# Death in Spain



## Granddaughter1974 (Dec 7, 2017)

Sorry didn't know how else to title this.
My gran has dies in Spain, i'm in the UK and trying to sort out things before I fly out next week.
firstly, do the funeral home sort out the death certificate?
how do I scrap a car?
Any recommendations on who to use to ship some stuff home to UK?
I think I have found a house clearance company, are they reliable in Spain?

Bank, how easy is it for me to close her bank account?

she rented her flat, is rent paid in advance in Spain?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and any practical advice is appreciated.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

Try this Age in Spain guide 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2sGDZQAU6V1WGczMWVKeWs1RE0/view 

Davexf


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## Poloss (Feb 2, 2017)

Hi, please accept my compassion for your bereavement.

I was reading this a few weeks ago because we may well finish our days in Spain and like to plan ahead...

https://murciatoday.com/understanding-the-funeral-process-in-spain_824-a.html
It mentions the widespread tendency of residents in Spain to subscribe to a funeral plan which covers expenses and streamlines administrative procedure.
Do you know if your Gran had such a plan?

According to the above article, "_Under Spanish law, the Police (Guardia Civil) and a doctor must be called (for a death). The doctor will issue a temporary (death) certificate then the doctor or police will contact a funeral home to attend to the deceased. All deaths must be registered by law within 24 hours._

Another extract from the same article: "_Another factor that is different in Spain is *the speed of the process*. It's standard for burial or cremation to take place much quicker than the UK and English-speaking expats can be caught unawares by the rapid procedure (and potentially uscrupulous funeral directors on the lookout for the newly-bereaved caught without insurance). While it is common practice in the UK to carry out autopsies and permit preparation time for a funeral, *Spanish law dictates that Spanish nationals must be interred within 72 hours* and autopsies are only carried out in extreme circumstances. UK citizens are not bound by the same legislation and can insist on a longer period of time to enable family arrangements to be made, although it is commonplace for a Spanish funeral director to tell bereaved expats that the funeral must take place within the same time scale._"

As for your other questions, I would imagine that you'd have to be granted a power of administration in your Gran's testament to be legally able to dispose of her belongings and bank accounts?


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## Poloss (Feb 2, 2017)

Just wondering; how many of us expats in Spain (or elsewhere in Europe) have subscribed to funeral plans?
I haven't got round to it yet, not knowing which side of the Pyrenees I'll end up


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## Granddaughter1974 (Dec 7, 2017)

davexf said:


> Hola
> 
> Try this Age in Spain guide
> 
> ...





Poloss said:


> Hi, please accept my compassion for your bereavement.
> 
> I was reading this a few weeks ago because we may well finish our days in Spain and like to plan ahead...
> 
> ...


Thank you for the responses. You both were very helpful. Have a great Christmas


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## angkag (Oct 29, 2013)

My step-father died in Spain and one issue I had was that Spain didn't issue a death certificate (nothing unusual about the death, just didn't get one).

It wasn't an issue as I had a Grant of Probate, which trumps the need for a death certificate to get things done, but most UK institutions (insurance companies) seemed to think they needed a death cert (they don't). 

He was flown back to the UK for burial though (died on holiday), so might be different.


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