UK Buyers will need a permit if a property is located on registered military land
When the Withdrawal Agreement ended on 31st December 2020, all of the general principles of EU law ceased to apply in relation to the UK. Similarly, benefits included in Spanish legislation for EU citizens were also no longer applicable. Some of the real life consequences of Brexit are now starting to show themselves.
UK Nationals are now caught by 45 year old Spanish law for Non-EU property buyers
In 1975, a Royal Decree approved that land and facilities of interest to national defence were to be regulated. When Spain joined the EU in 1986, EU citizens were exempt from the regulations. Now of course UK buyers are affected if they are buying in an area identified as restricted.
The main impact is a possible delay in the completion of purchase while awaiting the necessary permission from the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD). The areas covered are patchwork, but do include significant areas of land in this area, notably southern Alicante and Murcia.
Completion of a property transaction can only happen after authorisation has been received.
What do I need for my application?
Expat Services can help with your application to the Spanish MoD if the property you want to buy is situated in regulated area. To obtain the permit, alongside the application you must provide:
- A criminal records certificate
- Photocopy of your passport
- Residence card if you have one
- A drawing of the floor plan of the property
- A map showing the location of the property and the nearest town.
This is sent along with a letter requesting the authorisation from the Spanish MoD. The list is a summary and you should not rely on it if you are making the application yourself. Applications will be rejected if they don’t meet the strict application requirements. It is recommended that you use experts like Expat Services to help.
How Expat Services can help
At Expat Services, we can assist you with the application. We will write the letter in Spanish and make sure that the enclosures accompanying it are all done correctly, meeting the exact requirements. We will also chase up your application and liaise with you and any other professionals involved in the purchase.
Our charge for this application and management service is Euros 250. Contact us to find out more.