Spanish Conveyancing
Spanish Conveyancing
There is a misapprehension in the UK that the Spanish property conveyancing system is somehow suspect, unsafe or inferior to that of the UK. This image is the result of sensationalist and generally very inaccurate stories in the UK media. The reality is in fact very different. The Spanish system is simple, secure, transparent and efficient.
So where do the doubts come from? Basically the problem comes when people “leave their brains at the Airport”. Would you buy a house in the UK without using a lawyer? Of course not, so why do people not use a lawyer in Spain? And would you rely on the advice of a man you met in the Pub? Unlikely, but it happens often enough here. Then, when things go wrong people blame the Spanish system rather than their own stupidity.
Having got that rant of my chest I’ll climb down from my soap box and try and explain what will happen when you find your dream home with us.
In the first instance you place a holding deposit of between 1,200 and 3,000 EURO (€) (depending on the owner, the price etc) to reserve the property and remove it from the market. All paperwork is passed to your lawyer (and we won’t work with any client who doesn’t use a lawyer, whether it is one you find yourself or one we recommend). Assuming everything is in order the balance of the 10% deposit is paid within 2 weeks. If it is not in order then no further money is paid until it is.
Completion is usually within a further 2 - 4 weeks but all of these timings are negotiable.
I could at this point go into a long explanation of the process of conveyancing but actually feel that it would be pointless. There are plenty of specialist books available which describe the process in far more detail than I could ever do, so if you really want to know it all you should buy one. Personally I think this too would be a bit of a waste of time as well as being very boring. The reality in Spain is the same as the UK. Your lawyer goes to college for 5 years to qualify, he spends a fortune on journals to keep himself up to date and practices daily. Who am I to second guess him or tell him his business? And what’s the chance that my book is as up to date as the lawyer?
What we do however insist on is that your lawyer speaks English, tells you clearly what he is doing at all stages of the sale and answers all your questions fully and to your satisfaction. And if you aren’t happy with any answers let us know and we’ll ask the questions again!
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