# Problem With House Purchase, Advice Please.



## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Right, things were running just too smoothly until this week, we were contacted by our lawyer to say there is some paperwork for the house missing. The house must be about ninety years old and is set in a small hamlet of about eight houses. The missing document is called a SAFO which apparently is needed for a house on, urban non-consolidated land. The cost to get this certificate could be anything from 1500 to several thousand euro or we could go ahead and purchase as we have been told it is not absolutely necessary to have it, as the house already has mains sewage, electric and all the usual services so we are a bit confused. The vendor doesn't want to pay for it but nor do we. Our lawyer even said it is quite unusual to need this certificate on urban land and it is the first time she has come across it but has said it may be problematic without it. The general consensus from all involved is that it is the town hall just trying to make a few bob, which is a shame but I'm not shocked.

Anybody else heard of this sort of thing, it is sort putting us off a bit and we certainly don't want to cop the expense for it but the vendor thinks we have negotiated such a good deal that we should pay it. It will also prevent us altering the house without it and we intended to do some alterations when we moved in.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I've heard of them, but have no personal experience of having to get one. More information here:-

Sunset Properties Spain - dafo certs

I guess that if the absence of this certificate means you would not be able to carry out the alterations you would want to make to the property, then your choices are
(a) propose that the vendor at least makes a contribution towards the cost
(b) pay for it yourselves, or
(c) pull out of the sale and keep looking.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> I've heard of them, but have no personal experience of having to get one. More information here:-
> 
> Sunset Properties Spain - dafo certs
> 
> ...


Thanks Lynn, we have thought about (a) or (c) but definitely not (b). We are waiting to see how the cost comes out and how it would be shared if at all but if not it will definitely be (c). Luckily this purchase was between two properties and the other has just been reduced but we will play fair and see if an agreement can be reached.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Roy C said:


> Thanks Lynn, we have thought about (a) or (c) but definitely not (b). We are waiting to see how the cost comes out and how it would be shared if at all but if not it will definitely be (c). Luckily this purchase was between two properties and the other has just been reduced but we will play fair and see if an agreement can be reached.


Well, good luck. Possibly the vendors will not want to lose a sale, particularly if the property has been on the market for some time.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> Well, good luck. Possibly the vendors will not want to lose a sale, particularly if the property has been on the market for some time.


Thanks, hopefully that will be the case, they are already back in the UK.

That link was very informative, thanks again.


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## Mushu7 (Jul 17, 2015)

Roy C said:


> Lynn R said:
> 
> 
> > Well, good luck. Possibly the vendors will not want to lose a sale, particularly if the property has been on the market for some time.
> ...


Have they not done anything to the house in the time they were there. Did they know about the requirement for this doc?


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Mushu7 said:


> Have they not done anything to the house in the time they were there. Did they know about the requirement for this doc?


Yes they have given the house a bit of a refurb but it was before the new law came in, I think.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Sounds like it's something very important to know about in the purchasing of a house. It's outrageously expensive!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

They are selling a property with inadequate paperwork. It is their problem, don't make it become yours. I would expect them to pay for it or I would pull out. Make sure they know you have another house waiting in the wings.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

The vendors will have the same issue no matter who they sell to. 

Make sure they understand this so that a deal can be done.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

I don't think the information in the link is correct. As I understand it once a DAFO has been issued, you cannot modify the house in any way - only maintain what is already built. I would advise caution buying any house outside of a PGOU town plan until the full facts become known. 

My information comes from Home - SOHA - Save Our Homes in AxarquiaSOHA – Save Our Homes in Axarquia | Working to legalise your home and AUAN - fighting to legalise homes in Andalucia who have been fighting to get Decree 2/2012 changed 

Davexf


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