Property & Conveyancing · Tenerife
Buying property in Tenerife should be straightforward. It rarely is — unless you know what to look for.
More than twenty years of property conveyancing in the Canaries.
Most buyers arrive with an estate agent's assurance and a handshake. What they rarely have is a complete picture of what happens between offer and keys — and what it costs when something goes wrong. BCA Spain has been handling property conveyancing for UK and European buyers since 2002. We know the process, we know the paperwork, and we're with you at each step.
Our Approach
More than paperwork. Individual guidance.
BCA assess your individual situation before anything else. Your circumstances, your timeline, and the type of property you're buying all shape what needs to happen — and in what order.
Property purchase in the Canaries involves specific legal steps, local taxes, and checks that don't exist in the same form back home. We've guided clients through every variation — from straightforward residential purchases to complex commercial transactions — and we know the ones that catch people out.
What BCA handles
Full conveyancing, start to finish.
BCA Spain provides a complete conveyancing service for buyers in south Tenerife. Every purchase is individual — here is what's included.
Land Registry Check
Before any offer becomes binding, we check the land registry to confirm the property is free of outstanding debts, charges, or encumbrances. This step protects you from inheriting a problem that isn't yours.
Due Diligence
We review the full picture: community of owners obligations, local taxes in arrears, planning status, and — for commercial properties — whether a valid opening licence (Licencia de Apertura) is in place. This is not a box-ticking exercise. It is the difference between a clean purchase and an expensive one.
NIE & Residency Coordination
You'll need a NIE number before the purchase can proceed. If you don't have one yet — or if your NIE and residency status still need sorting before you buy — we can handle that as part of the same process.
Notary Accompaniment
We attend the notary appointment with you. The signing of the escritura is the most important moment in the purchase process — we make sure you understand everything that is being agreed before you sign it.
Stamp Duty (ITP)
The property transfer tax must be paid to the Canarian tax authority within 30 working days of signing. We handle this — correctly, in full, with proper receipts filed. This is a step that has gone seriously wrong for buyers who used informal operators.
Plusvalía Tax
A local tax on the increase in land value since the property was last sold. In San Miguel de Abona, capped at approximately €3,000 per owner — though the cap varies by municipality. We calculate it, pay it, and file all documentation on your behalf.
Post-Completion Registration
Once the sale completes, the property must be correctly registered in your name at the land registry. We manage the full post-completion process so you hold clean title from day one.
What can go wrong
What we've seen — and why it matters.
In more than twenty years, we have seen a great deal. The case we return to most often involved a buyer who engaged someone to handle the post-notary conveyancing — specifically, to pay the stamp duty to the tax authority. That person kept the money and disappeared. The buyer didn't live in Tenerife full time, so the letters from the tax office went unread for three years. What should have been an €18,000 tax payment became a €24,000 debt — interest and penalties on a bill they didn't know they owed. Not everyone who speaks Spanish has professional knowledge. The cost of getting this wrong is always higher than the cost of getting it right.
The other mistake we see regularly involves the difference between a traspaso and a freehold. A traspaso is the purchase of a business — the goodwill, the fixtures, the equipment. It is not the purchase of the premises. The lease on those premises may expire within a short time of you taking over, and the new owner has no automatic right to renewal. We have seen people pay €200,000 for a bar traspaso without understanding this. If you are buying commercial premises — different rules apply, speak to us before you commit to anything.
The Process
Three steps, from offer to keys.
Step 01 — We assess
Individual review first
Before anything proceeds, we review your individual situation. What are you buying, what is your timeline, and what checks need to happen first? If you don't have a NIE yet, we flag that immediately.
Step 02 — We prepare
No guesswork on the day
We run the land registry check, verify due diligence items, calculate your tax liabilities, and prepare everything needed for the notary appointment. No guesswork. No surprises on the day.
Step 03 — We accompany
With you to the end
We attend the notary with you, handle the stamp duty and Plusvalía payments, and manage the post-completion registration. You receive clean title — and a complete paper trail.
Our Scope
Not a law firm — but properly connected.
BCA Spain is not a law firm and we don't pretend to be. Conveyancing in the Canaries doesn't require a solicitor for every purchase — but it does require someone who knows the process, checks the right things, and handles the tax filings correctly. That is what BCA does.
Where your situation does need a specialist — a dispute over title, a boundary issue, or a contract that needs independent legal review — we refer you to trusted solicitors from our network and stay involved throughout. When your situation needs a specialist solicitor, you will not be navigating that alone. And for a full overview of everything we handle — BCA Spain — all our services.
Est. 2002
More than twenty years in south Tenerife
Property conveyancing handled since before most of our clients had heard of the Canaries.
Full-Service
Land registry to post-completion
Every step of the conveyancing process — handled in full, with a complete paper trail.
All Nationalities
UK, German, French, Dutch and more
We work with buyers from across Europe — in your language, at each step.
Golf del Sur
Our office in south Tenerife
Walk in, ring us, or send an email. We're here — Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 15:30.
FAQ
Questions we hear most often.
Do I need a solicitor to buy property in Tenerife?
Not necessarily — but you do need someone who knows the process. BCA Spain handles the full conveyancing for most residential purchases. Where a situation requires independent legal advice, we will tell you clearly and refer you to the right person from our professional network.
What is stamp duty in Tenerife and who pays it?
In the Canaries, the property transfer tax (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales) is 6.5% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer. It must be paid to the tax authority within 30 working days of the notary signing. We handle this as part of our conveyancing service — this is not a step to leave to an informal operator.
Can my estate agent handle the conveyancing?
Estate agents are not authorised to carry out the legal and tax steps of a property purchase. Their role is to facilitate the sale — not to run land registry checks, file tax payments, or manage post-completion registration. BCA Spain is independent of the selling agent and acts in your interests throughout.
What is the difference between a traspaso and a freehold?
A traspaso is the purchase of a business — goodwill, fixtures and equipment — not the purchase of the premises itself. The premises remain under a lease that may expire within a short period, with no automatic right to renewal. This is a common and costly misunderstanding. If you are considering buying any commercial premises, speak to us before you agree to anything.
I've already bought a property and I'm not sure everything was handled correctly — can BCA help?
Yes. We've helped many buyers who completed a purchase and later discovered that something wasn't registered correctly, or a tax hadn't been filed. Whatever the situation — we've seen it before. Ring our office and we will tell you honestly what needs to be done.
Not sure where to start? That's exactly why we're here.
Buying property in Tenerife is one of the biggest decisions you'll make. Make it properly.
No obligation, no pressure. A conversation with our team — in your language — takes fifteen minutes and gives you a clear picture of what needs to happen for your individual situation.
09:00 – 15:30 hrs, Monday to Friday · Golf del Sur, San Miguel de Abona