
Buying in Spain as a British Buyer: The 24% Tax Nobody Warns You About
British owners pay 24% on gross Spanish rent while EU owners pay 19% on profit. But the resale rate is 19% for everyone, whatever you have read.
Property news · Spain
Spain property news, curated for English buyers13 articles

British owners pay 24% on gross Spanish rent while EU owners pay 19% on profit. But the resale rate is 19% for everyone, whatever you have read.

The nota simple will not tell you whether anyone is living there. The seven checks that actually reveal occupation risk before you sign for a Spanish property.

One reform is in force, one decree was repealed, and the 24 hour eviction bill is not law. What actually applies to occupied property in Spain right now.

On May 21, 2026, Spain's Supreme Court struck down the national tourist rental registry and the NRUA number. Here is what changed and what still applies.

Spain ended the Golden Visa on April 3, 2025. One year on, here is what changed for foreign property buyers and which residency routes still exist in 2026.

Spain proposed a 100% surcharge on non-EU property buyers. As of March 2026, the bill has stalled in congress. Here is what that means for foreign buyers now.

You cannot sign a Spanish property deed, pay taxes, or open a bank account without a NIE number. Here is what it is, how to get one, and how long it takes.

Swedish buyers expect open SMS bidding and a 1.5% lagfart. Spain has neither. What replaces them costs more and binds you earlier than you think.

Registering a Danish home transfer costs 0.6% plus a fixed fee. The cheapest Spanish region charges 6%. Here is what else changes, and what does not.

Spain has no housing company. A flat is real property carrying the seller's unpaid community charges, and the transfer tax starts at 6%, not at 1.5%.

Norway is not in the EU, so Norwegians expect the higher Spanish tax rate. They do not pay it. EEA membership keeps them at 19%, and Schengen keeps them longer.

Germans buy more Spanish homes by count than any nationality but the British. The Spanish notario looks like a Notar and protects you far less. Here is the gap.

Dutch buyers are the second largest foreign group buying Spanish homes. The three days to change your mind do not exist in Spain, and the notary is not yours.