Spanish Property Glossary of Terms from Novi Property Mallorca
Abogados - Lawyers / Solicitors
Agente de la propiedad inmobiliaria - Estate Agent
Alcalde - Mayor
Asesor fiscal - Tax adviser
Ayuntamiento - Town hall
Cargas - Charges on the land
Catastro - Property / land register
Cédula de habitabilidad - Certificate to certify that a property is habitable
Certificado de Final de Obra - Certificate granted by the Architect confirming completion of a new building. This must be in place prior to Completion / signing at the Notary's office
Contrato de Compra Venta - The sales contact , signed a the Notary's office, between vendor and purchaser
Comisaría - Police station
Comunidad or Comunidad de Propietarios - Community of Owners in complex or block of apartments. President, Treasurer and Secretary are appointed by the owners to administer the communal areas conduct expenditure from the service charge etc.
Comunidades autónomas - Autonomous regions of Spain such as the Ballearic Islands
Contrato privado - The private contrato that is signed by both vendor and purchaser setting out the basic terms of the sale. Equivalent to "exchange of contracts" in the UK
Contribuciones (also now know as I.B.I - Impuestos sobre los Bienes Inmuebles) - Local rates payable to the Town Hall
Copia Simple - Copy of the original Escritura (deeds) less the signatures
Cortijo - Farmhouse ie house on a rural Finca
Declaracion de Obra Nueva - Formal registration, by the owner, of a new building at the Notary's office, resulting in the creation of an Escritura (deeds) for the new property
Denuncia - Formal complaint eg against illegal building work
Departamento de Urbanismo - Town Hall Planning Department
Empadronamiento - Electoral register
Domiciliación de pagos - Standing order
Escritura - Property deeds
Estado de cuenta - Bank statement
Expediente de Dominio - Proof of ownership documentation, issued by the courts where there is no Escritura for the property
Finca - Rural house and land
Gestoria / Gestor - Office / individual dealing with administration and bureaucracy associated with living and owning property on Spain - residency permits; payment of taxes / submission of tax returns; transferring vehicle ownership etc (the profession does not exist in the UK)
Hacienda - Spanish tax office
Hipoteca - Mortgage
Impuestos sobre transmisiones patrimoniales - Transfer Tax of 6% payable by purchaser on acquiring a property
IVA - VAT
Licencia de Obra - Licence to build, issued by the Town Hall for all building work
Licencia de Primera Ocupacion - Licence of first occupation. Can not be granted without the Town Hall first having sight of the Certificado de Final de Obras (see above). This licence is required before a new owner can get an electrical meter installed
Memoria de Calidades - Building Specification
Municipio - Town council
N.I.E. (Numero Identificacion Extranjero) - Tax registration number for foreign residents and property owners (obtained from Gestoria - see above)
Nota Simple - Land Registry Office document setting out the property registration details; current owners, whether there is a mortgage or other charges against the property
Notario - Notary or Government appointed lawyers that legalise many legal documents and transactions in Spain including transfer of property, Powers of Attorney etc.
Número de identificación fiscal (NIF) - Tax identity number
Número de identificación de extranjeros (NIE) - Tax identity number for foreigners
Patrimonio - Wealth Tax
Plus Valia - Local tax raised on the sale of a property based on the % increase in value since the last change of ownership. Generally in Spain paid by the vendor, although in Mallorca it is customary for this to be paid by the purchaser
Poder - Power of Attorney
Precio de Compra - Purchase Price
Residencia - Consent to reside in Spain with the rights of a Spanish citizen (resident's card)
Registro de la propriedad - The land registry
Seguro Decenal - 10 year structural insurance which should come with all new property
Testamiento - Will and Testament
Urbano - urban (eg terreno urbano - urban land)
Valor Catastral - Rateable Value