What to check yourself when viewing a Spanish home

Terms used

• Cédula de habitabilidad — The cédula de habitabilidad is a certificate that a home meets minimum living standards, issued under regional rules.
• IBI — The IBI is the yearly local property tax, paid by the owner of the home.
• ITE/IEE — The ITE/IEE is the building's technical inspection, which checks its structure and general condition.
• Salitre — Salitre is the white powdery salt left on walls by rising damp.

Key rules

• Electrics: Old fuses, no differential switch or two-pin sockets without earth point to outdated wiring that may need replacing.
• Damp: Fresh paint on isolated patches can hide mould, damp or leaks, so touch those walls.
• Noise: Visit at more than one time of day and listen with windows open and closed.
• Region: Habitability standards and the cédula de habitabilidad depend on the region, so ask locally.

Plan the visit first

A careful 30 to 45 minutes inside the home shows most problems. Bring a phone charger, a compass app and a torch. The checklist below lists every item. This page tells you what the signs mean and how to judge light and noise.

Windows and insulation

Open and close every window and shutter. Single glazing, or aluminium frames without a thermal break, mean a cold home in winter and a hot one in summer. Look for gaps around the frames and around the rolling-shutter boxes (cajones de persiana). Gaps mean draughts and high bills. Condensation on the glass or cold-feeling walls point the same way.

Walls and ceilings: damp and leaks

Different marks mean different problems:

• Black mould in corners, around windows or behind wardrobes suggests condensation and poor ventilation.
• White powdery salts (salitre) and peeling paint low on walls suggest rising damp. This is mainly a ground-floor problem.
• Dark stains or bubbling paint on ceilings suggest a leak from the roof or the flat above.
• Stained walls under windows suggest a failed seal or a facade leak.
• Fresh paint on isolated patches may hide one of these. Touch those walls for cold or damp spots.

Move wardrobes aside if you can, or look behind them.

Electrics

Open the electrical panel (cuadro eléctrico). You want modern breakers and a differential switch, which is the safety switch that trips on a fault. Old ceramic or glass fuses, a small panel with few circuits and no differential switch suggest outdated wiring. Other warning signs are two-pin sockets with no earth, cables run along the surface of walls, and tangled extension leads. Test sockets and switches with your phone charger.

An old installation can mean a costly rewiring. Count that into your offer.

Water, heating and gas

• Run hot and cold taps and showers. Check the pressure and how long hot water takes to arrive.
• Look under sinks and around toilets for leaks, and check that drains empty quickly.
• Ask the age and type of the boiler or water heater, and when it was last inspected.
• Check radiators or air-conditioning units. Ask whether they work and how old they are.
• Look for the gas installation's inspection sticker.
• Test any appliances that are included.

Floors, door, lift and signal

Walk the floors and listen for hollow tiles or uneven areas. Check the front door and lock. If there is a lift, ride it and listen for noise. Check mobile signal in each room and ask which internet connections are available.

Light and orientation

Use a compass app to see which way the main windows face. In Spain:

• South gives the most winter sun and is hot in summer.
• West gives strong, hot afternoon sun.
• East gives morning sun.
• North gets little direct sun.

Check light with the lights off and blinds open. Note the floor height and any buildings opposite. The sun sits lower in winter, so a winter viewing shows less sun than you will get in summer.

Noise

Visit at different times, such as morning and evening. If quiet matters, also visit on a weekday night and a weekend night. Listen with the windows open, then closed. Check for:

• traffic, bars and terraces
• schools and bin collection
• building works
• lift and pipe noise
• neighbours through shared walls

Ask the neighbours about noise. They will usually tell you.

Bedrooms and minimum standards

Standards for a habitable home are set mainly by each region, so sizes and heights differ. Typically a home needs natural light and ventilation in the main rooms, safe water and drainage, a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, and a ceiling height of around 2.5 m in many regions. Interior rooms with no outside window or ventilation are usually not allowed as bedrooms.

Papers to ask for

Ask for the energy certificate (certificado energético), the latest IBI bill and the community fees. Ask whether the building has passed its ITE/IEE inspection. Ask about the cédula de habitabilidad too, because whether it is required and who issues it depends on the region. The documents list below has the detail. The decision block below helps you choose your next step once you have seen the home.

Choosing between options

After the viewing, should you go ahead, negotiate or walk away?

• Go ahead: Only small, cosmetic issues showed up: modern panel with a differential switch, earthed sockets, no damp or mould, working taps and heating, and the right paperwork.

• Negotiate or ask for repairs: You found fixable problems such as single glazing, gaps around frames, an old boiler, or local condensation mould. Ask for a lower price or repairs before you commit.

• Get a technician to inspect: You saw signs you cannot judge yourself: ceiling stains, rising damp, old fuses or two-pin sockets, or fresh paint on isolated patches.

• Walk away: The problems are serious or the seller cannot show the required paperwork, such as habitability documents or the energy certificate.

If you can see the problem and the cost is small, negotiate. If you cannot tell the cause or the cost, get a technician before you commit. If the home fails basic habitability or the papers are missing, walk away.

Documents you need

• Cédula de habitabilidad (habitability certificate), issued by the regional housing department after a technician certifies the home. Some regions use a responsible declaration or the town council's first-occupation licence instead. Ask the seller or landlord which applies, as it is often needed for sale, rental contracts or utility connections.

• Energy certificate (certificado energético) for the home.

• Latest IBI bill (the yearly local property tax) and the current community fees.

• Proof the building has passed its ITE/IEE inspection (the building's technical inspection).

Home condition checklist for viewings

• Open and close every window and shutter, and look at the frames, seals and glazing type.

• Look for gaps around window frames and around the rolling-shutter boxes (cajones de persiana), where cold air often gets in.

• Check corners, window edges and the back of wardrobes for black mould. It points to condensation, poor ventilation or a thermal bridge (a cold spot in the wall).

• Look low on ground-floor walls for white powdery salts (salitre) and peeling paint, which suggest rising damp.

• Scan ceilings and the walls under windows for dark stains, bubbling paint or cracks.

• Look for fresh paint on isolated patches and touch the walls for cold spots, because new paint can hide a problem.

• Open the electrical panel (cuadro eléctrico). Look for modern breakers and a differential switch (the trip switch that protects you from shocks), and count the circuits.

• Test sockets and switches with a phone charger, and note any two-pin sockets without earth, surface-run cables or tangled extensions.

• Run hot and cold water in every tap and shower, and check the pressure and how fast the hot water arrives.

• Check the radiators or air-conditioning units, and look for the inspection sticker on the gas installation.

• Try every appliance that is included in the sale or rental.

• Walk across the floors to find hollow-sounding tiles or uneven areas.

• Test the front door and its lock, and ride the lift if the building has one.

• Check your mobile and internet signal inside the home.

• If the listing says "a reformar", ask for a builder's quote. The scale of work can run from paint to a full reform of wiring and plumbing, which often costs several hundred euros per square metre.

• If the listing says "para entrar a vivir", still check the wiring, plumbing and windows yourself. It can be lived in now, but it may be dated.

Frequently asked questions

Which way should the main windows face?

It depends on what you want, because each direction behaves differently in Spain. South-facing gives the most winter sun but is hot in summer, west gives strong hot afternoon sun, east gives morning sun, and north gets little direct sun. Use a compass app on your phone to check, and remember a winter viewing shows less sun than summer.

When should I visit to judge noise?

Visit at different times, such as morning and evening, and on a weekday and a weekend night if noise matters to you. Listen with the windows open and then closed. Also ask neighbours about noise, and listen for lift, pipe and shared-wall sounds.

Can a bedroom have no outside window?

Usually no, interior rooms without any outside window or ventilation are not allowed as bedrooms. Habitability rules are set mainly by each region, so minimum sizes and ceiling heights vary.

Who issues the cédula de habitabilidad?

The regional government's housing department issues the cédula de habitabilidad, and the process depends on the region. A qualified technician visits and certifies the home, then the application and fee go to the regional body. Some regions, such as Madrid, use a responsible declaration or the town council's first-occupation licence instead.