Telephone Availability, Valencian Land Grab & other Property Purchase & Removal Issues

IMPORTANT: Before considering a property, please read this detailing problems which may affect the enjoyment of your new home. They may also have serious financial implications and I would urge you to seek appropriate professional advice and assurance before proceeding with a purchase.

Telephones

It can take two years or more to have a telephone connection installed. Even if other houses in the locality are connected or your property was previously connected, the exchange may be overloaded and unable to take on new subscribers.

Properties are often build with all sockets installed, but no physical connection to the exchange.

If you need ADSL for permanent internet connection, this is often not possible because of the distance to the telephone exchange.

Read more about Spanish telephone availabilty

LRAU Valencian Land Grab. Spanish Property Buyers be Warned

If you are considering buying property within the Valencia province of Spain beware! After completing your purchase you could find yourself to be one of the owners who is forced to give part of your land back to the local authority and pay them considerable funds for the privilege of doing so.

This is a law (the LRAU) passed in 1994 when the area involved was almost totally undeveloped. The concept was to help local authorities improve the infrastructure of the area and build low cost houses. In recent years is has been used to seize land from property owners to aid development of new estates whilst creating great profit for both the local authorities and developers.

Acquiring land to be used to improve local amenities, water supply, sewage, etc. sounds commendable, however, unlike the English compulsory purchase scheme where you receive compensation (and can even appeal against the size of compensation) this Valencian law forces you, the property owner, to pay the developer for the privilege of what amounts to legally stealing your land.

Read more about the Valencian Land Grab (LRAU)

Water Supply and Drainage

If you are buying property you need to consider your water supply, particularly in areas, towns etc where excessive development has taken place, often with more thought for developers profit than the good of the population.
The affect on the local water supply and the additional sewage and waste disposal problems has, in many areas, been deplorable and will most likely in the near future escalate the cost of providing quality drinking water.

In some areas water sources are privately owned and it depends on your contract with the owner as to how much water you can draw or how often your water system will be refilled.

Read more about water supply and drainage problems in Spain

Removal Company Problems

Having finalised the buying of your ideal property in Spain usually makes you feel that all the main problems are over. However, if you are selling up your previous home and moving the contents to Spain there is one last factor that can spoil the happiness of moving to this lovely country. The quality of your removal company and the care they take of your affects.

Read more about removal problems and precautions to take

If you have been considering moving to any area within the Valencia Region, don't give up. We live here and both the province and the people are delightful. I'd not live anywhere else. Just be very careful, your legal adviser should check all the legal points but many of the queries I outline are not legal points, they are common sense items you should query yourself.