In Spain completing your Spanish property purchase is theatre compared to the UK. By now you have found your Spanish property, made your pre-contract enquiries, checked your finances, paid your 10% deposit, signed your exchange agreement, transferred the balance of funds to your Spanish bank in readiness and collected your NIE number.

Remember your in Spain, take a breather, have a drink, some Spanish tapas and enjoy the view. Ok lets go again! As previously discussed you will have expenses to pay, they can be done by giving your new Spanish bank details or asking for an invoice and paying by bankers cheque. They are the Notairs Fee (within one month), Purchase Tax (within one month) and Registry Fee (within six months).

You will need to see paid bills for the electric, water, council tax, urbanisation fees. For at least two years, if not 4 years (time limit of liability which goes against the house, not the owner at the time). This is usually done at the Notairs office when you all meet to complete the sale/purchase. There will be the Notair - independent to both parties and making sure everything is correct. There will be the buyers, the sellers, representatives of any mortgage company, translators for you as everything will be conducted in Spanish - but the Notair needs to know you understand. The estate agent(s) will be there and any creditors who have any debts to be repaid. Last but not least any solicitors or legal advisers. Oh, and normally a few friends/family thrown in for the occasion. You all wait in the waiting room with many other parties completing that day and your estate agent will be badgering to get you to the front of the queue, not the back. Expect anywhere between 1-4 hours!

Again this information barely scratches the surface and you will need the assistance of a solicitor or specialist gestior. This subject is also well covered in my favourite book, "You and the Law in Spain" by rl .David Sea