# living off-grid in Spain, habitation license



## svenvrins (May 19, 2014)

Hello everybody,

Likely, this question has been asked before but I can't find the exact answer, so here goes...

I'm thinking of buying a property (and some land) in Spain for off-grid living. Ideally, I would buy an old house that needs work but is basically suitable for living in (i.e. good roof, walls and floors). However, I am doubtful about being allowed to live in such a house if there is no habitation license. On the other hand, this license is used primarily to obtain water, electricity and a mortgage. I would need none of those.

In Portugal, houses that are built before 1951 don't need a habitation license (although the structure should be registered as a house). Does anyone know whether there are similar regulations in Spain?

Alternatively, if a habitation license is obligated, is it easily obtained when living off-grid? Would sufficient repairs to an old house be enough? Or is it necessary to be connected to water and electricity?

Hope to hear from you. Thanks in advance for any useful feedback on this.

Best,
Sven
(Netherlands)


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## Roosje (Nov 8, 2014)

Hi Sven,

Just read your message and I am very interested if you found out the answer in the end, as I am now in a similar situation in Asurias, Northern Spain. If the council says: yes, this is (or was) a house and you may rebuild it here is your licence, does this automatically mean that you can live in there when it is finished? And will you receive licences to connect it to electricity and water without problems? Will they give you an address?

Thanks for your answer!

Roos


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

The habitation licence is NOT used to obtain the things you mention. It is primarily proof that the property is habitable.

If it is habitable, then further paperwork can be issued to get utilities installed.


Please be careful as it is not as simple as requesting, say, electricity to be installed (even with all the paperwork). I know of various people who have all the necessary paperwork and have money available to have power connected, but after 10 years, they are still waiting!


Like in Portugal, older houses in Spain may NOT have a habitation licence - this is not a problem provided everything else is legal.


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## Roosje (Nov 8, 2014)

Hi Snikpoh,

Thanks so much for your answer. Just for my piece of mind: if the cuota gives us a licence to rebuild an old house, it means that I can then live there, right? Even if I don't get a permission to connect to the grid, i can officially live there. I am asking because at the moment it looks like we are getting a permission to rebuild, but we haven't looked into connecting to water and electricity. If we cannot get a permit for this, we will live off grid and use green energy and other sources of water. 

I am just really scared that we get a licence to rebuild, but in the end are not allowed to use it as our house, because of something that I am overlooking.

Again, thanks so much for your help!

Roos


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Roosje said:


> Hi Snikpoh,
> 
> Thanks so much for your answer. Just for my piece of mind: if the cuota gives us a licence to rebuild an old house, it means that I can then live there, right? Even if I don't get a permission to connect to the grid, i can officially live there. I am asking because at the moment it looks like we are getting a permission to rebuild, but we haven't looked into connecting to water and electricity. If we cannot get a permit for this, we will live off grid and use green energy and other sources of water.
> 
> ...



That's a good question - and I'm not sure of the answer.


I suspect (this is Spain after all) that even if they give you a permission to renovate, the property may still be illegal.

There have been many cases where the authorities have taken IBI (council tax) payments on properties that they know are illegal and are under threat of demolition.


Perhaps it's best to ask that question of the planning department at your local town hall or by asking a good, local architect.


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## Roosje (Nov 8, 2014)

Thanks for your help! Really appreciated! I will let you know when I find the answer.

Roos


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## Expat2M (Jul 19, 2019)

Roosje said:


> Thanks for your help! Really appreciated! I will let you know when I find the answer. (if the cuota gives us a licence to rebuild an old house, it means that I can then live there, right?)
> 
> Roos


Hello Roos

I hope you are living the dream.
Have you found out the answer: if the cuota gives us a licence to rebuild an old house, it means that I can then live there?

Muchas gracias


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