If you’re interested in buying a property in Spain, one of the documents you have to make sure you obtain before paying or signing anything is the land registry certificate called ‘la nota simple’.
In basic terms, the nota simple is a detailed report of a property that is on the market.
They are crucial because they contain a full description of each property, what condition it’s in, who the legal owner is, when they bought it, any debts or legal charges against the property, defined use of the land, and any community costs for which prospective buyers would become liable.
This Land Registry Certificate also contains the IDUFIR (Identificador Único de Finca Registral – Unique Property Identification Code) and practical information like the square footage, physical boundaries, alterations made to the property, and, most importantly, confirms who the legal property owner is so you can’t be defrauded.
It is not unheard of in Spain for property owners to not update the nota simple when they make changes to the property. If this happens to you during your house hunt, be sure to raise it with the owner immediately, and any third-party estate agents or letters you are dealing with.
Discrepancies between the nota simple and what you see when you go to view the property can have legal and financial ramifications: if, as is common, the nota simple is not up to date, mortgage lenders are obliged by law to make offers based on the lower reported value.
You can request the nota simple in person at your closest land registry office, but note that it will only be available in Spanish and there should be a legitimate interest in buying the property.
If you’ve viewed the property through local estate agents, it’s also worth asking them if they can provide you with a copy