The Licence of First Occupation Explained

[Joolz]

We completed purchase of town house in Jan 2008 and got Bank G'Tee for 12000 euros as no Habitation Cert. Our house is completed and habitable and was on builders elec untll this was disconnected last summer. The developer has stopped working on site (11 houses - 4 completely finished) Our solicitors have now executed the bank g'tee and the builders bank have agreed to release the funds as the 2 year period has passed and we have no Habcn Cert. Can we connect to our own elec supply yet or can we apply independently to the local council for a HAbcn Cert?

[Lawbird Lawyer]

Dear Sir or Madam,

Until a LFO is issued by the Town Hall you will not be allowed, normally, to be on official supplies. As my article mentions, exceptionally there are regions of Spain which allow you to connect to the official utilities providing only a receipt of having requested the LFO (which may or may not be granted).

You can hire your own electrical device if you wish. But as per the article that starts off this very thread, it is ILLEGAL to live in a property which lacks the mandatory LFO. Although it is legal to complete on such a property if you wish to.

You can all group together and request from the Town Hall the Habitation Certificate if you wish if the developer has gone bankrupt. But you will then be expected to finish off any pending communal works or remedial work as well as paying the associated Town Hall fees for issuing the First Occupancy Licence. Because the issuance of this licence has associated a fee. Normally it is developers themselves who request and pay for the LFO.

Yours sincerely,
Raymundo LarraÃ*n Nesbitt