Blog on Spanish law

Tag: Spanish lawyer in Manchester

  • Santa Ana del Monte. A story of successful recovery of deposits paid to an insolvent developer in Spain

          Litigation is never an easy thing. When I was a trainee lawyer in Spain, my boss, who was a walking enciclopedia and knew every single law in Spain, used to tell me: “Antonio, it is always better to reach a bad settlement than entering into a long but good case in Court…

  • I am an Executor on a Spanish estate. Do I still need an N.I.E.?

    The answer is simple: Yes. Any person appearing in a Will that is going to be used for the administration of a Spanish estate, whether this is an English or a Spanish Will, requires a N.I.E. number. Obviously, this applies to those who inherit the asset but also to those who are not beneficiaries under…

  • Returning the keys back to the bank

    A REAL CASE OF A SUCCESFUL DACION EN PAGO This is a real case that we saw in the office some months ago. For obvious reasons, no names will be mentioned. The important thing is what happened and how the matter was resolved. Let me explain what happened.   In year 2006 two friends bought…

  • How to calculate the Inheritance tax in Spain for non-residents

     Quite often I am asked how much is the tax payable on a Spanish estate. My first answer to that question is that the tax is not paid by the estate but is paid by each beneficiary on the basis of what he or she inherits. My second reply is that the Inheritance tax is calculated on a…

  • Networking of Spanish businesses in Leeds

                  From left to right: Igor Urra, Alejandro Benavente, Antonio Guillen and Enrique Sanchez Great event on the 5th March at La Tasca in Leeds organised by a group of businessmen in Leeds, particularly Alejandro Benavente and Blanca Gonzalez who did an excellent job organising this fabuluos event in…

  • DEATH, BANK STATEMENTS AND TAXES IN SPAIN

    When the Spanish estate is not only made of properties            When inheriting assets in Spain, the first thing that comes to mind is property but the truth is that assets also involve bank accounts, shares and other type of properties such as a car or even a boat. We have…

  • 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…

  • Buying property in Barcelona

                      Barcelona is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Woody Allen tried to show it in his famous film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” although he excesively focused on the usual landmarks and buildings, forgetting that there is beauty in many other places apart from the…

  • First use license and habitation certificate. Tomatoe, tomato. Are they the same thing?

                  There are two documents which are essential before moving into a house in Spain. They are called first use license (“licencia de primera ocupación”) and habitation certificate (“cédula de habitabilidad”). These two documents sometimes have their own validity and in other occasions complement each other. It is difficult…

  • Interview from the Law Gazzette

    My legal life: Antonio Guillen 28 October 2013 Topics: Personal and professional development   Head of foreign property, DWF, Manchester. Watching LA Law in the late 1980s captured my attention and pushed me towards pursuing a career in law. I loved the talk, the looks and the suits. Life and a legal career then came…