Insurance claims – Mortgage and health claims
Insurance company products and services are very important, particularly when you are not in your home country and might not understand the implications of the various policy options. A good broker can help you but sadly we have heard of a number of cases in recent years where insurance companies are failing to honour policy […]
Spanish property – English divorce – seek advice before obtaining a Court order
After 20 years working in Spain I have lost count of the number of English court divorce orders that seek to deal with Spanish property as if it were English property. English lawyers will be familiar with the wording and recitals: The property shall be sold forthwith on the open market for sale and the […]
Why you should register your new or modified construction
In Spain there is no legal obligation to register property at the Land Registry. However, the failure to do so and for the registry to accurately reflect the size and description of the property can have serious and sometimes unforeseen consequences. If you bought a two-bedroom property in the country for example and then obtained […]
Are you free to dispose of your assets in Spain?
A conflict between Article 28 of the Spanish Land & Mortgage law and the European Succession Regulation 650/2015 may sound rather dull. However, in practise it could create particular problems for spouses from countries such as England who have free disposition of assets. The majority of people from England who are married with children leave […]
Rural properties and licenses in Spain- AFO
The acronym AFO – Asimilado Fuera de ordenación – has become a talking point amongst rural property owners and buyers in many areas of Spain. This is because many regions have brought in regulations governing properties built in rural areas either without a license from the Town Hall or built before such licenses were issued. […]
De Cotta Law receives recognition from British Embassy
I was delighted to receive a Certificate of recognition for De Cotta Law for its contribution to the local community in Spain on Saturday. At a Garden Party held in Madrid at the Ambassador’s residence on Royal Wedding day a number of local charities and organisations were presented with certificates. So many of these people […]
Why you should have an English will
Do you have assets in England or outside of Spain? You should always have a Spanish will for Spanish assets – if this is over 2 years old it is a good idea to get it reviewed due to changes in tax law and succession legislation. It is not a good idea to have a […]
Inheritance tax reductions Andalucia
As a result of recent inheritance tax changes Andalucia is now one of the most attractive places in Europe to buy property. Not only due to its wonderful climate, culture and beaches but also to a very favourable inheritance tax regime. Until relatively recently one of the main disadvantages of buying a property or holiday […]
Brexit – Moving to Spain – the positive approach
There have been a lot of harbingers of doom about Brexit and British citizens buying property and moving to Spain. However, on re-reading the Joint Report of the UK Government and the European commission of 8th December 2017 it is clear that for those thinking of buying or renting property and living in Spain before […]
Selling property in Spain
Clients who own property in Spain are often concerned about both the taxes they will pay on sale and the transfer of their funds after sale. For British clients there can be the additional worry about converting the funds into Sterling from Euros. If you are considering selling, it is a good idea to get […]
Do’s and don’ts when buying property in Spain
Ensure that the legal title is checked and that the property can be sold free of any debts and charges Establish with an English speaking independent lawyer if the property is fully licenced and that no administrative or legal sanctions are in place In Spain there are debts which can be placed against the property […]
Revision of local taxes – reduced in Marbella – increased in Nerja
All property owners in Spain have to pay local taxes – Impuesto de bienes inmueble – IBI – to their local Town Hall. These taxes or local rates are revised from time to time. They are based on the catastral or rateable value which is fixed by each Town Hall. The central government uses these […]