Buying on the Costa Blanca? The punch isn’t the price—it’s community fees, special levies, and arrears. Learn to dodge the traps fast.
The sunny viewing that turns into a cold shower
You fall in love in 12 minutes: sea breeze, tiled terrace, pool shimmering like it’s winking at you. Agent says, “Community fees are only 60 euros a month.” You nod. Bargain. You sign. You toast with cava.
Then the first letter arrives: elevator modernization—special assessment (derrama) of 4,800 euros per unit. A week later: façade works approved last year—another 3,200 euros. And by the way, 20% of your neighbors are in arrears, so the rest must cover the shortfall. Guess who is “the rest” now?
If your Spanish dream home is suddenly leaking cash, it’s not the walls. It’s the community.
Why this keeps happening (and why you’re not “unlucky”)
Let’s say it out loud: the community fees in Spain are not a line on a spreadsheet. They’re a living organism you just bought into. Most buyers obsess over the purchase price and mortgage, then treat the comunidad de propietarios like background noise.
Big mistake. Under Spain’s Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Horizontal Property Act), the debt can attach to the property. Translation: if the previous owner didn’t pay, parts of it can come after you for the current year and the previous ones (within legal limits). And no, the “but the agent said…” defense doesn’t work at the notary.
“In Spain, community debt can follow the apartment. You’re not just buying bricks—you’re buying a share of a mini-company with liabilities.”
Also, that “60 euros/month” number? Irrelevant without context. If the building is underfunded, that fee is a trap—low today, explosive tomorrow. The pool doesn’t clean itself, elevators don’t update for free, façades crack when the sea breeze stops flirting and starts corroding.
What you think you’re buying vs. what you’re actually buying
The common fantasy
- “Low community fee. Great.”
- “No special assessments now? Even better.”
- “Administrator says everything is fine.”
The uncomfortable reality
- Low fee often means zero reserve fund and deferred maintenance.
- No special assessment today doesn’t mean no special assessment approved for next quarter.
- “Everything is fine” = you didn’t ask for the right documents.
If you want to avoid Costa Blanca property hidden costs, stop buying on vibes and start buying like you’re taking over a small business. Because you are.
Tom and Lila’s bill for ignoring the boring bits
Tom and Lila, Manchester → Dénia, 2024. They found a top-floor unit with a sea peek and a price that felt like daylight robbery (in their favor). The agent said fees were “about 60.” They got a mortgage approved and raced to completion.
What they missed:
- No certificado de deuda from the administrator until the morning of the notary. It stated “no arrears” but didn’t mention the approved elevator upgrade scheduled for the autumn.
- They never asked for the last AGM/EGM minutes. The façade report was hidden in plain sight—two lines in last year’s minutes.
- Reserve fund: so thin it could do the limbo. 10% target? Not even close.
Three months later, they paid 9,100 euros in special assessments in Spain for things “everybody knew were coming.” Everybody except them. Their bargain faded fast.
Contrast with Marie, Altea, 2025. She called us at Coast Law Firm before signing the deposit. We pulled the minutes, budgets, arrears ratio, Technical Building Inspection (ITE/IEE) notes, and maintenance contracts. Outcome: we negotiated a 6,000-euro retention at the notary to cover the already-approved derrama and inserted a clause in the private contract making the seller responsible for any levy approved before completion. Cost avoided: 5 figures. Sleep quality: premium.
The shift: you’re not hunting cheap fees—you’re buying healthy governance
What if the goal isn’t paying the lowest possible fee… but buying into a competent community? What if 95 euros/month with a solid reserve fund, low arrears, and clear maintenance plans is far safer than 55 euros/month and a prayer?
The right question isn’t “How much are the fees?” It’s:
- How strong is the reserve fund and what’s the arrears percentage?
- What works are planned over the next 24 months and who pays them?
- Are rentals restricted? Are there lawsuits? Any insurance exclusions?
Stop asking “Is it cheap?” Start asking “Is it sustainable?” That’s the owner mindset that wins in 2025 and beyond.
Your no-fluff microplan to not get burned
Level 1 — Non-negotiables (do these before you pay a deposit)
- Get the administrator’s certificate (certificado de estar al corriente de pago) aligned with the Horizontal Property Act, signed and stamped. It must state arrears status and any approved levies affecting the unit.
- Read the minutes (AGM and EGM) for the last 24–36 months. Scan for words like “derrama,” “façade,” “lift,” “roof,” “accessibility,” “waterproofing,” “ITE/IEE,” “insurance claim,” “lawsuit.”
- Ask for the current budget, last year’s accounts, and reserve fund balance. If there’s no reserve fund or it’s symbolic, expect future pain.
- Check the arrears ratio (owners behind on payments). Over 10% is a red flag; over 20% means you’ll subsidize neighbors.
- Confirm your quota (coeficiente). Small %? Great—but it magnifies when arrears are high.
Level 2 — Smart buyer moves (this is where most people get ahead)
- Identify approved-but-unbilled works. “Approved” is what matters for liability, not whether the bill landed.
- Insurance reality check. Get the community policy schedule. Who covers what? Are terrace leaks excluded? Any fight between building vs. private insurance?
- Restrictions review. Statutes and rules: tourist rentals, pets, short-term lets, use of common elements. Don’t assume.
- Technical reports. Request ITE/IEE and any façade/roof/garage inspection. Salt air and 1990s builds can be an expensive combo.
- Urbanization alert (for villas/townhouses). Some areas charge entidad urbanística or private association fees outside the LPH. Different rules. Ask in writing.
Level 3 — Negotiation and documents (the money-saving part)
- Contract clauses. In the deposit/arras and purchase contract, include: seller guarantees no arrears; seller pays any levy approved before completion; buyer can withhold funds at notary if certificate changes.
- Retention at notary. Agree a holdback for pending community costs (e.g., 3–10k) to be released when the administrator confirms clean status post-completion.
- Payment setup. Get SEPA direct debit details for community fees before keys, so you don’t become the next arrears statistic.
- Final pre-completion check. Ask the administrator for a fresh certificate 48 hours before the notary. Things “change” conveniently at the last minute.
- Professional conveyancing. Use a firm that does this weekly with the local administrators and notaries. We do. It matters.
Quick math that hurts (then helps)
Say the community annual budget is 120,000 euros. Your quota: 1.6% (typical for a 2-bed in a mid-size block). That’s 1,920 euros/year. If 20% of owners don’t pay, the shortfall gets spread around those who do. Your 1,920 can quietly swell beyond 2,300—without any new works. Add a 150,000-euro façade repair approved last year? Your share: 2,400 on top.
That “cheap” 60 euros/month myth melts fast when the building is financially sick.
What changes when you do this like a pro
- You stop flinching when the postman brings a brown envelope.
- Your budget is real—not a hopeful guess. Summer dinners don’t get cancelled by a surprise levy.
- Neighbors know you read the minutes. The administrator stops hand-waving and starts answering.
- You buy in Dénia, Altea, Gandia, Oliva or Xaló with eyes open—and enjoy the beach instead of arguing about the lift motor.
- You choose buildings with a culture of paying, not complaining. That’s peace of mind you can’t price-shop.
No, you won’t magically pay zero. But you’ll stop paying for other people’s silence.
Local reality check for the Costa Blanca
Coastal buildings age faster. Salt air eats façades, terraces, railings. Pools run almost all year, not just July–August. Tourism pushes lifts and plumbing hard. If you’re scanning homeowners association Spain arrears data and see a “low fee, high wear” combo, that’s not a bargain—it’s deferred maintenance with your name on it.
Also, some municipalities request periodic building checks and accessibility upgrades. Those “little” ramps and elevator tweaks? They come with real invoices. If the reserve fund isn’t healthy, the community has two options: raise your fee or call a derrama. You know which one they usually choose.
Want the short route? Coast Law Firm’s community-fees due diligence
If you want a straight, bilingual Spanish comunidad de propietarios guide tailored to your building, we’ll pull the documents and read the boring bits so you don’t bleed cash later. Our conveyancing package for foreign buyers covers:
- Administrator certificate and arrears verification
- Minutes, budgets, reserve fund, and arrears ratio analysis
- Check of approved/pending special assessments and technical reports
- Contract clauses to allocate liabilities to the seller
- Retention strategy at the notary and Land Registry follow-up
- English, Spanish, French, German, or Dutch updates—your choice
We do this every week across the Costa Blanca with administrators, notaries, and registries. You get fixed-fee clarity and a clean handover—without the nasty surprises.
Ready to buy the Mediterranean life—not the community’s problems?
You didn’t move here to become the treasurer of a sinking ship. You came for the light, the beach walks, the dinners that start late and end later. Don’t trade that for endless boardroom drama because you skipped five documents.
Ask yourself: are you willing to spend 90 minutes now to save 9,000 euros later?
Next step: Book a free initial consultation with Coast Law Firm. Ask for our Community Fees Due Diligence Checklist and a fixed-fee quote for your conveyancing. If you already signed a deposit and you’re sweating a suspected levy, say so—we’ll try to negotiate protections or a notary retention before it’s too late.
Your Spanish home should bring sun, not financial sunburn. Let’s make sure it does.
Notes you can actually use
If you’re researching, these terms will help you find the right info fast: community fees Spain, Costa Blanca property hidden costs, homeowners association Spain arrears, special assessments Spain property, and a practical Spanish comunidad de propietarios guide. Or skip the rabbit hole and talk to a lawyer who reads this stuff daily.