Barcelona is one of the most expensive cities in Europe in terms of housing prices. Looking for a home has thus become a major challenge for future owners, who have to consider several factors in order to find the most appropriate option.
Flats can vary greatly in price between neighbourhoods. Find out the cost per square metre in each area and decide which area you want to live in. If you buy through an estate agent, it must be registered in the Register of Estate Agents. We recommend that the monthly payments on the mortgage loan you apply for do not exceed 30% of the household’s total income.
When you are considering an option, check the characteristics of the flat and the building very carefully: the net floor area, the condition of the installations, age, owners’ association maintenance costs and any expected works in the building, among others.
Before purchasing it, ask who the beneficial owner is and whether they have any outstanding payments. Do not make any advance payments until you know who the agent carrying out the sale is, the property and its net floor area have been identified, and you know the land register reference and the total price of the transaction, among other matters. If you make any advance payments, always ask for a receipt.
When you make the purchase, you must be given, at no cost to you, a set of documents that you must guard very carefully. These include, among others, the certificate of habitability, the plans of the flat and the building, a document issued by the Land Register, the owners’ association byelaws, the energy efficiency certificate, the documents relating to the warranty on the property and the mortgage, and any details you may need in order to sign up for basic utilities.
If the property is new and it is suffering from defects, you have a right to claim from the developer for any defects that have led to defects in the finishes of the works for one year from the date of delivery of the property. If the issues relate to failure to comply with the requirements for habitability, you can make a claim within the first three years. This rises to ten years in the case of structural defects.
If the transaction was carried out between private individuals, any claims will have to be made through the courts. If it was carried out with a company or professional, make the claim by making a record of it through the official claim form or the web form, or by phone with an incident number. If you do not receive a response within 30 days, you can make a claim on the Municipal Consumer Information Office website.
