Blog on Spanish law

Category: Property

  • Returning the keys to the bank after the death of a relative

    Returning the keys to the bank after the death of a relative

    One of the first phrases that I learnt when I moved to the UK to work as a Spanish lawyer was “catch 22”. At the beginning I did not have a clue as to what it meant (‘a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules or limitations’ says Wikipedia) but…

  • Renting property in Barcelona

    Renting property in Barcelona

              Ah, Barcelona. Lovely city. Famous for its gastronomy, football, fashion and its Architecture, specially buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi such as the Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila or Parc Güell. A very cosmopolitan city with inhabitants of all countries and cultures. Also a great place for foreign remote workers and professionals…

  • What is the plusvalía tax? And why should it be charged after the death of a person?

    What is the plusvalía tax? And why should it be charged after the death of a person?

    This is a question very frequently asked by our clients. The question usually comes with a frown on the face. Clients understand the concept of Inheritance tax: someone dies, and the Tax office applies a tax because the beneficiary gets “presumably” wealthier. So far, so good but what is the plusvalía tax then? Clearly, the…

  • Buying property in Spain under-value

    Buying property in Spain under-value

      Spain is still recovering from the brutal economic recession that has affected its economy for the last 10 years. One of the main consequences of the recession was the collapse of the property market where properties went down in value consistently, reaching lower values that left many property owners in negative equity as their…

  • Spanish mortgages – Latest news.

      Following our previous article about mortgages in Spain. The CJEU resolution (21th of December 2016) allows consumers to claim their money back retrospectively from Spanish Banks   As we explained in our previous article, The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) was recently asked to decide about an important case for Spanish…

  • Spanish Powers of Attorney signed in the UK

    A new Spanish case Decision by the Director General of Notaries and Registrars in Spain (DGRN) has been issued on the 14th of September 2016 affecting Spanish Powers of Attorney signed abroad and therefore also those signed in the United Kingdom. The said decision of the DGNR rejected the registration in Spain of a purchase…

  • A quick guide on buying property in Spain for UK solicitors

                Do you have a client looking to buy property in Spain? How can you help him/her from the UK?  It is quite likely that you will have one or two clients looking for a property in Spain. The uncertainty of Brexit and the temporary weakness of the Sterling pound…

  • Do´s and don´t when buying property in Spain

                  Do’s & don’ts when buying in Spain. DO’S. Make your budget. Apart from the price of the property you should consider other costs related to the transaction such as follows: Taxes, Notary and Land Registry: You should consider 10%-12%. Spanish Lawyer fees* Surveyor** although it is not mandatory…

  • BREXIT AND SPAIN: TWO MONTHS LATER WHAT WOULD AN EVENTUAL BREXIT MEAN FOR THOSE BRITISH THAT WANT TO BUY PROPERTY IN SPAIN? How would it affect British people who own properties in Spain? And those who are in the process of buying them? It is too early to know what is going to happen but…

  • Holiday apartments in Spain. Do I need a licence?

            A few days ago I wrote a post in connection to the property market in Barcelona and the increase of holiday apartments in the city.  The Catalan Government has recently regulated the holiday rentals market and now allows holiday rentals as long as the owners comply with certain obligations. Unfortunately, the situation is different in…