A Guide to Transacting Property in Tenerife

By Alan Nicholson, Director of Clear Blue Skies SL

Q My friend has told me that you do not need a lawyer to transact property in Tenerife, what do you think?

A. I think you need to wake up and give yourself a good shake! You are in a foreign country, the rules for sale and purchase of property in Tenerife are completely different (better, but different).

The contract will probably be in Spanish and the final deeds will certainly be in Spanish. Very few of the Public Notaries speak English, and most of the documents you will need will be from Spanish offices. If you are buying, you will need to arrange to pay the Notary, the office of registration, and numerous taxes. The average price of a transaction is around 200,000€ and the average cost of a solicitor is 1500€, about 3/4% so how can I put this? If you decide to save 3/4% by not employing a solicitor you are just asking to be taken to the cleaners!

Simply stated, if you transact Tenerife property without legal representation, you must be stark, raving bonkers (unless of course you are legally trained, fluent in Spanish and love dealing with bureaucrats).

Go Back to Alans Tenerife Property Advice Column

Read a guide to buying property in Tenerife.

See Paloma Beach property for sale in Tenerife.