furio
Junior Member
Posts: 25
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Post by furio on Aug 16, 2007 9:50:00 GMT 1
Bit of an FYI. There are News reports this summer of tourists being fined and thrown out of their accomodation because the tourist tax was not paid. Why fine the tourist and not the owner who is supposed to pay? Not sure. I don't have a lot of specifics as it was a translated, non-Croatian, news report but it was an island off the Dalmation coast. Moral of the story is Croatia seems to be serious in the collection of the tourist tax.
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Post by zorro on Aug 16, 2007 10:39:11 GMT 1
if they don't throw the tourists out then the owner would never pay I'm afraid. Too much of it going on
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Post by irac on Aug 16, 2007 11:17:29 GMT 1
Zlarin I believe. But it happened in Primosten. Tourists thrown out of a villa, despite having paid the agency money which (on the recipt) included tourist tax. Odd indeed.
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Post by roundmorgan on Sept 13, 2007 18:08:31 GMT 1
Hi ..
we have just purchased an apartment just outside Pula and stayed over the summer for 3 weeks .
On our first day we visited the police to pay the toursit tax and they told us to visit a tourist office .. We then visited the tourist office in our village to be told to go to the state tourist office.
We then visited the state tourist office who adviced us to visit the local toursit office in our village .. basically noone wanted to take our money . we revisited the main toursit office in pula who again stated we needed to pay this tax to the local office.
Any way after 3 days of being passed from one office and taking all the names of persons who advised us we went to our croatian solicitor and asked him to record all this which he did do .. so if we ever get thrown out of our own apartment its not our fault ..
please I would like your observation on this matter and how we can move forward when we visit in the comming weeks.
dave
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Post by Ribaric on Sept 13, 2007 21:14:54 GMT 1
Sounds like a "go away and come back later when someone else will have to deal with it" episode. To put it another way, they don't have a problem but maybe you still do. All I can suggest is that you document clearly all the attempts you made, get it translated into Croatian and post a copy to each of the offices you visited. If push ever comes to shove (only really likely if someone wants to cause you trouble, jealous neighbour etc) then you can demonstrate you took every reasonable step. However, I doubt if anyone will reply to your letters.
Dobro dosli
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Post by mirabelle on Sept 13, 2007 21:54:42 GMT 1
This last example - is it a case that properties have to be registered for Sobe, Apartmani tourist thing etc?and if you as a non registered foreigner were not in any "system" nobody would really want to know - not an uncommon concept here. As for foreign owners trying to register (not as companies) I'm not sure the "system" would cope there either.
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Post by Valleycat on Sept 14, 2007 11:32:07 GMT 1
This might be a really stupid question. .. but why does someone who owns an apartment have to pay tourist tax?
I thought this tourist tax was for guest that you have charged that stay in your house.
So how much tax do they charge for people that stay in their own house?
Maybe I missed something???
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Post by Sasha on Sept 14, 2007 12:35:28 GMT 1
If you stay in your own apartment, you do not have to pay Tourist tax. Tourist tax is only payable, if you would rent your apartment.
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Post by roundmorgan on Sept 14, 2007 17:49:24 GMT 1
our solictor advised us that we had to pay tourist tax of one euro a day per person even if you own your own property....if you dont register you are offically not in croatia which could void your insurance .. any medical cover etc should you need to claim ..
dave
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Post by zorro on Sept 14, 2007 18:21:13 GMT 1
but if you register with the police, or have a stamp on your passport? I wouldn't have thought you would have been a target, as you are not making any money on tourists renting it out.
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Post by Ribaric on Sept 14, 2007 18:24:37 GMT 1
Get another solicitor.
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Post by crogirl on Oct 16, 2007 19:09:18 GMT 1
Have just been told today that our German neighbours who have a holiday home like us arrived to visit 2 weeks ago to find the house bolted without access subject to payment of K30000 fine as the Tourist inspectors believe they were renting illegally. As far as we knew it was only used by family as we saw the same people there every time. How can anyone have the right to lock you out of your own house - a fine fair enough but this??? There is something Kafkaesque about Croatia at times....
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Post by darcy on Oct 19, 2007 23:03:48 GMT 1
I think this is important topic for everybody investing in Croatia.
Firstly, as a foreigner and an individual you are clearly discriminated and, by the law or Croats internal perception (I really do not know, as law in Croatia means very little as I think they can't or they do not want to spell the laws clearly), you are not allowed to rent even if you pay all your taxes.
Secondly, the holiday accommodation providers (part time job for the Croatian housewives) are afraid of the competition. They will set you a game even if you try to rent using the company way - the way allowed for the foreigners. If they are unable to fill the bookings, be sure - they will come after you and close you down. If you want to run a smooth operation, try NOT to book for more then 60 days a year. As I found that out this year, it is not difficult at all to fill your appartment for 90 or more days. Also, Croats are not flexible with the pricing, they see it as a weakness. They will not run a special even when they have a drop in the bookings.
Thirdly, preventing the access to your property by the authorities (in any case whatsoever) is the best example what can happen to you in Croatia. I would not be surprised they treat their own citizens the same way.
And the most important, do not let Croats too close, but they need to feel you respect them and be prepared to make some small favours from time to time and keep the good relations. A perception they are still running the show is essential.
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Cam W
Full Member
Posts: 96
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Post by Cam W on Oct 22, 2007 9:18:22 GMT 1
Hi all,
I have a quick question/comment regarding this...
I am currently working with my lawyer to get my business permit. I go back and forth to the US and Canada quite often and I always register when I return. I have never been asked to pay this tourist tax. I am aware of it. I have a friend who stayed with me that was told he needed to pay it. In fact he assumed that he would pay me or pay them when he un-registered. To be honest, I don't know who he pays, and when (he isn't paying to stay with me). The thing that gets me is I am here as a tourist and the agency said because I own my own home that I am not required to pay it. I always thought that if you come as a tourist you pay the tax. Thoughts?
Anyone know anything about this or experience it? I try to do the best I can to do the right thing, not to mention I want to be as legal as possible.
Thanks, Cam
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Post by darcy on Oct 23, 2007 9:38:53 GMT 1
I think we have a problem with different types of tax and all regarding holiday letting:
- “Boratiska taksa” (tourist tax) My understanding is (and that is what I do) is I pay a small amount (150 or 200 KN) for a whole year and for all your family. When I am there, I pay it to avoid problems. When friends come in, I ask them to go to the office, pay the tourist tax by themselves, make a statement that they are friends and they are not paying for the accommodation and ask to pass any additional enquiries directly to me. I did not have any problems so far. As I am renting legally, my accountant pays the tourist tax from the revenue collected. She pays it in advance, in fact the office asks you to pay it in advance. This tax is collected by the Tourist Office.
- A Tax/Change when (legally) renting (unknown type of tax, I hope I will found out early next year) You pay a tax when renting (I let my place to a company, there is no other way for me) you have to pay it in advance, initially 300 KN per bed, then another 200 KN per bed. I still do not understand clearly what I am paying for, but I let my accountant to do the job. It is more a flat charge then a tax, I understand. The estimate is, it costs 100 EUR per bed per year. You are asked to pay it based on your “kategorizacija” – “star rating + location”. This tax is collected by the Tax Office. I think this is the tax the officials are after.
- Company Tax Based on your profit, you should pay some company tax. I will let my accountant do the magic.
- Income tax As there should not be any income for me this year, there should be no tax as well. I hope.
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