What Modelo 210 actually is
Modelo 210 is the Spanish non-resident income tax form. If you own property in Spain but are tax-resident in the UK, you must file it every year — whether or not you rent the property out, whether or not you set foot in the country, and whether or not you make any income. This catches more UK owners off guard than any other Spanish tax. The Spanish tax authority (Hacienda) is increasingly cross-referencing land-registry data with non-resident filings, and back-tax demands going several years back have become routine for owners who simply never knew they had to file.
The "imputed rent" rule
If the property is for your own personal use, Spain assumes a notional (imputed) rent. The taxable base is calculated as 1.1% or 2% of the cadastral value (valor catastral, found on your IBI bill), then taxed at the flat non-EU rate of 24% for UK residents post-Brexit.
Worked example
- Cadastral value: €200,000
- Imputed base: €200,000 × 1.1% = €2,200
- Tax due: €2,200 × 24% = €528 / year
For most modest UK-owned holiday homes, the annual bill is €300–€900. For prime Marbella villas it can run €2,000–€5,000.
If you actually rent it out
You declare quarterly. Tax is 24% of gross rental income. Crucially, since Brexit, UK owners can no longer deduct expenses (mortgage interest, community fees, IBI, repairs) — a real change worth pricing into your yield model. EU residents still can; UK residents cannot.
Personal help
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Start matchingDeadlines and penalties
- Imputed rent: by 31 December of the year following the tax year
- Rental income: quarterly (20 Apr, 20 Jul, 20 Oct, 20 Jan)
- Late filing: minimum €100, plus interest and surcharges that escalate quickly
Practical tips
- Hire a Spanish gestor — they typically charge £200–£500/year and handle everything
- Keep a copy of your cadastral value and update it if the council revises it
- Save every Modelo 210 receipt — HMRC may ask under the UK–Spain double tax treaty when you claim foreign tax credit
- If you have multiple owners on the deed, each owner files separately for their share
The double-tax treaty in your favour
Tax paid in Spain on rental income or capital gains is generally creditable against your UK tax liability under the UK–Spain double-taxation convention. Don't pay twice — keep the paperwork and discuss with a UK accountant who knows Spanish forms.
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