Vélez-Málaga begins collecting new rubbish tax with some households paying up to 135 euros per year

The new waste collection charge in Vélez-Málaga on the eastern Costa del Sol has now come into force. The provincial tax collection board (El Patronato de Recaudación Provincial), the body to which the town hall has delegated the management, collection and inspection of the tax, has issued information to taxpayers. The first electronic tax assessments are already being sent out, while the new tax bill has reignited political controversy as it has not been accompanied by a reduction in property tax (IBI).

During this first financial year, each tax assessment must be notified individually; therefore, taxpayers will receive their respective notification setting out the payment deadline for the voluntary payment period. From 2027 onwards, as specified by the Board in a statement published on its social media channels, an annual register of taxpayers and a tax calendar will be approved to manage the regular collection of the tax.

For residential properties, the annual amount will be approximately between 101.86 and 135.54 euros, according to the calculations used during the drafting of the by-law. The charge is divided into a fixed component, set at 62.66 euros, and a variable component determined by the cadastral value, the floor area of the property and the zone or territorial unit in which it is located, to which a specific environmental efficiency rating is assigned.

The obligation is not limited to homeowners. The board points out that owners of similar properties, occupants or users of premises where an economic activity is carried out and individuals who generate waste as a result of carrying out an activity - even if they do not have premises - are also liable for payment. In the event of a change in ownership of a home or property, the change will take effect in the following tax year.

For shops, offices, the hospitality sector, industrial premises and all other economic activities, there is also a fixed component and a variable component. The latter is calculated based on the type of activity, the volume of waste generated, the environmental impact and the floor area of the premises. When the by-law was approved, the town hall estimated that it would generate revenue of around 7.2 million euros per year to cover the cost of waste collection and treatment services.

The regulations also include reductions based on social and environmental criteria such as people in socially vulnerable situations and large families. Environmental discounts may be applied for good practices such as using recycling centres, home composting, the reuse of waste, or collective improvements in waste separation and recycling exceeding five per cent, as detailed in the information published by the board.

The charges are annual and non-reducible, although there is an exception where use of the service begins after the financial year has started: in such cases, the amount may be prorated on a quarterly basis, including the quarter in which the service begins. The board recommends checking, upon receipt of the bill, that the account holder, the property, the floor area, the cadastral value, the assigned zone and any applicable reductions are correct.

A dedicated office has been set up at the on Calle Estación to deal with enquiries. It is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 1.30pm and can be contacted by calling 951 957 346. Taxpayers with an electronic ID can also use the Virtual Tax Office to obtain payment documents and submit applications or appeals. If you disagree with the assessment, you may lodge an appeal for rectification within one month from the day following notification.

The arrival of the bills has reignited criticism from the opposition. The Socialist spokesperson, Víctor González, has once again spoken of a "double payment" and points out that the PSOE has an appeal against the by-law pending before the High Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA). The Vox spokesperson, Javier Herreros, has also strongly criticised the move. “The first bills are already arriving and we at Vox Vélez-Málaga argue that it is not fair for residents to have to pay twice for a service that has been included in the IBI for years. While residents are struggling to make ends meet, the local council continues to put increasing pressure on their pockets,” the party stated in a message posted on social media.

Former PP mayor Francisco Delgado has also called for compensation in the form of a reduction in the IBI and points out that in 1991, when the old levy was abolished, the tax rate rose from 0.6 per cent to 0.85 per cent. Delgado acknowledges that legally they are different taxes, but considers that there is a greater financial burden on residents as they are now being charged a separate fee without a corresponding reduction in the tax.

For its part, the coalition team in power at the town hall comprising the PP and GIPMTM, maintains that the specific rate complies with the obligations set out in Law 7/2022 and that a procedure to reduce the IBI rate from 0.64 per cent to 0.62 per cent was indeed initiated in March 2025.

They argue that reduction did not go ahead due to the economic and financial constraints affecting the town hall under its adjustment plan and the restrictions set out in Article 45 of Royal Decree-Law 17/2014. Consequently, the controversy will continue in both the political and legal arenas, while thousands of taxpayers are beginning to receive, for the first time in more than three decades, a separate bill for the collection and treatment of their waste.

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