If you ever sold a real estate property in Morocco, you probably have heard about the ‘Quitus Fiscal’. It’s a tax clearance certificate from the tax administration stating that you don’t owe them any tax or liens for that sold property. In this post, I wanted to share an experience I had with getting this ‘Quitus Fiscal’. I thought it was a simple process, but it turned out to be quite the opposite in my case.
It all started in 2020 when I sold an apartment in Morocco. In the notary office I signed the sale contract and decided to delegate to the notary the fetching of the ‘Quitus Fiscal’. The notary explained that this document is needed to finish up the sale transaction and eventually get my sale proceeds. In normal circumstances, the fetching process takes 3 to 4 weeks. So, it’s just a waiting game.
After a month
After waiting for a month, I did not hear back from the notary. I called them up. To my disappointment I learned that after the application was made they received no response yet. So, what do I do ? Wait a bit more or take things into my own hands ?. I decided to step in and try to get the ‘Quitus Fiscal’ myself. At least I would understand how this process works and at the same time see if I get better luck than my notary.
Going after the ‘Quitus Fiscal’
First stop: local tax administration
I went to my local tax administration (called “perception”) and asked about the ‘Quitus Fiscal’ application that the notary did on my behalf. “Yes we do have the application from the notary but it’s on hold at one of the other city tax administrations”. I learned that the process is now electronic: my local tax administration sends a notice to all other local tax administrations to see if I owe them anything. If I owe them no money, they send back a green light. Once all the local tax administrations send their green lights, my local administration can deliver me the famous ‘Quitus Fiscal’ document.
I asked “Great, but what is happening with my application ?”. “Ah, it’s stuck at local tax administration X and we don’t know why. You want to go see them and speed up things.”
Stop 2: the bottleneck tax administration
It was 9h30 am and it looked like I was just getting started. I took a cab and went to the specified administration. The admin clerk responded to my surprise that in their files they have someone with the same last name as mine, and that person happens to owe them late unpaid taxes for the last 10 years !!.
I responded “Well, that could not be me as I’m up to date with my taxes. It must have been some kind of a mistake.” I asked him what is the person’s first name or national card ID ? ” He responded “we don’t have it. We have only his last name”. What !!??
The admin clerk explained that I must clear my name and proof that I’m not the person that owes them money! What !!?? Is this serious. Did someone forget to take their medicine !?
I tried to contain my impatience and anger that started to mount. I responded “What can I do then ? I’m not an administration that has tools and resources. If you don’t know other identifying info of that person, how can I know it ?”. Not showing any empathy, he simply responded “you need to go to the regional tax administration and get that person’s details. They must have it there”. WOW, could they just not send them an email, fax or make a phone call ? No, sir, it looks like they needed me to be their messenger !!! He said: “If you want your application to progress, that’s what you need to do”. Well … what can I do ?
Stop 3: Regional tax office
I decided to comply and be the messenger. And there I went to the regional tax office. “No, we don’t know that person and we have nothing on that person besides his last name”. Nice !!
Stop 4: the bottleneck tax administration
I hopped into a cab and went back to the previous tax administration. I told the same clerk I interacted with that the regional office did not have any more information. With a very calm voice he responded “There is nothing much I can do”. Completely shameless. I’m saying to myself: they made a mistake by not collecting a person’s details, and now I’m the one paying for it. Enough compliance with this nonsense. I’m not gonna take this anymore.
I started to raise my voice, protesting that this does not make sense, and that I needed to meet with a supervisor. My voice was loud enough that a supervisor came out of his office inquiring about the situation. I explained to him the conundrum. He looked at me and seemed to be more emphatic and eager to find a solution. Then, to my surprise, he said, “There is a solution: we need you to sign a paper stating that you don’t owe us any tax and you are not the person that owes them the last 10 years of upaid taxes.”.
This was great ! Things were impossible and now they are suddenly possible. I signed the paper and the supervisor reassured me that I could go back to my local tax administration to get my ‘Quitus Fiscal’. He would send them the green light electronically. WOW. I thanked him and off I went.
Stop 5: local tax administration
It was 1h30 and I was back in the first office where it all started. The clerk checked on her computer and confirmed they had received the electronic green light response. Finally, all this drama would be over pretty soon !
Wait … not quite. She came back a little hesitant in her voice, and said “I don’t know what is happening but it looks like the system does not allow me to give you the document as your name is associated with another person in the computer” !. Wait, it’s this starting all over. Some kind of groundhog day?. So, I asked who that person name? I was worried that the original issue was still not resolved. She responded: “Mme A”. It was my wife’s name !! I replied that the apartment was under my name only. There should be some mistake, somewhere.
She went and asked her manager. He came to my rescue and explained that he would need a copy of my wife’s ID to disconnect her from my file in their system. Go figure. I ran home and got my wife’s national ID. The manager did his “thing” and after a few minutes the clerk-lady came back with my cherished document ! Joy, I finally got my ‘Quitus Fiscal’.
It was 3h pm, but heck, I got the document. What a stressful experience it was.
Take a way
If anything I learned from this experience:
- Be patient (very patient): Even if something does not make any sense, be patient.
- Be persistent: Go after it and do not give up. A solution would be around the corner, just it may take some time and persistence to find it.
I thought the whole process would take at most a morning. I was wrong: it took a full day !
Well… after all, it was a happy ending, and with persistence and patience I got what I was after. Time to have a well-deserved late lunch. I think I earned it.
Did you have any similar absurd experience you would like to share ?
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