New Build Spanish Property - Consumer Rights

February 04, 2008

Consumer protection laws in Spain give buyers of newly built properties certain rights with respect to construction faults in the property they purchase. These laws apply when buying newly built property from a developer.

The law specifies different timeframes in which a developer is obliged to intervene at no cost to the buyer to correct faults or indemnify the buyer for any damages caused. The type of construction fault determines the timeframe.

10 YEARS

Serious structural faults that affect construction elements such as the foundations or retaining walls.

3 YEARS

Less serious structural faults that nevertheless render the property or parts of the property uninhabitable, for instance leaking roofs.

1 YEAR

Minor problems with the fixtures and finishings such as cracks in plaster or badly fitted windows.

Any buyer of newly built property who encounters construction faults that fall into one or other of these categories within the time frame specified should immediately report the fault to the administrator of the community of owners to which their property belongs. They should then ensure that the administrator documents the faults and takes the appropriate action to have the faults corrected by the developer.

Buyers of resale properties from private individuals are almost entirely responsible for checking the physical status of the property before they buy.

For an extensive choice of new and off plan property for sale in Spain on the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida, visit the Novocasa website.