Spanish legal services and documents - useful information for buying property in Spain
When buying property in Spain you will hear a myriad of terms relating to Spanish legal services and documents. A few of these documents are listed below alongside their English translation. When buying property in Spain you should learn as much about Spanish legal services as possible in order to avoid the problems which have befallen some overseas buyers. Here are some comon terms:
Acta - Minutes, transcript.
Acta Notarial - Notary´s deed/certificate. Document for inscription of the given property into the land register.
Arrendamiento de obra - Contract for work and labour.
Cedula de habitabilidad - Occupancy certificate. Certifies that a home meets minimum occupancy standards. Needed when dealing with utility companies.
Certificacion - Certification
Contrato de arrendamiento - Contract for rental.
Conrato de Compra-venta - A private purchase contract made between you and the builder.
Escritura - Title deed and most important document relating to payment for the property.If you are paying up front with no mortgage it will be written into the escritura that the purchasing price has been fully paid. .
Escritura Copia Simple - Your official notarised title deed to the property. This is a temporary copy of the final escritura which you will receive a copy of. The original is sent to the Land Registry for registration.
Escritura Publica de Compra-venta - The official deed of sale, prepared by a Notario and signed by both buyer and seller.
Referencia Catastral - Land Registry document relating to the property location.
Residencia - If you intend to stay in Spain for any length of time, you should obtain a Residencia or Residential Permit(though residents of EEA countries do not require one). This is easy to apply for, and simplifies dealings with the authorities as well as offering a number of benefits.
Valor Catastral - Official assessment
Buying property in Spain requires you to sign many documents and deal with Spanish legal services which will appear completely alien to you. There are a number of UK-based firm of solicitors specialising in international law and offer expert Spanish legal services; one such expert is John Howell & Co, alternatively our service directory can be used to find UK and Spanish solicitors and legal services.
