LEGAL TERMS Abogado - Lawyer. Acta - A document prepared by a notary when adding a property to the land register. Acta de notoriedad - Procedures for registration in the land register if the basic principle of the continuous registration was interrupted. Afecciones registrales - Noted encumbrances on the property in the land register. Agrupacion - Combining parcels of land. Alta catastral – The official value of property, calculated by the town hall for tax purposes. Arras - Deposit. Arrendamiento de obra – A contract between a builder and the owner of a property. Asiento de presentacion - Note of conveyance. Protection of the purchaser for a certain period of time against further registrations. Boletin de enganche - Certificate for the installation of electrical facilities, which is a precondition for getting access to electrical power. Certificado bancario de devisas - Certificate from the bank that confirms the purchase price has been paid. Certificado final de obra - Certificate from the Architect that confirms the construction work has been completed. Codigo civil - Civil law. Colegio oficial de arquitectos – Official body of architects. Communidad de propietarios - Community of owners in an urbanisation. Condicion suspensiva - A condition under which a juridical consequence only occurs if certain other circumstances and assumptions occur prior to it. Contrato de arrendamiento - Rental contract. Contrato de opcion - A contractual option that may be exercised at a future date. Copropietarios - Co-owners. Declaracion de obra nueva - The declaration by a notary of the construction of new buildings. Delegacion de urbanismo – Surveyor’s office responsible for granting building permits. Demarcacion de costas – The Government department that is responsible for the protection of the coastline. Derecho de retencion - The right of one party to retain monies paid thus far in the event that one or more contractual obligations are not met by the other party. Derecho de superficie - Land rights. Edificabilidad maxima - The maximum construction area. Embargo - Seizure or retention. Escritura - A certificate of purchase issued by the notary. Fianza - Security payment or deposit. Finca – Plot of land, either with or without buildings. Finca registral - Registered plot of land, either with or without buildings. Hacienda publica – Tax office. Hipoteca - Mortgage. I.B.I (Impuesto Sobre Bienes Immuebles) - Common ground tax. Impuesto de actos juridicos documentados - Stamp duty. Impuesto de transmisiones patrimoniales - Purchase tax on real estate, expressed as a percentage of the amount detailed in the escritura. Impuesto sobre construcciones, instalaciones y obras - Local tax on new constructions. Impuesto sobre el patrimonio - Property tax. Impuesto sobre sucesiones y donaciones - Death duty and inheritance tax. Impuestos municipales - Municipal or local taxes. IVA (Impuesto Sobre el Valor Anadido) - Value added tax. Ley de arrendamientos urbanos - Urban rental law. Ley de la propiedad horizontal - Tenants law. Ley de suelo - Ground law. Licencia de obras - Building permission. NIE (Numero Personal de Indentificacion de Extranjero) - Tax identification number for non-residents. NIF (Numero de Indentificacion Fiscal) - Tax identification number for residents. Nota simple informativa - Extract from the land register. Obligacion personal - Unlimited tax obligation for residents. Obligacion real - Limited tax obligation for non-residents. Ocupacion maxima - The maximum permitted roof area of a property. Parcela - Plot of land. Perito - Person who checks the installation of electrical points etc. and advises on architectural safety matters. Permiso de obra menor - Permission for small construction works. Plan parcial - Partial development plan of a community or urbanisation. Planta - Floor (i.e. in an apartment building). Plus valia – Tax levied on the increased in value of a property. Precio - Purchase price. Procurador - Representative of a party at the court, besides the lawyer. Propiedad - Property or possession. Propietario - Owner of property or possession. Proyecto de ejecucion de obra - A proposal for building, held until permission is granted. Recepion definitiva - Final acceptance of the construction. Registro de la propiedad - Land registrar. S.A. (Sociedad Anonima) - Public limited company. S.L. (Sociedad Limitada) - Company with limited liability. Saneamiento - Liability for defects. Segregacion - Separation of a part of the property. Separacion a linderos - Minimum distance between neighbouring properties. Servidumbre de transito – Right of way/access rights. Solar - Plot. Suelo no urbanizable - Land protected from building. Suelo urbanizable - Land that can be built on. Suelo urbano - Urban or built up land. Tasa - Rates. Toma de posesion - Taking possession. Traspaso - Payment for the transfer of rental or lease contracts - normally for an established business. U.T.M. - The number of a registered plot. Urbanizacion privada - Private community or development. Uso de oficinas - To use as an office. Usocapcion - Appropriation of a property over a certain period of time( fixed). Valor catastral - Official value of property, calculated by the town hall and used to generate the rate of ground tax. Valor comprobado por la administracion - Assumed value of real estate as a base for the property tax. Valor real - Actual value. Zona de servidumbre de proteccion - Protected area up to 200 metres inland from the coast certain rules governing construction are in place.
