Do we need an architect to get our LFO?

we bought a property 2 years ago partly built in the Fuente Alamo area of Murcia , the house is built and roof on etc all plans have been passed after being let done by builders at varous times we are now ready to finish the project ourselves as we're builders in England but understand we will need a LFO ? The architect who prepared the plans for previous owner speaks no English so we need help whether we need another architect or can apply ourselves ? Also what state will it have to be finished to get this & us it absolutely necessary? We would like assistance with local builders to work With us if possible? It's a renovation property on rural plot. We have the escritura etc all legal!
Hope someone can help?

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Hi,

Dont know about Murcia but here in Granada Province, when we did pretty much the same as you, we were advised by our local town hall that in order for them to issue the LFO we would need to contact a Technical Architect and have him inspect the property to ensure that the work originally specified in the plans previously approved by the Town Hall had been complied with satisfactorily.

The Technical Architect having visited and inspected the property, issues a 'Certificado de Obras Final' signed and stamped by them.

The Architects fee will depend on the size of the property and the degree of work involved in the Inspection. Ours is a very small two up two down terraced property and the sum involved was 250 Euros.

In our case we then took the Certificate to the Town Hall, and requested the issue of the LFO. This was no big deal as we live in a very small community; they said they would post the LFO in a few days time but it never arrived! After three weeks of waiting I went back to the Town Hall with a fresh copy of the Certificate and they prepared and issued the LFO whilst I waited.

You need the LFO to obtain contracts with the electricity and water suppliers.

Hope this helps.

fb

Edited for typo.

 

This message was last edited by foxbat on 23/03/2011.

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Hi

We had our house built near Fuente Alamo and needed the LFO to get electricity and water connected. Our house was a new build and once building was finished the architect signed off the build to say it was as per the plans he had prepared.

The town hall than sent someone to physically check the house to make certain we had not doubled the size etc. Once that was done it was just a case of calling to the town hall to collect the certificate.

Jean

 

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 I think It´s too late to reply but ....

You need LFO for electricity, water, to sell your house, to not to penalize by townhall...

The arquitect charges you for two items: 1) Projetc  2) Dirección de obra (managing during the works)

Those items can be made for different arquitects (normally is the same one)but the arquitect who make the "dirección de obra " have to give out a certificate of this well done building works called "certificado fin de obra" .  

You need the project to obtain license for building  the house.

You need the "certificado fin de obra" to obtein the LFO.

Also if it´s a new building the "certificado fin de obra" is signed for the arquietct and the "arquitecto técnico".

Never pay the 100% to the arquitec if he don´t give you the "certificado fin de obra"

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 emmaJane66:

You need to prove to the Loca Council that the work has been finished according to the project it was submitted there for work License, therefore, the intervention of a technical person (architect) is necessary.

Kindest,

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Hi all especially Maria

I have a secondary question to this thread..... If the properties on an urbanisation of 750 homes all have the fin de obra signed off by the architectsis there anything else required before we can all insist the Town Hall issue the LFO for each property?

Regards

Barry

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 fighter2: Hopefully not. If the work has been conducted according to the requisites of the Work License

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Hi everyone,

There are many documents you give to the townhall but only if you are the development company or an individual developer for one house only. If you have "only" buyed your house,you must obtein the LFO for the developer.

It dependes on your Town Hall requirements. In my town (Murcia) to obtain LFO you need:

- Fin de obra signed

- Fin de obra of urbanistation work if have been done while building constructions.

- Certification of Water Local Company.

-Copy of building works license.

-Certification of telecommunications of local telecommunications Industry authority.

- Normalized Building book ( A book were you register all the documents needed to make your building: Agents, Plans, Quality control, Fin de obra, Industry certificates for water and electrical supplies, Manteinance recomendations...

-Copy of treasury registered building (catastro)

I´m sure María can contribute with more usefull information.

I hope you can solve your trouble. Thank´s

 

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Every local Council has its own preferences and procedures within the general frame of the Building Act, but yes, documents are in general those listed by Wolo.

My best advise here is to contact the PLanning department of the Local Council and ask for the list of requisites

Kindest!

Maria 

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Help please, i think I am going mad, our urbanisation has been here for 10 years we all have electricity and water and are billed for those individually, but no LFO we employed a Town Planning Community Lawyer who said yes within 3 to 6 months you will have your Licence, 15 months later we are being fobbed off with so many excuses firstly last year it was the elections which apparently took the TH  9 months to come to terms with then Marbella TH moved offices and gave themselves a LFO however all the files are still locked even after 4 months, we have paid to open the file and we are again apparently waiting for the legal report last time we asked it was the engineers report, do we have to pay a bribe here or what? I don't know only that our owners who for whatever reason  they want to sell, cannot without our having the LFO, 10 years in the waiting. Is Spain still in the Franco system? I thought they had done away with all the old bribery that went on.. it makes me wonder. Yes I do love Spain and the normal people but those in office appear to think that they can ride roughly over all of us, it really is time they grew up and realised they are in an economic situation which is only being held together by the foreigners who live and continue to spend here, if we all decided to boycott any shopping in Spain for 3 days it may just make them realise which side their bread is buttered on.

Sorry as much as I love Spain the beaurocracy is driving me mad. Please if anyone knows of someone who can cut through the tape please let me know.

Mo

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A licence of First Occupation is just that...First Occupation!

The 1st poster said they already had electricity and water so they don't need it for that and the Certificate is only valid for FIVE years anyway.

In Orihuela Costa area in a largish block of apartments approx 10 years old I have only heard of one owner needind to provide the LFO to sell, even though it would be out of date and I know other owners have sold without this document ( even though they were provided with it initially  and probably misplaced it since ).

So my question is ........if the LFO is only valid for 5 years how can you get another? A copy or second certificate obviously cannot be a FIRST occupation Licence. The LFO says your home is fit to live in after the initial build...................you cannot confirm that after the certificate has expired.

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Hi Karensun,

You are right you don't need an LFO to sell, however without one you drastically limit your potential market. You cannot get a spanish mortgage without an LFO unless ofcourse it is a bank repossession, and that bank is giving the mortgage. So you are left with cash buyers, who once they know there is no LFO will almost certainly try to lower any offer. and those who get a mortgage from another country, so in effect at least 80% of your potential customer base has gone.

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This has not been my experience. Mortgages have been obtained from Spanish banks and they have not been for re possessions. I would be surprised if a bank in another country would give a mortgage on a Spanish property, perhaps by taking a second motgage on an existing UK property, but not direct to a Spanish property.

Anyone will use any reason at the moment to lower a purchase price as there is sooooo much property on the market for whatever reason.

I sometimes wonder if by asking to produce a LFO is another way of upping the costs, especially as the LFO expires after 5 years and is used primarily yo get services ( electric and water ) conected to the property and of course to say the property is habitable.

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That is great if it is acceptable in your area, it certainly isn't in the Marbella area. As you rightly say there are so many properties on the market it is a buyers dream, but here no LFO no Spanish mortgage, as I said bank repossessions are different, and I know for a fact that 2 on our complex have received mortgages from their country of Origin. I also know for a fact that 1 property here sold for cash at a greatly reduced price even given the situation and that was due to NO LFO.

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 Isn't the LFO the habitation certificate?  If you sell, you need a 1st, 2nd etc LFO or habitation certificate.  I know of a couple of deals that have fallen through due to the lack of a habitation certificate which required mortgages as the banks wouldn't lend without one.  However, a solicitor should be able to obtain a 2nd (or whatever) certificate on provision of a boletin from an electrician.  Selling, if the buyer doesn't need a mortgage, should be no problem if electric and mains water are being provided as is the case with many properties that come under Orihuela Costa town hall (who are still humming and hahing after over 10 years of some properties being connected to utilities).  I know of one person who sold with the boletin being lodged with the buyers solicitors with no problems.   Just banks now (a bit late, probably) want everything in order before lending.  Shame they didn't do that some years ago.

 

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you are quite right if we are, and we are, owners who are connected to electricity and water and pay our individual taxes we should have the LFO "de facto" however, guess what, the THall are demanding a payment!!!!!!and a whopping one at that, if we comply we get the licence, if not, we don't. We are 7 Fases with 3 already with their LFO's we want ours but need to pay for the outside road to be all brought up to standard, we are not the only users all the other Fases are too as is a very famous golf club, why should we pay the bill??? we are offering our share however all appears to be at stalemate!!!!

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