# Gestors???



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Hey all,

Before I ask some questions can anybody recommend a good English speaking Gestor around Alicante city or a little bit further north like El Campello way? 
It would be a bonus if they spoke French as well but just English will do.

OK, so I have been doing some reading on Gestors but still I wonder just how much interaction with them we need to have. I believe I understand their role and usefulness but I guess at what point is it that you need one?

Is it for absolutely everything? 
I mean I have read people use them from everything for paying bills, phone contracts and so on but are they a legal requirement?

We will be down in a couple of weeks looking to secure a long term rental property and I have seen people say it's not necessary, some it is but it's best to seek more advice will we need a Gestor for that?

Letting someone who knows what they are doing when dealing with the bureaucracy seems like a good idea but, and I dread to ask this, just how much bureaucracy is involved in something as simple as changing the bills to your name?

Can anybody give an example of what the cost of a Gestor is for something they needed one for?
I assume they are cheaper than solicitors?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pazcat said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Before I ask some questions can anybody recommend a good English speaking Gestor around Alicante city or a little bit further north like El Campello way?
> It would be a bonus if they spoke French as well but just English will do.
> ...


The use of a gestor is purely optional. There are many reasons why some people choose to use them;

Language is one reason
Knowing ones way around the system is another
Having systems already in place beats having to set it all up oneself (modelo 720 and tax returns for example)
I'm sure there are many more reasons people use them but once you have sufficient language skills and are fairly au fait with the processes, then why use one? Changing utilities into your own name is actually very simple but you need the correct paperwork. If you don't know what paperwork you need, don't have it or don't know how to get it, then a gestor may be an option.

We still have our tax returns done by a gestor but this is purely because it costs 40 euros for a joint declaration and would cost me a lot more in time and effort to do it myself.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> I'm sure there are many more reasons people use them but once you have sufficient language skills and are fairly au fait with the processes, then why use one? Changing utilities into your own name is actually very simple but you need the correct paperwork.


I guess that is the heart of it, at first the language is going to be the biggest factor and if for no other reason it will be probably be why we would tend to use one but I guess you're right as you get settled why use one if you don't need it?
That said at this stage we don't know just what is in store so I couldn't say either way just how difficult life without a Gestor would be. My wife is a contract lawyer so she is a bit miffed by the whole concept.



> If you don't know what paperwork you need, don't have it or don't know how to get it, then a gestor may be an option.


Shouldn't this information though be freely available somewhere though?
I'm just a bit overwhelmed by it, it's probably different for everyone but sometimes it feels like they can be a part of everyday life. 
How much would a gestor cost say to help with the changing of the bills?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pazcat said:


> I guess that is the heart of it, at first the language is going to be the biggest factor and if for no other reason it will be probably be why we would tend to use one but I guess you're right as you get settled why use one if you don't need it?
> That said at this stage we don't know just what is in store so I couldn't say either way just how difficult life without a Gestor would be. My wife is a contract lawyer so she is a bit miffed by the whole concept.
> 
> 
> ...


gestores aren't lawyers (necessarily) - they serve a completely different purpose

they just get things done - originally they were scribes, when the majority couldn't read & write

they don't do anything that you can't do for yourself - they just make life easier

I speak Spanish & have in the past done interpreting work at the various offices where gestores 'get things done'

but I employ a gestor to do all of that for me now - his office deals with my tax returns etc., for roughly the equivalent of what I earn in an hour, per month

so it's totally worth it for me


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Well it's good to know that they don't seem too bad price wise when it comes to things like tax returns, I have paid more than that for an accountant to do my taxes in the past.

It's something we will find out soon for ourselves, hopefully we can find a decent enough one when we are there.
Who regulates them though? 
Is there such a thing as a rogue Gestor(I'm not even sure what that would mean)?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Another question,

Would a gestor be the one who would make sure that prior to our arrival things like the electricity and internet are all switched on and ready to go in our absence or is that up to the land lord?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pazcat said:


> Another question,
> 
> Would a gestor be the one who would make sure that prior to our arrival things like the electricity and internet are all switched on and ready to go in our absence or is that up to the land lord?


Your landlord should do this for you if it needs doing.

There are two ways that landlords can operate;

Simply change bank account details to yours
Change contract to your name

With (1) the problem is that bills will be addressed to your landlord and not you. Money will be debited from your account automatically - if this goes wrong or they take too much, then only your landlord can complain.

With (2), landlords are sometimes loathe to do this as it may require a new bolletin (certificate proving that the installation is up-to spec.) and this costs time and money.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Thanks for that, we're just used to having all our own contracts and are currently getting the ones here in order to give notice of cancellation.

I'm not sure if option one is a simple way to go about it or not.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pazcat said:


> Thanks for that, we're just used to having all our own contracts and are currently getting the ones here in order to give notice of cancellation.
> 
> I'm not sure if option one is a simple way to go about it or not.


As I say, it may not be your choice to make - the landlord will try and decide for you (unless you offer to pay all costs)!

And cancellation is another reason landlords won't like option (2) - in order to show people (next tenants) around, they will need power. It may be too costly for them to put it back in their name and then into a new tenants.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Well as long as they forward on all the bills to us I don't see much of an issue with it and it will be less things to worry about when settling in. 
It wont be forever but it'd be good to minimise the chances of being taken advantage of.

What would the costs be?
It's fairly standard here for a tenant to be responsible for pretty much everything including the cost of changing names on contracts etc.

I don't think I mind either way, just as long as it's all transparent.


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## blackduff (Mar 19, 2013)

Our American company created twelve Spanish companies, which allowed us to meet all of the Spanish requirements. These twelve companies had a varied amount of expats at each company. Of course, they needed Visa's and Work Permits. 

Most of the American Expats are professionals and they were expensive for the American company. On the other hand, a Gestor is much cheaper to use for the paperwork needed for these twelve companies.

Some of us used their own personal Gestor too. In my case, I was trying to change a Swedish car over to Spanish plates. This took two years and the Gestor failed, eventually. I don't think he spent enough interest to make this work. Finally my wife attacked the bureaucrats and made it happen.

You'll find some Gestors which are specialized in things like visas/work permits. Car paperwork is special from some Gestors. 

I lived in Spain for six years and later working within Sevilla for three more years~I loved to have a Gestor's ability. I've never found a system any other country that I've worked.

Blackduff


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Cheers for the reply, that sounds similarish to my wife's work in a way. They have said that all the visas, residency etc they will take care of which is good for us as I'm a non EU citizen. 
I don't know if they have a company Gestor or it's the HR department who do it all as we are still awaiting a further information package.
It'd be nice to think they can help with changing the plates over on our car too but fair enough if it's left to us.

I also don't know how involved they will be after the relocation but I'm sure at the very least they have a trusted Gestor/s list who the employees use.
I'm just trying to gather as much info as possible because this whole concept is new to us.


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