# How stupid is this .... a word of warning!



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I'm not usually one to have a downer on Spain, but ....

I was in one of our flats yesterday cleaning and tidying it after tenants had moved out. One of the jobs was to replace two cracked floor tiles.

So there I was, with an angle grinder to remove the tiles when there's a knock on the door. I opened the door to find a (local) policeman there.

Very politely he asked what I was doing so I explained. He then shocked me by stating that I should have a licence (obra menor I presume) to replace the TWO tiles!

I was gob smacked. I pointed out that it was simply two broken tiles and that it would take about 30 minutes and cost less than it would for him to drive back to the town hall to post the details.

No joy, I now face a fine and the cost of the licence. Then there's the tax (10%) of the cost - about 2euros!!!


To say the least, what a strange country Spain is!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> I'm not usually one to have a downer on Spain, but ....
> 
> I was in one of our flats yesterday cleaning and tidying it after tenants had moved out. One of the jobs was to replace two cracked floor tiles.
> 
> ...


oops!!

you hear about this happening - but you're the first person I 'know' that it has happened to!!


we've been told that you have to have licences for indoor work & even just painting walls - but I've often wondered how anyone would actually know to report you....

I guess it must have been the sound of the angle-grinder that alerted 'someone'


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> oops!!
> 
> you hear about this happening - but you're the first person I 'know' that it has happened to!!
> 
> ...


I think so to, but it was at a reasonable time (11:00 in the morning)!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Sounds to me like an ayuntamiento desperate to raise a bit of extra cash.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

It would almost be so ridiculous it could be funny had the kids not knocked two tiles from the fireplace that we need to replace.
Although my wife and I often joke about this exact law in truth we haven't even considered it in replacing the tiles.
I think we'll buy the mortar and take the risk.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Wait, what? 
I guess this is a big pro of living in a town of 250. No PL. 

Sorry to hear they came after you. I would seriously have a very hard time believing the policeman...


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Like anything in Spain I guess it depends on your town hall but even to paint the inside walls you are supposed to get a Licencia de Obra Menor or Rehabilitacion.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> I'm not usually one to have a downer on Spain, but ....
> 
> I was in one of our flats yesterday cleaning and tidying it after tenants had moved out. One of the jobs was to replace two cracked floor tiles.
> 
> ...


No two ways about it - that is ridiculous


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

All part of the overall (seemingly) plan to discourage anyone from investing or living in Spain.


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## Lonely (Aug 11, 2012)

Omg


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## Aron (Apr 30, 2013)

Never heard of anything like that in our province. My neighbour has just altered his outside wall by adding another two feet to it, nobody questioned that. The police are always up our street.

I had a repair done to concrete base by the road. When asked by the Hacienda what was happening, they just told us to complete the work as quick as we can. The Spanish builder told us, you don't need a licence for repair work. Perhaps the rules vary between provinces.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Aron said:


> Perhaps the rules vary between provinces.


You could be right. I checked ours (Cadiz) and they don't mention interior decoration or replacing tiles indoors.



> Las pequeñas obras de reparación, modificación o adecentamiento, ya sean realizadas en edificios, en viviendas o vía pública, tales como:
> 
> 
> Ejecución de obras interiores en locales no destinados a vivienda que no modifiquen su estructura o distribución interna y su uso.
> ...


I guess because we are a _pueblo blanco_ they are going to object to anyone painting their _fachada_ any colour but white - but I've never heard of anyone actually applying for a licence.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We painted a wall - please don't tell anyone. I might knock it down so they won't see it. BUT we need a licence to knock it down...


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Yep ,it is everything here. All detailed on 3 x A4 sheets that you can obtain from the council complete with the cost of everything.
Interior painting even differentiates between normal paint & plasticised ! :lol:
BUT i am the only person I know who has ever applied for a licence, & that was only to renew all the roof tiles.  Thought it was for the best as the council inspector used to go by 2/3 times a week & for 88€ I wasn't going to have a problem considering I'd more or less rebuilt the rest of the house already .

Back in 2010 we built a 3 storey apartment on the back of the neighbours extension. 1st floor is 144m2 & 2nd about 80m2. It rises to a height of some 20m. :lol: 
No one said anything. It actually towers over the house. :lol:


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

I applied for a licence to change the colour of the house exterior . Neighbours thought I was mad.

It's illegal to have bedrooms put in the underbuild, but people do it.
It's illegal to have walls over a certain height " "
It's illegal to build on the neighbours wall " "
It's illegal to build a swimming pool less than 2 mt from the wall......
Why don't the local police have a ral look round and fine accordingly-lots of money for the council coffers!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

extranjero said:


> I applied for a licence to change the colour of the house exterior . Neighbours thought I was mad.
> 
> It's illegal to have bedrooms put in the underbuild, but people do it.
> It's illegal to have walls over a certain height " "
> ...


Some of these things also require planning permission from the District Council in the UK....in fact I think all of them require permission and you can see why.

We were forbidden to change the outside of our house in the UK in any way....only wooden window frames, only specified colours used for all outside work...even the kind of glass to be used for windows was specified. We were in a Conservation Area.

Our Ayto. has done a lot of work at our Perrera. I wonder if they asked permission of themselves? Maybe I should investigate with a view to a denuncia...


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