Nota simple in Spain: what it is, how to request it and what it shows

If you're thinking of buying any property (on the open market, at auction or as a bank repossession), the nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad (the extract from Spain's Land Registry) is the first document you should check. It costs just a few euros, you get it in minutes and it tells you who the real owner is, whether there are mortgages or seizure orders (embargos) and whether there's any charge that could complicate the purchase.

What the nota simple contains

• Registry description: Built and usable floor area (if registered), registry reference, exact location.
• Ownership: Who the current owner is and in what share if there are several owners (useful with inheritances or divorces).
• Charges and encumbrances: Outstanding mortgages (the lending bank and the approximate outstanding capital), seizure orders registered for tax or court debts, easements, rights of use, registered leases.
• Planning status: Some registries record entries for compulsory purchase (expropriation) or planning designations affecting the property.

How to request it online

The quickest and cheapest way is through the portal of the Colegio de Registradores (Spain's association of land registrars): registradores.org. You need the cadastral reference or the property's registry details (tomo, libro, finca: the volume, book and property number). It costs about €9 plus VAT and the document arrives by email within minutes or hours. You can also request it in person at the relevant registry office, although that's slower.

How to read the mortgage information

The nota simple may show mortgages with a very high outstanding capital even though the real debt is much smaller (the registered amount is usually the maximum secured, not the current balance). To find out the real outstanding balance, you need a debt certificate from the lending bank, which the seller is obliged to provide during the sale.

What a seizure order means

A registered seizure order means that a creditor (Hacienda, the Spanish tax authority; Social Security; a court) has asked for a precautionary measure on the property to be registered, to guarantee that a debt gets paid. The seizure order passes with the property: if you buy and it hasn't been cancelled, the creditor can go after the property even though you're not the debtor. Insist that it's cancelled in the deed before you sign.

A full analysis up front: On RadarPro you can see the analysis of charges and registry status of auction properties and bank repossessions before you invest your time.