7 Documents to Request from the Seller Before Buying a Property in Spain (Because They Are Not Online)

Part of the due diligence on a Spanish property can be completed from your sofa using official sources in a matter of minutes. The other part cannot: it is stored in the files of the seller, the property manager and the bank. The difference between an informed buyer and one who discovers problems after completion often comes down to whether they requested seven specific documents. Here is the list, what each document reveals and how to respond if anyone is reluctant to provide it.

1. The Land Registry extract (<em>nota simple</em>)

What it reveals: the legal owner (does the name exactly match the person selling to you?), registered encumbrances such as mortgages, attachments, notices of pending proceedings and easements, and the registered floor area. Who can obtain it: you can, and should, request it directly from the Land Registry for around EUR 10. An address alone may not locate the property, in which case you will need the seller's name or the property's registry identifier. When: at the very outset, before negotiating, and again in an up-to-date form before the deposit agreement. Warning sign: a seller who cannot help locate their own registered property.

2. The homeowners' association debt certificate (Article 9.1(e) LPH)

What it reveals: whether the property is up to date with its homeowners' association payments. This matters because the property is liable for debts from the current year and the previous three years, even if the former owner incurred them. Who issues it: the secretary-property manager, with the association president's approval; the seller must request it. When: before the deposit agreement, rather than waiting until the notary appointment, and updated for completion. Warning sign: excuses about obtaining it, as the process is routine and inexpensive.

3. The minutes of the last three homeowners' meetings

What they reveal: the building's financial future. Approved and proposed special assessments, quotations for facade or roof works, association arrears, disputes between neighbours and restrictions in the association rules, such as whether room-by-room or holiday lets are permitted. This is the most underrated document in the entire transaction. Who holds them: the seller or property manager. Warning sign: 'I can't find them'. The property manager can issue copies within days.

4. The habitation certificate or first-occupancy licence, where applicable

What it reveals: whether the property was legally enabled for residential use and, in some regions, whether it remains valid for utilities, sale or letting. The document does not exist in exactly the same form across Spain, but where it applies it is worth requesting. Who holds it: the seller or their representative. Warning sign: a property marketed as a normal residence with no enabling document where local rules require one.

5. The building's ITE/IEE and its result

What it reveals: the building's official condition under the mandatory technical inspection regime. The qualifying age varies by autonomous community and municipality, typically from 30 to 50 years. A result of 'favourable with deficiencies' means works are outstanding and subject to a deadline, and works mean special assessments. Who holds it: the seller, property manager or, in some regions, autonomous-community or municipal public registers with varying levels of accessibility. Warning sign: a building old enough to require inspection that 'has not had one yet'. The obligation does not disappear; you inherit the issue.

6. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC/CEE)

What it reveals: the property's theoretical energy consumption, rated from A to G, and therefore an indication of your future bills and scope for improvement. It is mandatory for advertising and selling a property. Who holds it: the seller, although regional registers sometimes allow verification. Practical point: an E, F or G rating is not necessarily a reason to walk away, but it is grounds for negotiation. Energy renovation may qualify for grants and tax relief, while European rules are becoming progressively stricter.

7. Installation certificates and renovation invoices

What they reveal: whether the electricity and gas installations comply with requirements, through the electrical installation certificate and periodic gas inspection, and which advertised renovations were genuinely completed and invoiced. In buildings from the 1960s to the 1980s, no invoices for plumbing or electrical upgrades may suggest original installations, including lead or galvanised-iron pipes and no earthing. This is not cause for panic; it is grounds for a discount. Who holds them: the seller. Warning sign: 'everything has been renovated' without a single invoice.

The golden rule: in writing and before the deposit agreement

Two habits turn this list into real protection. First, request everything in writing, even if only by email, and keep the replies. If a seller's statement later proves false, that email could be invaluable. Second, request everything before signing the deposit agreement, not at the notary's office. The deposit agreement commits you; information received afterwards may be too late to help. A seller whose paperwork is in order can gather these seven documents within a week. A reluctant seller may be giving you the most valuable information of all.

One final thought sums up our philosophy at Hogarfax: no online report, including ours, can replace these documents because they contain information that is not held in any public database. A good report performs the complementary task: it verifies all public, verifiable information in seconds and tells you exactly what remains to be requested and from whom. Be wary of anyone promising the complete picture simply by entering an address.