If you are going to buy a flat or house in Spain or you already own a home here, you’ve probably heard of the “Cadastral Reference” or “Referencia Catastral” as it is called in Spanish. But what exactly is a cadastral reference in Spain?
The cadastral reference is an official and obligatory identifier for real estate in Spain. It is an alphanumeric code 20 characters long that Cadastre Office assigns to each property in order to accurately record them in the cadastral map of properties. The cadastral reference also appears on the IBI (property tax) receipt in the “Información de Liquidación” section under the title “Identificativo”.
* Villa or Plot: 9872023
* Map sheet: VH5797S
* Property ID: 0001
* Control characters: WX
In Spain there are two different registration systems, similar to Germany and many other European countries, and both systems are maintained separately. They are:
- Registro de la Propiedad Or the “Property Registry” which is focused on ownership and title.
- Catastro Or “Cadastre” which shows the exact geographic location of the home with a physical description and the boundaries of the property.
The Cadastre is also related to the “valor catastral” or “cadastral value” which is the assessed value of property for tax purposes.
Every property sale must include a cadastral reference in the Title Deed. When you buy a property, you must send the Title Deed to the Property Registry and afterwards register the change in ownership in the Cadastre office as well.
At Greenlife Estates, we recommend that buyers request the current certification from the Cadastre with a full description of the property so they can check and compare that there are no differences with the data given in your contract.
If the data matches up, everything is in order. If there are significant differences, inquire with the seller, the real estate agent and your lawyer to be sure that these differences can be remedied. The notary is empowered to call attention to these important details in the event that any discrepancy exists.
Buyers and owners can also visit the Cadastre website http://www.sedecatastro.gob.es/ and check the reference there directly.
Information given is offered for informational purposes, excluding the company and author from all responsibility, and does not constitute an official publication nor will it be binding. We always recommend checking with your lawyer or adviser.
Por Massimo Filippa
Massimo Filippa
