Utilities in Spain. Moving to Spain and getting your Spanish property connected
Utilities in Spain are completely different to the system in Britain. Before moving to Spain you should familiarise with what you need to do to get your Spanish property connected. When working out your budget you must always take utility bills into account.
Utilities in Spain - Electricity
The first thing you should do after completing the deal to buy or rent a Spanish property is contact your local electricity company. Utilities in Spain are notoriously slow to be connected, particularly electricity companies. To do this you will need to register at the local office. You then need to produce your passport or residence card and a copy of the bills by the previous occupant.
Many areas of Spain suffer from frequent power cuts as electricity supply is often a casualty of heavy rain.
Bills for electricity land on Spanish doorsteps every two months and you will pay a standing charge in advance and for usage in arrears. IVA (VAT) at 16% and electricity tax of 4.8% will be added to your bills.
Utilities in Spain - Gas
Mains gas is generally only available in the major Spanish cities. Therefore if your Spanish property requires gas then you will need to buy it in bottles (bombonas) from a company called Repsol Butano.
After moving to Spain and into your new house you will have to contact the local gas company to have it switched on if you have mains gas. They will attend the property, read the meter and have you sign a supply contract. As with electricity, customers are billed bi-monthly and IVA is charged at 16%.
You would also need to sign a contract to have Repsol Butano supply gas bottles. The company will carry out a safety inspection of every Spanish property before they agree to deliver bombonas. It is cheaper to buy them direct from depot and you can find out where your nearest one is by contacting the company on (+34) 901 100 100.
Inspections on all appliances are required every five years before you can continue to qualify for provision of gas.
Utilities in Spain – Water
The first thing to say is – do not waste water. Supply is a major issue in Spain and local municipalities do everything in their power to minimise waste.
The municipalities control water supply and, depending on where your Spanish property is, connection for a new home will cost between €50 and €300.
A standing quarterly charge for a minimum consumption exists in most areas. You need to visit the local town hall to find out how to contact your provider and get connected to mains water. At this stage you will need to produce your passport and the previous contract/bills to start a new contract.
New connections
If you are buying land or renovating property you should be advised that it may take many months to get a new supply and in some cases you may be too far from the mains or the cost will be many thousands of pounds. This could be a deal-breaker for a renovation project so it is best to check whether there has been a connection to your plot in the past or whether neighbours are connected.
Moving to Spain and into your new Spanish property means you must deal with Spanish utility companies who do not have a reputation for efficiency. It is advisable to give all utilities in Spain as much notice as possible before moving in.
