I was going to call this “Completion in Sight”, as in completing the purchase, but I’m reserving the term completion for the time when Casa Libélule is habitable. 😉
So, for now, we’ve been exchanging fairly regular emails with our Spanish Legal Eagle preparing the groundwork for our purchase of Casa Libélule and we have an exciting expected completion date. We should become proud owners on 2nd February. Yikes!
One interesting [euphemism] possibility was raised by our Spanish Legal Eagle which might be a little less than welcome. These properties were built in 2012 and are now the subject of a repossession by a bank, the builder having hit financial difficulties. It seems that local bills for rates and rubbish collection – yes, rubbish collection is separate from rates, it seems, in Spain, become due as soon as the property is completed. Whilst the current owner is technically responsible for those outstanding amounts until we become the owner, Spanish law allows for the new owner to be held responsible should the current owner default. Hmmm. Since no bill has yet been issued by the local authorities, we don’t know how we’re talking about but it shouldn’t be too horrendous.
The bottom line is that we may have to cough up a bit more cash should the bank decide not to do the honourable thing, and given the deserved reputation of bankers the world over, …
Oh well, hey-ho!
Anyway, from 3rd February, we should be owners and can kick off the next important task which is getting meters fitted so Casa Libélule can be connected to water and electricity supplies. We have to pay for that, as well, of course.Once that’s done – estimated time was a week or so – we can think about getting some heating/cooling and some white goods in the kitchen to make the place usable.
Yes!!!