Residents of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are about to receive another bill, and this one isn’t exactly going to make anyone’s day.
The city council will begin notifying residents about the municipal refuse collection and treatment charge from Sunday, 20 September 2026. Anyone who still needs to pay will be able to access their notification through the municipal electronic headquarters, even if they aren’t normally required to deal with the administration online.
Once the notification is opened and electronically validated, the voluntary payment period begins.
Around 65,000 Paper Notifications
The council plans to send approximately 65,000 paper notifications to households, distributed gradually in different batches.
Residents who need help can request their notification through the Citizen Information and Assistance Offices (OIAC) or the council’s online support service.
If the electronic notification and postal letter arrive at different times, the payment deadline will be calculated from the moment the first notification is opened.
So, as ever with Spanish administration, keep an eye on the dates. Missing one could make life unnecessarily complicated.
Why Has the Waste Fee Increased?
The waste charge has risen by approximately 50%, following new national legislation requiring local authorities to change how waste collection and treatment are funded.
The amount payable is calculated using several criteria, including:
- The property’s cadastral value
- The number of people registered at the property
- Corrective criteria and legally established discounts
The council says these measures are intended to distribute the cost as fairly as possible.
The fee has also been moved into the second municipal tax billing period, which traditionally includes the Economic Activities Tax (IAE).
This billing period runs from 15 September to 23 November 2026.
No Direct Debit Discount in 2026
Finance councillor José Alberto Díaz-Estébanez has confirmed that there will be no direct debit option or associated 5% discount for the waste fee in 2026.
New and existing direct debit arrangements will only become effective from 2027.
For now, residents must pay using the methods specified in their individual notification.
Payment Deadlines
The voluntary payment period depends on when the notification is received.
| Notification received | Payment deadline |
|---|---|
| Between the 1st and 15th of the month | 20th of the following month |
| Between the 16th and the end of the month | 5th of the second month following receipt |
It is worth checking the notification carefully, as the exact deadline will depend on when it is received and opened.
More Time to Adjust to the Increase
Santa Cruz mayor José Manuel Bermúdez said the decision to move the waste charge into the second billing period was intended to give families more time to prepare for the higher cost.
The council has also introduced corrective criteria and legal discounts, which it says will help spread the financial impact more fairly.
Whether that makes the increase easier to swallow is another matter. But at least residents now know what to look out for and, more importantly, when they need to pay.