exceeding EUR 3,000,000. This is a national tax that applies regardless of which autonomous community the property is in, and it was designed to override regional exemptions (such as those in Madrid and Andalusia).

In Andalusia, the regional government has effectively eliminated the regional Wealth Tax by applying a 100% rebate (bonificacion). However, the national Solidarity Tax still applies to non-residents with net Spanish assets above EUR 3,000,000. For the vast majority of UK non-resident owners of a single Costa del Sol property, neither Wealth Tax nor Solidarity Tax will apply.

Filing Deadline

Wealth Tax (Modelo 714) must be filed by 30 June of the year following the tax year. For example, Wealth Tax for the 2025 tax year is due by 30 June 2026.

When It Might Apply

You may need to file if:

• Your Spanish property is worth more than EUR 700,000 (market value, not cadastral value)
• You own multiple properties in Spain whose combined value exceeds EUR 700,000
• You have a Spanish property plus significant Spanish bank account balances or other Spanish investments

The Wealth Tax rates in Andalusia (before the 100% rebate) range from 0.2% to 3.5% of net assets above the allowance. Since the Andalusian rebate effectively eliminates this, the only concern for very high-net-worth non-residents is the Solidarity Tax above EUR 3,000,000.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The Spanish tax system imposes significant penalties for late filing, non-filing, and underpayment. UK owners who have not been filing their annual Modelo 210 for imputed income should understand the following penalty regime:

Late Filing Surcharges (Recargo por Declaracion Extemporanea)

If you file the Modelo 210 after the deadline but before the tax authority contacts you (i.e., a voluntary late filing), the surcharges are:

• Within 3 months of the deadline: 5% surcharge, no interest, no penalties
• 3 to 6 months late: 10% surcharge, no interest, no penalties
• 6 to 12 months late: 15% surcharge, no interest, no penalties
• More than 12 months late: 20% surcharge, plus interest at the statutory rate (currently 3.75% per annum) from the original deadline

These surcharges apply to voluntary late filings — meaning you come forward and file before the tax authority sends you a demand. If the Agencia Tributaria contacts you first (through a formal requirement to file — requerimiento), the penalties are more severe.

Penalties After Tax Authority Intervention

If the Agencia Tributaria identifies that you have not filed and issues a formal demand, the penalties can be:

• Mild infraction (leve): 50% of the unpaid tax (for errors or omissions without intent to evade)
• Serious infraction (grave): 50% to 100% of the unpaid tax
• Very serious infraction (muy grave): 100% to 150% of the unpaid tax (where there is evidence of deliberate concealment or fraud)

Plus interest at 3.75% per annum from the original deadline to the date of payment.

Practical Risk for UK Non-Resident Owners

For most UK non-resident owners, the actual tax amounts involved in imputed income filings are small (EUR 200-600 per year). Even with surcharges and interest, the accumulated liability for three to five years of non-filing is typically EUR 1,000 to EUR 4,000. However, the administrative complications, potential for audit of other matters (such as rental income that was not declared), and the requirement to regularise before selling the property make non-compliance a false economy.

If you have not been filing, the best course of action is to appoint a Spanish gestor or asesor fiscal, file all outstanding returns voluntarily (to benefit from the lower surcharge regime), and bring yourself into full compliance. The cost of regularisation (gestor fees plus tax, surcharges, and interest) is almost always lower than the cost of being caught.

Summary Table: All Annual Obligations at a Glance

Obligation	Who It Applies To	When It's Due	Approximate Annual Cost
Modelo 210 — imputed income	All non-resident owners (non-rented periods)	31 December (for previous year)	EUR 200-600
Modelo 210 — rental income (quarterly)	Non-resident owners who rent	20th of month after quarter end	19% of net income (varies)
IBI (council tax)	All property owners	Varies by municipality (Aug-Nov)	EUR 400-2,000
Basura (waste tax)	All property owners	Varies by municipality	EUR 80-200
Community fees	Owners in shared developments	Monthly or quarterly	EUR 600-6,000+
Home insurance	All owners (mandatory with mortgage)	Annual renewal date	EUR 200-1,200
Wealth Tax (Modelo 714)	Owners with Spanish assets over EUR 700,000	30 June (for previous year)	0% (Andalusia rebate) to 3.5%
Solidarity Tax	Owners with Spanish assets over EUR 3,000,000	30 June (for previous year)	1.7% to 3.5% above threshold

Practical Recommendations for UK Non-Resident Owners

Based on the obligations outlined above, here are the practical steps every UK non-resident property owner on the Costa del Sol should take:

1. Open and maintain a Spanish bank account with sufficient funds to cover all annual obligations. Set up direct debits for IBI, basura, community fees, insurance, and utilities. A buffer of EUR 3,000-5,000 above your expected annual costs is recommended to avoid failed direct debits
2. Appoint a Spanish gestor or asesor fiscal to handle your annual Modelo 210 filings. The typical cost is EUR 100-250 per filing (imputed income) and EUR 150-300 per quarterly filing (rental income). This is a modest cost for peace of mind and compliance
3. Keep a copy of your IBI receipt each year — it contains the cadastral value (needed for the Modelo 210 calculation), the cadastral reference number (needed for all tax filings), and the year of the last cadastral revision (needed to determine whether the 1.1% or 2% imputation rate applies)
4. If you rent the property, keep detailed records of rental income and expenses — dates of each letting, amounts received, invoices for all deductible expenses. These records must be retained for at least four years (the Spanish statute of limitations) and ideally six years
5. File on time, every time. The penalties for late filing are disproportionate to the small amounts typically involved in non-resident property tax. Voluntary late filings attract lower surcharges than filings prompted by the tax authority
6. Review your obligations annually. Tax rates, thresholds, and rules change. The 2025 Audiencia Nacional ruling on rental expense deductions is a recent example of a change that significantly benefits UK owners. Your gestor should keep you informed of relevant changes
7. Report your Spanish property on your UK Self-Assessment if applicable. Rental income from Spanish property must be declared to HMRC, with a credit for Spanish tax paid under the Double Taxation Treaty. Use our property calculator to estimate your combined UK-Spain tax position

What to Do If You Have Not Been Filing

If you have owned a Spanish property for several years and have not filed any Modelo 210 returns, you are not alone — it is one of the most common compliance failures among UK non-resident owners. The good news is that regularising your position is straightforward and the financial consequences are manageable.

1. Appoint a gestor or asesor fiscal: Find a qualified professional who specialises in non-resident tax. Your lawyer (abogado) who handled the purchase can usually recommend someone. Expect to pay EUR 200-400 for the regularisation service (covering multiple years of filings)
2. Gather your documents: IBI receipts for each year (to obtain cadastral values), escritura (for the purchase date), and any rental income records
3. File voluntarily: Filing before the tax authority contacts you results in significantly lower surcharges (5-20%) compared to filing after a formal demand (50-150%)
4. Pay the outstanding tax plus surcharges and interest: For imputed income on a standard property, the total cost of regularising three to five years of non-filing is typically EUR 1,000-3,000 including gestor fees, tax, surcharges, and interest
5. Set up future compliance: Your gestor can file future returns on your behalf each year, ensuring you never fall behind again

The statute of limitations for Spanish tax is four years from the filing deadline. This means the Agencia Tributaria can only pursue you for the last four years of unfiled returns. If you have not filed for longer than four years, only the most recent four years are enforceable. However, we recommend filing all outstanding years as a matter of good practice and to demonstrate compliance intent.

Summary

Owning property in Spain as a UK non-resident comes with a defined set of annual obligations that, while not onerous in terms of cost, require attention and timely action. The key points to remember are:

• You owe Spanish tax even if you do not rent the property. Imputed income tax (Modelo 210) applies to all non-resident owners, with an annual tax bill of EUR 200-600 for a typical Costa del Sol property
• Rental income requires quarterly filings. Following the 2025 Audiencia Nacional ruling, UK owners can now deduct expenses and pay at 19% on net income rather than 24% on gross
• IBI is your largest annual local tax. It varies by municipality but typically costs EUR 400-2,000 per year. Set up a direct debit and ensure your bank account is funded
• Community fees, basura, and insurance are ongoing costs that should be budgeted for — collectively EUR 1,000-7,000+ per year depending on the property and development
• Wealth Tax is unlikely to apply to most UK non-resident owners of a single property below EUR 700,000. The Solidarity Tax only applies above EUR 3,000,000
• Penalties for non-compliance are severe. Voluntary late filing attracts surcharges of 5-20%, but filing after a tax authority demand can result in penalties of 50-150% of the unpaid tax
• If you have not been filing, regularise now. The cost of bringing yourself into compliance is modest and far outweighs the risk of being caught

For more information about the costs of buying and owning property on the Costa del Sol, visit our costs and taxes guide. To estimate your annual costs, use our interactive property calculator. For information on wealth tax specifically, see our article on Spain's Wealth Tax and Solidarity Tax for non-resident UK owners. And for a complete introduction to the Costa del Sol property market for UK buyers, see our UK buyers' page.