I would hate to be a non-resident in Mallorca
Non-residents are coming under growing pressure in Mallorca
It doesn't pay to be a non-resident in Spain, especially if you are British. Non-resident foreigners appear to be taking the blame for everything from traffic gridlock on Mallorca's roads to the housing crisis. If you are British, then the problem is even worse.
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Richard SaffellYou’re so right about this. It has been pointed out to Jason time and time again yet still he insists over and over with the “two blocks of 90 days” and so misleading his readers. He obviously hasn’t a clue.
Darwin DI doubt non residents even contribute 1% to Mallorca's GDP.
Wait a minute!! " Non residentes are VITAL for economy". This is based on what facts?
To say that non-residents can only stay for "180 days in two blocks of 90 days" is wrong. If you follow the Schengen rules using their app which I do, you will see that it is possible to spend for instance, one month here and one month in the UK followed by one month here etc. and continuing on like that indefinitely. It is not divided into blocks, it is a rolling 90 days average in the last 180 days. The Schengen app makes it very simple to work out how long you can stay each time and if you are in danger of overstaying the 90 day rule. However it is important to know that they count the day you arrive and the day that you leave so a holiday of 7 days (Say Saturday to Saturday) is actually counted as 8 days for the Schengen rule.
How backward to reduce car ownership, most non residents use car hire or taxis or buses, some helicopters ! so it makes little difference, they are not the cause of your traffic congestion. But they do all employ gardeners, pool guys, electricians, joiners, lawyers, domestic cleaning services and so on. All the jobs the young non British speaking population do not want, such is their desire to be influencers and keyboard servants or simply live with their parents.
'The sad truth about this state of affairs is that non-residents are vital for the local economy. They buy homes on the island and contribute to the Spanish economy.' I don't think this is true. In a housing market where many can't afford a home, I don't think it's right that people who don't even live here half the year are taking away from the housing stock. I think it's only fair that Non-residents get taxed more. After all, you're not paying income tax here like residents and you're obviously quite well off if you can afford a second home while most people on the island can't afford to buy one.
The current pressures in Majorca have been building for at least 2 decades, maybe more. A Majorca born friend of mine was saying “this volume of visitors can’t go on “ 10 years ago. The post COVID era has seen the demonstrations against “ all “ tourists not just 3rd nation countries like Britain and USA , Brits in reality this being the 3rd normal year outside the European 🇪🇺 since COVID and Brexit, and USA volume tourism “ hardly mass tourism “ is relatively recent. As for non resident visitors from the U.K. & USA , how many are there, in the greater scheme of things. And 100% tax on property will certainly reduce that not very much , when they decamp to Tuscany. Those on the island that profit from that very “ big airport “ and revenue that airport brings , to build new roads and luxury homes & hotels , marinas, trams, trains and much needed property gentrification from making the islands popular. Didn’t think of the downsides of development based on ever increasing “ people “ numbers this business model is based on.
Continue to repeat these important messages (not least the importance for the economy) and avoid allowing a few activists to succeed in spreading misleading information.
The thing that always makes me ponder when I sit looking at the towns in Mallorca with daily refuse collection, clean streets, arts programmes and regular festivities is that councils must make a lot of money from non-residents or even other EU residents who do not live on the island full-time without having to fulfil all the services necessary. For example, we pay year round property taxes and fees for services that we can only use 180 days max a year; if we are lucky enough to be able to spend that amount of time away from home life in the UK. So, local funding of street cleaning, sanitation, local festivals, local amenities, schools etc are greatly contributed to by people who cannot use these services every day.
I dont think non residents are the problem. Non residents who dont adhere to the rules or laws are a problem. A tax crack down on anyone staying more than 6 months, registering at relevant authorities, or just basically keeping themselves on the right side of the law while living in another country would help. Outside of Brexit, tax implications should limit how long any nationality lives on the island. Pay your way on this beautiful island and contribute to everything spain has to offer its citizens or live somewhere else.