Signing the title deeds at the Notary is just the beginning. The real administrative challenge starts afterwards: putting the property in your name "for practical purposes." In Spain, utility companies are notoriously bureaucratic: overwhelmed call centers, crashing websites, and technical requirements that vary by municipality. at Servinmosol, we don't just make phone calls; we audit existing contracts to optimize your spending and guarantee you don't inherit hidden debts from the previous owner.
A common mistake is to cancel the contract to "start fresh." Do not do this! Requesting a new connection ("Alta Nueva") involves paying Connection Rights fees (approx. €200-€400) and waiting for technical inspections that can leave you without power for up to 15 days. We always manage a Change of Ownership (Traspaso), which is faster, cheaper, and seamless.
1. Electricity (Iberdrola / Endesa)
It's not just about changing a name. When managing the transfer, we review the technical and administrative status of the supply point (CUPS):
- 1. The "Boletín" Issue (CIE): By Spanish law, electrical certificates expire every 20 years. If you buy an older property and request a name change, the company may block it and demand a new Electrical Installation Certificate. If this happens, our authorized electricians inspect the wiring, upgrade it to current regulations, and sign the bulletin to unblock the process immediately.
- 2. Power Optimization (Potencia): Unlike in the UK, in Spain, you pay for the "capacity" you contract. Many houses have 5.75kW or more contracted by default, wasting money. We analyze your appliances and consumption to lower the power (if possible), saving you money on the fixed standing charge every month.
- 3. Removing Hidden Extras: Companies often sneak in "maintenance insurance" or "emergency services" on bills that you don't need. We detect and remove them during the transfer.
2. Water (Hidrogea / Aqualia)
Water administration in Costa Cálida and Alicante is strict and often requires face-to-face processing or certified documents.
What do we manage for you?
- Submission of the valid Habitation License (Licencia de 2ª Ocupación). Without this document, water companies will legally refuse supply. If yours is expired, we coordinate our technical architect to renew it.
- Ownership transfer of the water meter and associated sewage/rubbish taxes.
- Leak Verification: If we detect abnormal consumption on the meter reading during the transfer, we alert you immediately before you receive an astronomical bill.
3. Council Tax (SUMA / IBI)
This is the most legally critical procedure. The IBI (Property Tax) and Garbage Tax are linked to the property's Cadastral Reference.
Our Intervention:
- We officially notify the purchase to SUMA Tax Management.
- We can apply for payment installments (Personalized Payment Plan) if you wish.
- We set up Direct Debits to prevent missed payments.
Don't worry about payment dates. We configure all utilities (Electricity, Water, Gas, SUMA) to be charged automatically to your Spanish bank account. We also switch billing to "Electronic Invoice" so you receive bills via email, not postal mail (which often gets lost if you don't live here permanently), keeping you in full control from your phone.