We provide a professional service for all of your property law related needs.
We are here to help guide you through all of the property law and legal issues and considerations that can be encountered when buying or selling a property in Spain.
Buying property in Spain is pretty similar to buying a property in Britain or any other country. As everywhere, it’s a combination of finding the right place, settling on a price and going through several legal and financial procedures that may appear complicated but are in fact quite logical.
Resale Property Purchase
Pre-owned (second hand) properties. This is the most usual type of purchase
Off-Plan Purchases
Secure & safe purchase of properties that have yet to be completed
Buy to Rent
Where the purpose of your purchase is to profit from rental income
Selling your Property
Looking after all aspects of the sale of your property
Construction Projects
From purchasing your plot to managing the construction of your house
Commercial & Leases
Commercial properties including purchases and leases
The Process of Buying
Let us guide you through the purchase procedure and the services that we offer…
Pre Purchase
Contract
Preparing and negotiating the private purchase contract for residential or commercial property.
Legal Checks
A complete set of legal checks on the property.
Off-Plan Package
Comprehensive Off Plan property purchase package, protecting your investment at all times
NIE, Bank Account & P.O.A.
Obtaining your NIE number, Spanish Bank Account and Power of Attorney (if required)
The Day of your Purchase
Full Day of Support
Full day of completion support including translation services, attending the notary, signing of title deeds
After Purchase Support
Post Completion Service
Ongoing post completion services including registering your deeds at the land registry and changing over of all utility services
Tax Services
Tax Services including reclaim of 3% retention, residents/non-resident taxes and landlord tax
What is an NIE Number?
N.I.E. is an abbreviation for Número de Identidad de Extranjero, which translates as: Foreigners’ Identification Number.
The NIE is an all-purpose identification and tax number in Spain. You need an NIE number for any official or legal process in Spain. For example, you will need an NIE number to buy a property, buy a car, get connected to the utilities and to pay your taxes.
Power of Attorney
Power of Attorney gives your lawyer the legal right and responsibility of managing your financial and related affairs.
This is useful for the buyer/seller if you are unable to attend to your financial duties on a temporary or permanent basis.
RECENT PROPERTY NEWS
New: Client Testimonial
“We cannot thank Silvia Champagne from Sun Lawyers enough for all of her help and support through the purchase of our first property in Spain. We live in the UK and were naturally apprehensive, however we needn’t have worried as Silvia’s knowledge and experience quickly reassured us that we were in safe hands. Very friendly, professional and courteous every step of the way. We would highly recommend.”
Scott Rainger
Sun Lawyers joins the Javea Connect Business Club
Many people who know the Northern Costa Blanca and Javea in particular may be familiar with the Facebook Group Javea Connect. It is the go-to online community for expats in that part of the world and has a following of over 17,000 people.
Building on the Javea Connect Facebook community a website resource was create under the same name www.javeaconnect.co.uk. It is a news and information site that is very informative and up to date. It also includes a business hub, listing reputable local trade and services suppliers.
Sun Lawyers is delighted to have teamed up with Javea Connect and to join the business hub. With our office at the end of the Arenel, with convenient parking, we are the perfect choice for people in the area needing property and other legal services.
View the Sun Lawyers on Javea Connect
Purchases maybe held up for UK buyers if property is sited on military land
A Spanish law from the 1970s Franco-era that has impacted non-EU citizens is now affecting British property buyers following the transition period coming to an end on 31 December 2020.
If a property is located on military land, military permission has to be applied for and granted for the transaction to proceed. While the law applies to all non-EU citizens, there was a hope that British buyers would receive either an exemption or a grace period. But it was confirmed in the first week of January that Brits would be treated the same way as all other non-EU buyers as of 1 January 2021.
We are contacting all of our current clients who have been caught up in this post-Brexit development.
In both the Alicante and Murcia communities there are designated areas of military land, but the areas are a patchwork and not every property will be affected. We are treating each property transaction individually and checking with the land registry which properties are affected and which are not.
Criminal records check required
Purchasers who are affected will need to apply for a criminal records check from the country where they have been residing for the last five years. This document will need to be apostilled at the Foreign Office and returned to the solicitor in order to obtain a sworn translation of the full document. Then the apostilled document, its translations and the rest of the requested documents will go the Ministry of Defence for a decision. The military permission is connected to a specific purchase, so there is no benefit in prospective buyers obtaining a criminal record check ahead of time as the property they buy may not need a military permission.
Decisions may take up to 5 months
A decision on whether to grant military permission can take anything up to five months, but it may be considerably less. Five months is the legal time limit to respond – it’s been extended because of the coronavirus situation. This is an unwelcome development and one that has the potential to delay the purchase timescale.
The law affects new build and resale properties equally. As the requirement evolves and settles down with time, we will keep our clients and contacts up to date with all notable developments.
Next steps
If you have already found a property and are ready to proceed, we can do a search and tell you if the property will be affected or not. Contact us by email at admin@sun-lawyers.com
