Got a letter from
Hacienda?
Don’t panic. Don’t ignore it. Let us handle it.
Every year, thousands of foreign residents and property owners in Spain receive unexpected letters from the Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) , fines, tax demands, penalty notices, inspection requests. All in Spanish. All with tight deadlines.
At LibreTax we deal with Hacienda on your behalf, so you don’t have to. We analyse the notice, tell you exactly what it means, and respond or appeal correctly.
Hacienda Letter & Appeal
- Free initial review of your notice (48h).
- Plain-English explanation of what it means.
- Appeal or response drafted in Spanish.
- Filed with the AEAT on your behalf.
- Deadline tracking — we never miss it.
- All communication in English
The numbers that matter when Hacienda contacts you
Deadline to appeal most Hacienda notices from the date of notification
Automatic penalty reduction for paying in the voluntary period without appealing
How far back Hacienda can go to claim unpaid taxes, penalties and surcharges
Many fines are reduced or cancelled entirely on appeal when correctly argued
What kind of letter have you received?
Not all Hacienda letters are the same. Each has a different deadline and requires a different response. Identifying what you have is step one.
| Type of notice | What it means | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| 📋 Information requestRequerimiento de información | Hacienda asks you to provide documents or clarify something. Ignoring it escalates to inspection. | Act fast |
| 💸 Parallel tax demandLiquidación paralela | AEAT says you owe more tax than declared. Very common for property owners who didn’t file Form 210. | Urgent |
| 🚨 Penalty / Fine noticeSanción / Multa | Formal fine for late filing, errors or omitted income. Reducible by 30% if paid quickly, or cancellable on appeal. | Urgent |
| 🔍 Verification / InspectionComprobación limitada | A formal check of your tax position. What you say (and don’t say) matters significantly from day one. | Urgent |
| ⚡ Enforcement noticeProvidencia de apremio | Debt has entered enforcement phase with a 20% surcharge. Fast action can still stop the process. | Critical |
| 🔄 Refund denied or cutDenegación de devolución | Your tax refund claim has been rejected or reduced. Often challengeable if the grounds are incorrect. | Review |
Send your case for free review
We will review your notification within 48 hours and advise you whether it is better to contest or accept the penalty.
Why is Hacienda writing to you?
Foreign residents and expats in Spain are increasingly flagged by AEAT automatic verification systems. These are the situations we see most often.
Your questions answered
Send us a photo or scan by WhatsApp or email. We’ll read it and explain in plain English exactly what type of notice it is, what Hacienda wants, the deadline you’re facing, and what the consequences of ignoring it are. This initial review is completely free and takes less than 48 hours.
Yes — if you formally request a suspension as part of your appeal, the payment is suspended while the appeal is pending, provided you offer a guarantee such as a bank deposit or surety. In certain cases, suspension without guarantee is possible when the appeal has strong legal grounds. We assess this for every case.
This is extremely common with non-resident property owners. The AEAT can go back up to 4 years for unfiled returns and penalties. Voluntary regularisation — filing the missing returns before Hacienda formally opens proceedings — generally results in significantly lower penalties. We handle all outstanding years in one clean process.
Possibly. If the notification was sent to an electronic address (DEH) that you were unaware of, there may be grounds to challenge the validity of the notification itself — which can restart the appeal window. Even if the deadline has firmly passed, voluntary payment with reduced surcharges is still available before enforcement actions begin. Contact us immediately so we can assess your specific situation.
No. Spanish administrative tax proceedings before the AEAT and the TEAR tribunals do not award costs against the losing party. If your appeal is unsuccessful, you pay the original tax and any applicable interest — but not Hacienda’s procedural costs. This makes appealing a genuinely low-risk option when the legal grounds are solid.
Absolutely. The vast majority of our foreign clients never travel to Spain during the entire process. We act as your registered fiscal representative before the AEAT, file everything electronically on your behalf, and communicate with you entirely in English by email, WhatsApp or video call. All you need to do is send us your documents.
The 3% withholding at the notary is a prepayment — not the final tax settlement. You are still required to file Form 211 within 4 months of the sale. If you didn’t do this, Hacienda may have opened proceedings. If you sold at a loss or at a lower gain than the withheld amount, you may actually be owed a refund — we can file that claim for you.
What say about us
“I’ve been working with Libretax for many years and they have always been my trusted accountants. I’ve recommended them many times to my clients in Manilva, Casares, Sotogrande and the Costa del Sol.”
“Very professional and attentive. Without doubt my trusted gestoría. Everything handled online and in English — exactly what I needed as an expat.”
“They explained everything in detail and gave me total peace of mind with Hacienda. The online process was seamless. I’d recommend LibreTax to any foreigner navigating Spanish taxes.”
Ready to sort this
properly? — properly?
Book a free 30 minute call with an English-speaking advisor. No commitment, no jargon.