What is a land registry extract (“nota simple”), how do you request one and how much does it cost?

Question

José Manuel Alburquerque · Accepted Answer

It is a summary of what is recorded at the “Registro de la Propiedad”, the Land Registry, about a property, stating what it is like, who owns it and what charges (encumbrances) it has, such as mortgages, attachments or easements. It is for information only, because the document that officially proves those details is the Land Registry certificate (“certificación”). Anyone with a legitimate interest, such as someone thinking of buying, can request it online through the registrars' online portal or at any Land Registry office. Online, it currently costs around nine euros plus VAT. What it says and what it does not say The extract sets out the description of the property, with its location, its size in square metres and the properties it borders. It also states who its owner or owners are and the charges registered or noted against it. But it only reflects what is recorded at the Land Registry on the day it is issued. It says nothing about: Anything submitted to the Land Registry afterwards, such as a new attachment. Debts owed to the owners' association (the “comunidad de propietarios”) or for the “IBI”, the municipal tax on the property, that have not been noted on the register. The actual planning status or any works carried out without a building permit. Whether the flat is let or occupied. That is why it is advisable to request it when you start negotiating and again shortly before signing. Before the deed is signed, the notary requests information from the Land Registry again. If the square metres in the extract do not match those of the Cadastre (“Catastro”), clear this up before buying. How to request it Online, through the online portal of the “Colegio de Registradores”, the association of Spanish land registrars, sede.registradores.org, which has a service for requesting the extract. It usually arrives the same day or within a few working hours. In person, at any Land Registry office, even if it is not the one where the property is registered. To find the property, you can use its registered property number and the Land Registry where it is registered, its unique registry code, the cadastral reference or the address. When requesting it, you have to state what it is for. The law requires a legitimate interest, such as that of someone who wants to buy the property. There is no need to use unofficial websites that resell land registry extracts. They charge more and provide nothing that the Land Registry does not. How much it costs The registrars' scale of fees (“arancel”), which is the official tariff set by the Spanish government, sets around 3 euros per property for the extract, plus VAT. That is what is paid at the Land Registry office. Requested online, it currently costs around nine euros plus VAT. If you need official proof of the charges, for example in court proceedings, what you request is a certificate, which under the scale of fees costs just over 24 euros per property. The government has put out to public consultation a change to that tariff which has not yet been approved, so these amounts may change.