Looking for an English solicitor in Mallorca?

Solicitor, abogado and notary: who is who in Spain

Professional	Role in a Spanish purchase	Acts for you?
Abogado (lawyer)	Checks the property, negotiates contracts, handles completion and taxes	Yes, if you instruct them
Notario (notary)	Public official who certifies the deed and the identities	No, neutral
Gestor	Administrative paperwork, not legal advice	Only for paperwork
UK solicitor	Advises on English law and UK matters	Not on Spanish law
Estate agent	Markets the property, usually for the seller	No

In Spain there is no separate profession of "solicitor" and "barrister": the abogado does both advisory and court work. When you search for an English solicitor in Mallorca, the professional you are looking for is an English-speaking abogado.

What we do for British and Irish clients

• Buying: due diligence, reservation and arras contracts, NIE, bank account, notary completion and registration. See our property purchase lawyer service.
• Selling: preparing the sale, the 3% retention, capital gains tax and plusvalía. See selling as a non-resident.
• Owning: non-resident annual tax, rental income and tourist licences. See non-resident property tax.
• Inheriting: Spanish wills, the EU Succession Regulation and Balearic inheritance tax. See inheriting property as a foreigner.

Explained the way you are used to

We know which parts of the Spanish system surprise British buyers: there is no "subject to contract" stage once the arras contract is signed, searches are not automatic, the notary does not protect the buyer's interests and the seller's debts can follow the property. We explain each step by comparing it with UK conveyancing, which you can read in detail in our conveyancing page and the conveyancing timeline.

British buyers after Brexit

Since Brexit, UK nationals buy as non-EU citizens. That does not prevent you from buying in Mallorca, but it changes the 90-in-180-days limit on stays, the tax rates on rental income and, in some areas, the need for military authorisation. Our guide for UK buyers after Brexit covers the details, and the end of the golden visa explains the current residence options.

Working remotely from the UK or Ireland

Most of our British clients sign a power of attorney at a UK notary, with the apostille, or at the Spanish consulate. From then on we can obtain the NIE, open a Spanish bank account and complete the purchase on your behalf. You receive written reports in English and approve every step. See NIE, power of attorney and bank account.

How to choose an English-speaking lawyer in Mallorca

• Check that they are a practising lawyer registered with a Spanish bar association.
• Make sure they are independent and take no commission from the agent or seller.
• Ask for a written fee proposal and scope before they start. See legal fees for buying property in Spain.
• Look for experience with Balearic planning, rustic land and tourist licences.

We are the property practice of Castell.law, a Palma law firm with more than twenty years of experience with British, Irish and international clients in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.