We believe that it saves a great deal of time and effort later on if you review your English Will and make a separate Spanish Will. As a general rule, the cost is very small. It is also worth
considering giving a member of your family an English “Enduring Power of Attorney”. This would enable your legal representative to continue dealing with your affairs even if you should become incapable of doing so yourself.

It is highly advisable for any person who has a property in Spain but does not live there all the time to nominate a “fiscal representative”. This is a person to whom the tax authorities can send all correspondence relating to your affairs in Spain, secure in the knowledge that it will arrive. The fiscal representative must be a resident of Spain, but it is for you to choose whom to appoint. It can either be a friend, a neighbour, a lawyer or your tax adviser.

You will wish to have the electricity, water and rubbish collection charges transferred to your name. You will need to notify the Town Hall that you own the property, where you will also register for local rates.

You will need to register with the Spanish authorities for tax and other purposes. If, by this time, you have not opened a Spanish bank account, you will need to do so as it is usual for such things as electricity and water, for example, to be paid for by direct debit from your Spanish account. Your legal representative can arrange these items for you or alternately you can appoint a local “Gestor”. He is like an official form filler who does this type of work at quite reasonable charges. You should register as owner of the property with the “Community of Owners” if you live in an apartment block or complex with shared facilities.