This may seem lazy of me but can you hire someone to sort out NIE numbers, residency documents, buying property etc etc?
We are a retired Lancs couple moving to Spain when our home sells.
Its just that I want all paperwork and officialdom done correctly. I do want to learn Spanish eventually but at the moment can only count to ten and say Hello etc.
Any advise would be welcome. Jeff

When buying you should always use a lawyer specialised in property laws etc. They can also do all of that paperwork. Yes, some people have knowledge and speak Spanish and will say you can do that yourself but it's your life and not theirs. Without any experience/Spanish it's money well spent.

Thanks Moses.
You are right, I would use a lawyer for property buying. I suppose I was thinking more for NIE numbers, residency and other matters

If you use an international law firm, they can usually do it all in one and can often save you flights back and forth. Other option of course is a Spanish consulate, or go in person in Spain but as you said that's something you want to avoid:-).

A local Gestor will sort those things out for you much cheaper than a solicitor.

Plenty of words for them but this is also a good point mentioned online:
A gestor is not a licensed professional. In reality, he is just a clerk with experience and good contacts. In theory, you could open a gestoría tomorrow, so you need to be selective when you search one out. He can help you with basic administrative processes, but if you can find a gestoría that doubles as an abogado or contable or some such within the same office, then you can be more confident.


Often the word solicitor sounds expensive but in reality you can pay less and have more security. Of course there are also bad law firm out there too. A Notary Public is good, especially if you are not currently living in Spain.

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

When we purchased we instructed a Spanish lawyer who spoke English. We gave him power of attorney and he arranged everything for us including the conveyancing, nies',bank account, utilities together with all the necessary DD's etc. The process could not have been more straightforward.
Once we had viewed a property and had an offer accepted he did the rest. We just collected the keys from him upon completion that was around five weeks from acceptance of our offer.
Just ensure you are happy with your lawyer and do not be led to one by the Estate Agents unless you carry out a full check on them.
You can do a lot yourself eg bank but life's too short.

Good luck

You don't say where you are.

Most areas will have a number of Spanish speaking people who can help you with paperwork.

For house buying, I would ALWAYS advise using a conveyancing specialist. This can be an abogado or a gestor associated with a legal firm.

My suggestion was not for house purchase as the op had already mentioned that they intended using a solicitor for that. Yes the scolicitor could do all of these things but a gestor can do the more simple things like nie and residency etc . As always there are different ways I merely offered a suggestion to the question asked.

Thank you all for the advice. We would have moved to Spain and be renting prior to buying. It is then that we would be looking for help with paperwork and officialdom etc.
I just want to get it right and start enjoying our new lives.

Unless you speak and read very good Spanish using a gestor is common sense , using a lawyer for house purchases is essential.

Thanks Rotor,
I presume word of mouth recommendation would be the best way to find a good gestor.

Generally yes or through expat magazines , all I`d say is dont use one who does not have an office (amateur ) .

Thanks Rotor for your help. Much appreciated.
Good luck to you. Jeff