Property Guides and Information for the Costa del Sol, Spain
Click on any of the categories in the right hand column to research a topic you are interested in NOW and the guides will appear as titles below.Contracting your Utilities
Your lawyer will normally contract your utilities on your behalf for a small fee, however if you want to set this up yourself then read below.
Electricity
You will have to buy your electricity from Endesa, they can be contacted online at http://www.endesaonline.com or by calling 900 848 384. Bills are paid bimonthly; they come in Spanish and can be paid either by direct debit or at the bank. Note that many banks will only allow you to pay between 8.30 and 10.30 am. Your tariff is worked out according to your power rating (potencia), i.e. the amount of electricity that you elect to buy from your supplier in advance. You pay a standing charge in advance and consumption charges in arrears. Note that IVA of 16% and electricity tax (Impuesto Electricidad) of 4.8% apply.
Gas
Most households use gas bottles (bombonas) supplied by Repsol Butano. You will need to sign a contract with them, which is only issued after a safety inspection has been conducted. A further inspection is required of all appliances every five years. Bottles can be delivered, but it is cheaper to buy direct from the depot. You can call your local distributor and request delivery:
Coin 902 222 112
Estepona 952 802 634
Call 901 100 100 to get your local delivery number and call 901 121 212 immediately if you suspect a leak.
Water
To connect simply contact your local Town Hall to find who provides
the water in your area. In the
Telephone
To get connected simply dial Telefónica on 1004 from any mobile or landline. Telefónica have an English speaking department to assist with connection, ADSL, bill queries, direct debits and payments etc. You can take advantage of cheaper calls from other providers using a 4-digit prefix (you will have to remain contracted Telefónica). For a breakdown of the different tariffs on offer, have a look at:
Aló, BT Ignite, Jazztel,
Ruta 10, Tele2, Uni2
April 24, 2006 | Category: Relocation and General Interest
