This guide is intended to help you understand some of the things that will happen when you buy a property in Spain – and some of the continuing obligations of the property owner. This guide is no substitute for professional advice and representation.

The Spanish legal system is very different from the English. Unfortunately, very often people purchasing in Spain take little or no legal advice and are indeed quite “casual” about the purchase and about the signing of legal documents. They may then find there is no title to the property, that it was built without planning permission…or that it does not even exist!

You will, no doubt, have heard of cases where buyers have suffered loss. There is no reason why this should happen to you provided that you take independent legal advice.

Please also note that the Spanish Notary Public (“Notario”) – in front of whom all land transfers in Spain have to be signed – is not there to give legal advice to either the buyer or the seller. Her function is to witness the signature of the title deeds and to deal with certain administrative matters.