Algarve/Portugal/Madeira/Azores Discussion Forum

Discussions regarding holidays in the Algarve
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Well I find this most odd as I have always understood that it was not possible for a non-resident to own a property in Portugal without a fiscal representative. I bought my place a little over 5 years ago and it was made plain to me at the outset that I needed a fiscal rep until I became resident here.

This is nothing new. Banks, local councils, utility companies etc will only send correspondence and bills to Portuguese addresses. That they can choose to do, in no way different to the practices of certain UK banks and credit card issuers.

Anyone can act as a fiscal representative and obviously if it's a professional company they will charge you for the service. In the event of a default in payment, the fiscal rep is liable, which makes it highly undesirable for a private individual to act as such.

If you go to http://www.albufeira.com/forum you will find quite of lot of discussion about this. Many people who frequent that forum use fiscal reps and/or property management companies to deal wth their second homes here.
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I'm unable to help with regard to the technicalities of home ownership in Portugal, but something troubles me in the letter you've reproduced.
Whilst most of the letter is in reasonable English- to the standard one would expect from an educated Portuguese professional- this paragraph:
If this is not done, you will incurs in sanction imposed in the fiscal
law, beyond stayed rendered useless of intervene in the your fiscal
rights, namely, the claim, appeal, oppose judicially and intervene all
the same in trial of fiscal execution of being aim or reach you.
stands out like a sore thumb and is clearly not composed by the same person that wrote the rest of the letter. I would advise extreme caution as something here is not right; are you absolutely certain that the address/phone number/e-mail details are all those of your accredited solicitor?; is there any chance that your contact details have fallen into the hands of someone other than your legal agent in Portugal? Do the contact details- address/'phone number/e-mail address match exactly those that you know belong to your solicitor? I would suggest telephone contact with your solicitor to confirm that the letter comes from him before you consider any further action.
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Cubsur.

We have always gone down the Council Office and paid it ourselves up until this year and it does appear they are not going to send us a bill this year as they usualy come in March for April payment. We have historically planned a long weekend to coincide with the Tax Bill arrival.

Fiscal reps will be enjoying a boom time this year!!
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Yes I received my IMI bill in the post about three weeks ago and will paying next week now I am back.

Just 'cos they don't send you a bill doesn't mean there isn't one somewhere out there!

BTW I agree with Sagres about the letter. That paragraph bears the hallmark of Google translate, whereas the remainder at least looks human, even including 'witch' for 'which'.

I would never send anyone a copy of my passport. Asking for trouble. I would give someone a copy, in their office, when I knew that they were who they said they were.
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All.

We have now had our bill at our address in Portugal and will be paying it at the Camera as we have done for the last few years. It is like a trip down memory lane as it reminds me of a UK Post Office from many years ago with a never ending stream of rubber stamps!!

May be one day we will be able to set up Direct Debit but that would put the man with the rubber stamp out of work I suppose.
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You can pay your IMI bill at a Multibanco machine if you have a Portuguese card - I do.

And yes wouldn't it be nice if they had direct debits. Everyone else here does.
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