Solicitors in Murcia/alicante

Hello

Can anyone recommend a good solicitor in these areas who can help with buying a property?  We would need someone who speaks English.  I have found one solicitor called Ricor Abogadas in Alicante an wondered if anyone knew anything about them?

Any advice would be great.

thanks.

Hi Franca5

My recommendation would be Spanish Solutions in La Zenia. I've used them for years and they're great.  Unlike other solicitors (I had 2 before them), they give you up front costs for their services so you know what you're paying for, staff fluent in several languages, and very helpful.

http://www.spanishsolutions.net

I've used Imont in San Javier for several properties, they're excellent, speak fluent english and you will know up front how much it's gonna cost your.

We used Martínez-Abarca & Muñoz (www.mamsolicitors.com) in San Javier. Spoke very good English. Responsive to emails and proactive. Sonia Hernández was our contact there.

We gave them power of attorney and they set up all of our utilities and direct debits. We're keeping them as our fiscal representatives. 

Hope that helps.

Heather

Hi Franca5,

A good place to start is the foreign and commonwealth office list of English speaking lawyers in Spain

The list of lawyers in  Valencia, Murcia and Albacete can be found here

We chose Abad Abogados in Los Alcazares due to their local knowledge of Polaris World properties in the area. They clearly laid out all costs before we engaged and there were no surprises. They did everything for us from opening our bank accounts and getting our NIEs to dealing with the purchase and connection of all utilities.

l have absolutely no complaints with their service.

That's a useful list DuncanMcG - I've made a note thankyou.

But the problem with recommending solicitors is that it's often several years before you might discover their failings in acting for you.  We used an outfit in Mazarron, their name implies they're friendly, but it turned out that they had befriended the Spanish contractor vendor - not us their client!

Couldn't agree more Acer, it is only when you have problems that you discover how useless or pliably corrupt some can be.  I'm sure it's the same in the UK, and personal recommendation is always welcome.  Over the years we had a useless one and a corrupt one, and we only discovered it about both of them when we needed action or help.  They do not 'advise', they take instruction, so unless you know the system and how and what to instruct, they run rings around you and get paid for nothing.  We had actually researched beforehand and though we had chosen carefully.  Luck of the draw I suppose.

My personal recommendation of Spanish Solutions is because they have proved themselves through good and bad things and I don't know how I'd have managed without them.   

I have been told by many people that Gonzalo Calderón Chao is the best lawyer in Alicante

Totally agree acer and ********. Buyers must take responsibility for their own purchase and instruct their solicitor appropriately.

Some good guidance here. Basically I just sent that list to the lawyers and asked them to confirm. I got all documents translated and ensured the nota simple matched the property, the property was debt free etc.

The lawyers also offered title insurance which protects against the major pitfalls. It was a couple of hundred euros for 20 years insurance.

Duncan, does the title insurance that you refer to cover pre-existing conditions? eg existing land registry problems, boundary disputes, demolition orders, existing administrative and financial claims, etc?

ads, happy to email you a copy of the insurance if you pm me your email address.

In short, yes it covers land registry problems, demolition orders, habitation certificates, existing mortgage or tax claims against the property etc.

Now I am confused as I have since read that "as with all insurance products, pre-existing or known conditions are not covered".

Does this now mean that title insurance is not worth the paper it is written on since in the main the problems associated with these real estate problems in Spain, already exist due to failures from within the existing system?

Hi ads

Have a look at this thread discussing the policy on andalucia.com

You can also see some more info about the policy here and the terms and conditions here

I must admit that I hummed and harred a bit before deciding to buy. I don't think it will protect you if your home had a demolition order on it when you bought it, or there was outstanding debt etc that you knew about before you bought but it does insure you against the failure of the notary or other parties making you aware. That is why it is important to get all documents translated and read them yourself.

Thank you Duncan.

I can understand, however, the scepticism when you consider how Banks were supposed to provide legal BG's (by law no less) and they now disclaim responsibility leaving no option but for innocent claimants to file lawsuits that are exposed to abusive delays and repetitive appeals since there are no time constraints within the current court and judicial systems, nor any system in place to protect purchasers from repetitive appeals until such time as 2 Supreme Court judgements on identical set of facts are forthcoming...

So I'm bound to ask the question will insurance companies do likewise with this form of insurance and challenge claims in a similar vein to the Banks, given that most of the scenarios that they cover already exist due to failures within the current conveyancing system? Insurance companies could easily pass the buck or employ similar psychology to the Banks in the hope that associated costs and compromising delays in the justice system will act as sufficient deterrent in their favour....

It's a sorry state of affairs when purchasers feel the need to consider such abusive behaviour and lack of faith in financial instutions products in place to protect, but until such time as reform is forthcoming to better protect purchasers it's inevitable that ongoing mistrust will sadly prevail. 

It's really important that purchasers remain aware of these ongoing issues and do not rely upon products that are masking continuing risks. All the more reason to heighten the call for reforms that clean up the system from the outset of purchase.

Indeed ads,

I used to work in the finance sector and know all about their sharp practices.  I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. Car Insurance, Home Insurance, Travel Insurance etc is the only financial services products that I have now. Even then, I fully expect them to try to avoid paying what is due should I need to make a claim.

There are risks in any purchase, particularly property. The advice "caveat emptor" is as old as it is wise.