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Getting a Power of Attorney in the UK

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How do you put yourself ahead of the game when you decide the time is right to buy a property in the Spanish sun?

Preparation is key. Once the current Coronavirus pandemic is over and travel resumes to Spain, (both of these things WILL happen), we are expecting a rush of new clients and you may well find yourself in competition with another buyer. Already having your NIE’s and Spanish bank account will certainly give you the edge over the person who is just “waiting and seeing”.

With a Power of Attorney in place with Sun Lawyers, we can handle both of these necessary procedures for you before you arrive to look at properties, giving you more time and energy to concentrate on the important business of finding your ideal property.

And it doesn’t end there – after the purchase has gone through, we will set up your direct debits with the utility companies and your council tax and collect the Title Deeds from the Land Registry when the purchase has been registered in your name.

In addition, for further peace of mind once you have bought your property, we can contact the bank and utility companies for you, arrange payments and sort out any day to day difficulties, leaving you free to plan your next holiday in the sun..

What is a power of attorney

A Power of Attorney grants the solicitor the authority to act on your behalf to apply for your NIE’s, open your bank account, sign the purchase contract; indeed, to carry out all the necessary procedures right up to and including signing for your property on the day of completion. Imagine, all you have to do is arrange to collect the keys and take possession of your dream home in the Spanish sunshine.

Witnessed by a local Notary, the Power of Attorney is a legally binding document but don’t worry, the solicitor is not allowed to go into your bank account and steal all your money – there are safeguards in place, both in the wording of the document and the necessary procedures to stop any fraudulent practices.

Power of Attorney from the UK

With some information from you, we prepare the draft document, locate a Notary public close to your address and send him the document for you both to sign. You will need to bring along proof of your identity and address to the Notary appointment. The signed document is then sent to the Foreign Office in Milton Keynes to have the Apostille attached. This makes the document legal for use in Spain. You can arrange this yourself, on-line or the Notary will arrange it for you.

We need the original document here in Spain, so the Foreign Office can either send the document directly to us, or if you prefer, back to you to forward to us.

With the Power of Attorney in place, we can then start the ball rolling right through to completion. Of course, we will keep you informed step by step about how your purchase is progressing.

What are the costs of doing a Power of Attorney from the UK?

You do pay quite a lot extra for the convenience of a Power of Attorney done from the UK. UK Notary charges do vary, but a range of between £400 and £600 is not unusual. Then there is the cost of the apostille (£30) and various courier charges (including of the final document to Spain). You might actually conclude it is more cost-effective to book flights and accommodation and do the POA in Spain after all!

Contact us today for further information. Sun Lawyers, “All you need is us”.

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