Costa Blanca Property Selling Guide

Cedula de Habitabilidad (Habitation Certificate)

Each builder must submit plans to the Town Hall in advance of starting any building work on Urbanisations or individual houses. When the work is finished on the area that was submitted, the builder then must advise the Town Hall in order that they inspect the building works and approve the same. The 'Cedula de Habitabilidad', or Habitation Certificate, is issued by the Town Hall, on satisfactory completion of a building Project. Once obtained, the Habitation Certificate has a validity of 5 years and states that the building conforms to the original plans submitted to the Town Hall. When the five years expire, if the certificate is needed, the owner of the property should renew the certificate via the Town Hall, who will issue the new certificate, in the name of the owner of the property. If any refurbishments are made to the property (including the closing in of patio areas, paving of gardens, adding of additional rooms etc) permission should be obtained by the Town Hall, prior to starting the works, so that when the time comes to renewing the Habitation Certificate, there are no nasty surprises.The real problems occur when you are selling your property. The representatives of the buyers will ask for a certificate that is still in date, and many clients are finding that they need to get this renewed, before selling their property. This is also when the Town Hall will become aware of any minor works made without permission, due to the paperwork that they require in order to renew the Habitation Certificate.So, any of you planning to sell your house in the future, it´s highly recommended that you get your paperwork in order to avoid lengthy delays in obtaining the same – let´s face it, it´s hard enough to find buyers for properties at the moment, and what you don´t want is to lose a buyer simply because your paperwork doesn't match up.  

Energy Efficiency Certificate

Legal requirement To Sell your Home From 1st June 2013

Energy Efficiency Certificate

Royal Decree Clarifies Spain's Energy Efficiency Cerfificate

The Royal Decree on 'Certification for Energy in Exisiting Building', passed in Parliament on Firday 5th of April, has clarified and approved the Energy Efficiency certificate – Certificado de Eficiencia Energética (CEE).

The new law states that all properties for sale or rent must obtain the CEE from 1st June 2013.

In short, the energy efficiency certificate is a document signed by a qualified assessor that contains information about the energy efficiency of a building according to the calculation method defined by the Ministry of Industry, Energy Development and Tourism.

A CEE must be obtained before a property is marketed and the information must be included in all advertising. The certificate must also be produced at the signing of the contract of sale. Rentals, including holiday lets, must make a certificate available to tenants. Agents cannot legally offer properties for rent or sale without a certificate.

Those with homes in the UK should be familiar with the certificate. The Energy Performance Certificate or EPC, as it is commonly known there, was introduced on 1st August 2007 into England and Wales as part of the Home Information Pack. When the requirement for HIPs was removed in May 2010, the requirement for EPCs continued.

A CEE analyses the energy consumption of a home and suggests possible improvements to make the building more energy efficient. The information contained in the certificate is summarized by a colour coded bar chart using a scale ranging from A to G, similar to labels found on white goods.

The most energy efficient homes are in band A and the least energy efficient in band G. Those properties in band A should have the lowest energy bills. The same scale is used to define the impact a home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions. Calculated over time, the average property in Spain is expected to be band D or E for both ratings.

The CEE is an initiative of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, an international treaty that sets binding obligations on industrialised countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Within the treaty Spain is committed to reduce CO² emissions by 20% by the end of 2020.

According to the latest data published by the United Nations, Spain is number 20 in a list of countries by CO² emissions, producing just over 1% of emissions worldwide. China is number 1 followed by the United States.

Sellers: If you wish we can arrange for your energy certificate and the current price is €130 for a property up to 100m2 and this lasts for ten years. Please contact us for a price if you property is over 100m2.

FAQ

What is an energy certificate?
It is a report that describes how efficient a home is in terms of energy consumption. It assigns an energy rating to each home on a scale which ranges from "A" (the most efficient) to "G" (the least efficient). Who can issue an energy efficiency certificate? Our qualified assessors are here to help you through the process.

Will the technician need to visit the property?
Yes. They have to visit the property to take measurements and collect information about the property before drawing up and certifying the report.

How much is the EPC certificate?
For a property up to 100m2 the price is €130. Please contact us for a price if you property is over 100m2.

Who needs an EPC certificate?
All properties that are being sold or renting out (even holiday rentals).

How long is thecertificate valid for?
The certificate is valid for 10 years. This means owners will not have to obtain a new certificate during this period unless they renovate or change the property in any way.

Will I be fined if I do not have an EPC?
Yes, the government will fine all properties listed for sale or rent that do not have an EPC.

Will a low rating affect the sale of my home? Can I sell it without any problems?
You are free to sell your home. The only way it will affect a sale is how the rating influences the buyer.

If I want to sell my home and it has a poor energy rating, such as D, E or F, am I obliged to make any improvements?
No, you are not obliged to make any improvements even if your property has a low rating.

Summary

The Spanish government will require all existing homes in Spain that are for sale or rent to have an "energy performance certificate" from the 1st of June 2013.

Once the new regulations have come into force in Spain all homeowners who want to sell or lease their property must make this "energy performance certificate" available to the prospective buyer and/or tenant.

The owner of the home, building, or business premises will be responsible for obtaining and paying for the certificate, which they will need in order to sell or lease their home. In addition to the certificate, each home will also receive a series of recommendations to improve the energy performance of the home and enable it to go up at least one level in the energy efficiency scale.

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