Cost of Installing an Electric Meter !

[Dunflittin68]

We are buying a new house and after paying the deposit have found out on visiting the house that it has no electric meter at the property (nor water meter but the gestoria says she can get that sorted). I have told her that we want the owner to pay to get the electric meter installed before we pay the balance but if they refuse, what is the cost of installing one ?

[Supersue]

If it was us be aware!! Alarm bells should be sounding

[Dunflittin68]

If it was us be aware!! Alarm bells should be sounding

Why? It is in a block of 4 houses built by the same builder and his son and daughter are living in two of them. We bought it at a good price but it didn't have a kitchen but we accepted the cost of putting one in. What we don't accept is that the electric meter is not in or the water for that matter, but I am told the water company will sort that out but I was also told that the electric meter can cost a lot of money, that is why I was asking the cost.

[El Cid]

Has it actually been connected to an electricity supply? If not, it may not be legal. These are definitely alarm bells!

Sid

[Free at Last]

The property has probably been on what they call builders' electricity since it was being built, ie a temporary supply. If that is the case it isn't as simple as just having an electricity meter fitted, you would need a completely new contract in your name as the new owner, and I think your chances of getting the builder to pay for it would be remote to say the least. You should be able to find the details of what would be required here.

https://www.endesa.com/en/advice/proces ... e-bussines

https://www.endesa.com/en/advice/proces ... w-contract

[Dunflittin68]

Has it actually been connected to an electricity supply? If not, it may not be legal. These are definitely alarm bells!

Sid

I don't know, that is what the Gestoria is trying to find out. I was going to attach the picture I took of inside the meter cupboard but can't find a way to do it, it won't let me attach the Jpeg file below.

[Free at Last]

If the property has been on builders' supply, then the first thing Endesa or any other company will want is a Licence of First Occupation. I was once in the Endesa office here in Vélez dealing with something for myself when a lady I knew only slightly asked me for help with translation. She was there because her husband had died recently and she wanted to get the bills put in her name. The member of Endesa staff dealing with us explained that the property was only on that type of temporary supply and was very careful to point out that the expiry date for the temporary supply was only a couple of months away. This came as a complete shock to the bereaved woman, who had no idea their supply wasn't permanent as she and her husband had been living in the property for several years by then. She'd never heard of a Licence of First Occupation, let alone any idea of whether she had one or not. The lawyer sorted all that out, she said. I could only advise her to get back in touch with the lawyer as a matter of urgency.

[Dunflittin68]

If the property has been on builders' supply, then the first thing Endesa or any other company will want is a Licence of First Occupation. I was once in the Endesa office here in Vélez dealing with something for myself when a lady I knew only slightly asked me for help with translation. She was there because her husband had died recently and she wanted to get the bills put in her name. The member of Endesa staff dealing with us explained that the property was only on that type of temporary supply and was very careful to point out that the expiry date for the temporary supply was only a couple of months away. This came as a complete shock to the bereaved woman, who had no idea their supply wasn't permanent as she and her husband had been living in the property for several years by then. She'd never heard of a Licence of First Occupation, let alone any idea of whether she had one or not. The lawyer sorted all that out, she said. I could only advise her to get back in touch with the lawyer as a matter of urgency.

Well that is what the Gestoria is trying to work out. This is what she said in her recent message to me : "Of course everything is under control! We have all the papers and licenses; the most important: the property is correctly registered! So it is a matter of titularity changing after the purchase. I got all the paperwork in my email, so I carefully checked everything before the arras contract signature!. We have a responsible declaration of first occupation which is the synonym of the habitability license (it is doest exit anymore with this description from few years ago, just for your curiosity!!!). I have had this weeks some calls with the architect which is a very good friend of mine. This is the important info, and last undated for you: The builder and the architect last week meet in our urbanization the supplier electrician company of the town, they checked the instalation tocreate something called "Q", which is a code of supplying (resgistration). We are waiting for this to come in the following days( I will let you know lastest updated related to this dont worry), then we can choose a electricity company". She is Spanish but speaks reasonably good English but I still struggle to understand what she is getting at with this message. I still don't know if it has it's habitation certificate or not

[Enrique]

Hi,

"then we can choose a electricity company" ...............From experience Octopus.es is my one of choice.
Should you decided on them I've a Referral Code that would get you 50€ credit after your first month.

https://octopusenergy.es/en

Steer clear of CHC Energía ............. Not good customer service.

[Dunflittin68]

Hi,

"then we can choose a electricity company" ...............From experience Octopus.es is my one of choice.
Should you decided on them I've a Referral Code that would get you 50€ credit after your first month.

https://octopusenergy.es/en

Steer clear of CHC Energía ............. Not good customer service.

I am going with Gana when I get a meter ! My daughter is with them and she reckons she is saving about 30% on her energy costs after being with Endesa !

[Enrique]

Hi Dunfittin68,

" I was going to attach the picture I took of inside the meter cupboard but can't find a way to do it,"

Upload picture to

https://postimages.org/

no need to Login......... upload your image ( no more that 500kb ) ...pick Forum thumbnail



And you're good to go

[Wicksey]

We bought a piece of land where we were assured that everything is in order, then had a house built which we were assured that there was permission for .... it took 6 years to get the deeds of the land then found there was no permission for the house (we did get it regularised which was possible in those days). I'm afraid we don't trust anyone anymore. You mentioned in another thread that the house was classed as new but was at least 7 years old. I wonder why it has not sold before now?

The gestoria should have checked the utilities before you signed the binding contract, so I only hope that everything gets sorted out OK for you. I don't understand her reply, but really do hope that it is just a formality for you to get both electricity and water supplies. Good luck.

[El Cid]

I'm afraid we don't trust anyone anymore. You mentioned in another thread that the house was classed as new but was at least 7 years old. I wonder why it has not sold before now?

You are right not to trust anyone when it comes to buying a plot or, in this case, a house.

I am sensing an alarming scenario here. Builder buys/inherits a plot. He builds 4 houses without a licence. Gives two of them to his kids. Waits 7 years for some trusting foreigner to come along. Reduces price. The two occupied houses are probably still running off a builders supply. Water probably from an illegal borehole.

Is that a likely scenario? Quite likely as there are thousands of similar properties all over Andalucia - one estimate was 300000.

I hope I'm wrong!

Sid

[Dunflittin68]

I'm afraid we don't trust anyone anymore. You mentioned in another thread that the house was classed as new but was at least 7 years old. I wonder why it has not sold before now?

You are right not to trust anyone when it comes to buying a plot or, in this case, a house.

I am sensing an alarming scenario here. Builder buys/inherits a plot. He builds 4 houses without a licence. Gives two of them to his kids. Waits 7 years for some trusting foreigner to come along. Reduces price. The two occupied houses are probably still running off a builders supply. Water probably from an illegal borehole.

Is that a likely scenario? Quite likely as there are thousands of similar properties all over Andalucia - one estimate was 300000.

I hope I'm wrong!

Sid

Wel Sid, I would hope he didn't put his kids into illegal "builders services supplied" houses ! I have no idea why they were left empty for so long except that it is a little village, where new properties sell slowly, it is very neat and tidy, all the locals are proud of their little town but as usual they are Spanish and still retain old Spanish habits with regard to property! We are going to see the Gestoria tomorrow and hopefully she will explain what needs to be done and that we will not be left holding the bill! I have read online that it is illegal to sell a new house in Spain without an electrical certificate and of course there is none as there is no electric meter or supply to the property and therefore no first occupier habitation certificate either, it seems that it is another Catch 22 of Spain, you can't get the habitation certificate without the electrical registration certificate and you can't get the electrical certificate without the habitation certificate being issued first (at least that is how I understand it). Luckily the Gestoria had a clause put in the Arras Contract to the effect that although we were intending to complete on 10th December, we can if there are any problems extend that date up until the end of January. So hopefully it will all be resolved by then

[El Cid]

No, you definitely get the licence before you. apply for the electricity connection. Its the last piece of paper you need to complete the building process. Also, if it is a new house, the builder must by law also give you a 10 year warranty backed up by an insurance. Without that it is illegal to sell it.

He should be able to produce the Escritura De Obra Nueva which he would have had at the completion of the build. It should include a copy of the building licence and a copy of the occupation licence. If he cannot produce that then just walk away!

Sid

[Dunflittin68]

No, you definitely get the licence before you. apply for the electricity connection. Its the last piece of paper you need to complete the building process. Also, if it is a new house, the builder must by law also give you a 10 year warranty backed up by an insurance. Without that it is illegal to sell it.

He should be able to produce the Escritura De Obra Nueva which he would have had at the completion of the build. It should include a copy of the building licence and a copy of the occupation licence. If he cannot produce that then just walk away!

Sid

We had a copy of the Escritura when we paid the deposit and a copy of all the building plans, so I think that part was done legally ! I am not sure about the rest and I think that is what the Gestoria is sorting out with the architect and electrician when they had the meeting, to sort out the habitation license. We have to meet up with her tomorrow at 4pm when I am hoping to sort out what is legal and what isn't and whether we can hold them liable for any costs Also how long it is going to be before we can move in! We have a kitchen fitter waiting to fit a kitchen but of course all that is now on hold without any utility supplies to the house By the way the 10 yr warranty would be obsolete, we think they were built maybe 20 yrs ago! The son and daughter who live there now have only just moved in recently apparently. We have also been told if we are the first occupants of a new property, any work we have carried out should be at 10% IVA and not 21% but we will see, I have to ask the Notary !

[Wicksey]

We had a copy of the Escritura when we paid the deposit and a copy of all the building plans, so I think that part was done legally !

By the way the 10 yr warranty would be obsolete, we think they were built maybe 20 yrs ago! The son and daughter who live there now have only just moved in recently apparently. We have also been told if we are the first occupants of a new property, any work we have carried out should be at 10% IVA and not 21% but we will see, I have to ask the Notary !

What was actually on the escritura? Was it the land and the house as it now exists? It should describe the house in detail (size in m2, number and type of rooms) and give the cadastral reference so you can check that it is for that property. We had plans for our first house here but there had never been permission granted for it. Not sure about the IBI (council tax equivalent) but we were paying that before our house was legalised, so has this been paid up to date?

20 years old .... wow, I thought it was only built 7 years ago. 2004 was the height of the illegal house building, but maybe it has been regularised in the meantime when they had the chance

Have to admit, the first question we have when looking at property is whether it has water and electricity and to check the bills are up to date, but then we have been there and got the tee shirt when it comes to being ripped off in Spain.

[Dunflittin68]

We had a copy of the Escritura when we paid the deposit and a copy of all the building plans, so I think that part was done legally !

By the way the 10 yr warranty would be obsolete, we think they were built maybe 20 yrs ago! The son and daughter who live there now have only just moved in recently apparently. We have also been told if we are the first occupants of a new property, any work we have carried out should be at 10% IVA and not 21% but we will see, I have to ask the Notary !

What was actually on the escritura? Was it the land and the house as it now exists? It should describe the house in detail (size in m2, number and type of rooms) and give the cadastral reference so you can check that it is for that property. We had plans for our first house here but there had never been permission granted for it. Not sure about the IBI (council tax equivalent) but we were paying that before our house was legalised, so has this been paid up to date?

20 years old .... wow, I thought it was only built 7 years ago. 2004 was the height of the illegal house building, but maybe it has been regularised in the meantime when they had the chance

Have to admit, the first question we have when looking at property is whether it has water and electricity and to check the bills are up to date, but then we have been there and got the tee shirt when it comes to being ripped off in Spain.

I have now found out from the Escriturio that it was dated 12/2012 but as it is all in Spanish I cannot determine what it says. The copy documentation we were handed includes the Construction Certificate and copy of title I think, together with the plans and descriptions of what is included in each house in sq mtrs. Hopefully we will be given a lot more information tomorrow but I have already been warned by our previous solicitor who I contacted to ask about the 1st Occupation license, that this can take some time but was essential before we can get the utilities connected, although he did say that was for Nerja and he didn't know how long it would take here in Periana.

[Dunflittin68]

Just to update on the situation, we have been to see the Gestoria. All the paperwork is in order, it has its first occupation license, its construction registration, Cadastra, etc. and she has forwarded all the documents to us. The only contention is the power supply. She has been arguing with the owner that under Spanish law a house has to be sold with a functioning power supply to the property. The owner has said that it was out of her hands due to it being in the control of the Distribution Company locally but we could have electricity supplied by the construction company who are still using it on adjacent properties by diverting the wiring in the meter box and charging us 70 euros a month for the supply so we could complete on 10th December We both said that was illegal and the Gestoria agreed it was "irregular" and that she agreed with us that we should not agree to such an arrangement. So we both agreed with the Gestoria that the completion date should be pushed back until such time as the electric meter is either installed or the cost of installation is deducted from the final payment (the Gestoria informed the seller of this).

So it looks like we will not be in for Christmas and our kitchen installation will have to wait! We did get some good news though, that all materials for the fitted kitchen, fitted wardrobes, air conditioning and installation thereof for first occupation of the property, all costs will be reduced on IVA to 10%. So every cloud and all that

[Wicksey]

That sounds promising.

Does the electricity supplier know that the other houses are still on the construction power supply I wonder, that's what it sounds like? Plus the offer to give you power from their supply .... the mind boggles!