Tax refund

You may remember, back in October, I was dead pleased to be paying taxes and Social Security. It meant I was in the system. Better still I'm now due a tax rebate.

You can make your tax declaration any number of ways in Spain. I used an Asesor, a sort of accountant, to put mine together. I wasn't a tricky case. No investment income, no Swiss bank accounts, no money really.

I paid the 35€ they charged me to get the finished tax declaration asking Hacienda (the tax people) for a 392€ refund.

At the Asesor: "Only trouble is we don't seem to be able to get the OK from Hacienda on their Internet site, take the form to the bank and they'll transfer the cash"

At the bank: "Ah, the reason this doesn't work is that your bank account is a non resident account and only residents can pay tax - it's a paradox. Ask the Asesor to ask Hacienda to pay by cheque"

At the Asesor: "Come back in half an hour"

At the Asesor: "Hacienda say they won't pay by cheque - what about just opening another bank account?"

It went on and on until eventually I got my bank to give me a temporary account number to transfer the money to.

By the time I was done the Asesor was closed for the afternoon.