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i think as with most of Malta rules mean nothing ... it happens, thousands of people do it - legality on malta doesn t mean a lot... or illegality even....

short term lets require MTA licences and charging for vat.

Toon wrote:

i think as with most of Malta rules mean nothing ... it happens, thousands of people do it - legality on malta doesn t mean a lot... or illegality even....

short term lets require MTA licences and charging for vat.

VAT?? What's that then?? Some sort of tax?? 

There's been a huge problem on the Canary Islands in the last few years, they have a local law which states that properties can't be let short-term (< 3 months) if they're not on a tourist complex, it's OK to do it on mainland Spain though. Hundreds of people have been getting massive fines, the inspectors have been crawling through all the websites, Owners Direct, etc and catching them. It's an easy way for the local government to add to their coffers. The local law had existed for years and years, it was just never implemented until the financial crisis. I'm sure the Maltese government could crack down if they wanted some extra cash.

On An Island wrote:

Toon wrote:

i think as with most of Malta rules mean nothing ... it happens, thousands of people do it - legality on malta doesn t mean a lot... or illegality even....

short term lets require MTA licences and charging for vat.

VAT?? What's that then?? Some sort of tax?? 

There's been a huge problem on the Canary Islands in the last few years, they have a local law which states that properties can't be let short-term (< 3 months) if they're not on a tourist complex, it's OK to do it on mainland Spain though. Hundreds of people have been getting massive fines, the inspectors have been crawling through all the websites, Owners Direct, etc and catching them. It's an easy way for the local government to add to their coffers. The local law had existed for years and years, it was just never implemented until the financial crisis. I'm sure the Maltese government could crack down if they wanted some extra cash.

am sure they could but will they  - as am guessing there are more locals renting out than foreigners  -so its unlikely they will tax their voters more  - you just have to look at how very lax the authorities are in chasing the tax evading landlords to prove that one.

Agreed Toon, it's the same in most Mediterranean countries, Spain, Italy, etc, normally the authorities don't care, probably because most of the people in power are themselves evading tax. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas. Part of the ongoing negotiations with Greece is to try and get them to do more to clamp down on tax evasion. They still haven't got their finger out after all these years.

hope137140, here's some info from one of the estate agents websites, you seem to be correct, I knew I had read something about that before. See point 13 in BUYING PROPERTY IN MALTA -

It's interesting. I get that what the rules say and what ppl do can be totally different. However, it's true that they could crack down whenever they feel like it. And it wouldn't be that hard to crack down ONLY on foreigners. Maltese have the right to rent out their property; they're simply evading tax. Foreigners don't have the right to rent it out in the first place. Apple and oranges. If one buys property assuming it's possible to get some rental income from it and then the authorities decide to crack down....well that's a very expensive gamble and a lot of lost income. It seems from what ppl have said that it's easy to find someone to rent your property but not easy to sell it. As such, you might buy something, not be allowed to rent it out, and not even be able to sell it! Nightmare!

Spot on hope137140, be very careful, DYOR as they say and don't believe everything estate agents tell you either.

The safe option would be to buy in one of the designated areas, or spend a lot of money on a house with a private pool. Otherwise you could indeed find yourself in a tricky and costly situation.

love that one  - i must remember to use that

"Turkeys dont vote for christmas"

that tickled my chuckle muscle

You never heard of that before, that's an old one.

When Berlusconi was in power, not only did he not wish to change the laws on tax evasion or corruption, because he was the prime culprit, he changed the law making himself immune from prosecution while in office!! I mean how can you possibly be expected to run the country efficiently, when you have to be in court every day, defending yourself against false accusations made by communist judges??

Welcome to the Med 

nope never heard that one

must be too young

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