Almería province
Spanish letters from Almería, explained
The Almanzora valley around Albox is home to many Dutch and British residents, often permanently rather than as a second home. Post from this province differs from the rest of Spain on one major point: many houses were built between 2000 and 2008 with a municipal permit that the regional government later declared invalid. A letter about that looks different from an ordinary tax bill, and calls for a different response.
- Albox
- Arboleas
- Zurgena
- Partaloa
- Cantoria
- Huércal-Overa
- Vera
- Mojácar
- Garrucha
- Turre
What works differently in this region
- 01
Thousands of homes in the Almanzora valley were built with a municipal permit that the Junta de Andalucía later declared invalid. A letter about this is usually called an expediente de disciplina urbanística and comes from the town hall or the Junta — not from the tax office.
- 02
There is a route to regularise such a property: the DAFO or AFO (Declaración de Asimilado a Fuera de Ordenación). It does not make the house legal, but it does register it officially and allows utility connections. This is squarely a matter for a lawyer, not something to answer yourself.
- 03
The Diputación de Almería collects taxes for many small municipalities in the valley. Albox, Arboleas and Zurgena each have only a few thousand inhabitants and outsource collection.
- 04
Water and sewerage in this area run through Galasa, a separate company. That bill does not come from the town hall and looks like an ordinary invoice, yet non-payment can lead to disconnection.
Who sends you post?
- Diputación Provincial de Almería
- Collects taxes for many municipalities in the province and handles enforcement.
- Ayuntamiento de Albox
- Municipal assessments, permits and planning files.
- Galasa — Gestión de Aguas del Levante Almeriense
- Water and sewerage in the Almanzora and Levante; sends its own bill.
- Junta de Andalucía
- Planning matters including the DAFO procedure, and regional taxes.
Questions from this region
I received a letter about my building permit. Should I worry?
That depends on what it says, but this is the kind of letter you should not answer on your own. An expediente de disciplina urbanística has deadlines that pass quickly, and the consequences range from a fine to a demolition order. ClaroSpain explains what it says and which deadline applies, and in this case always recommends a lawyer experienced in Andalusian planning law.
Why does my water bill come from a company and not the town hall?
In this part of Almería, water supply is handled by Galasa. The bill looks like an ordinary invoice but belongs to your property. Not paying can lead to disconnection, even if you are only there part of the year.
My village is small. Why does the assessment come from the province?
Small municipalities in the Almanzora have no collection service of their own and outsource it to the Diputación de Almería. The town hall levies the tax, the province sends the letter and collects. You normally object to whichever body is named on the letter.
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