Your First Year of Owning Property in Marbella: A Practical Checklist
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The purchase is done. Now what? Here is everything you need to set up and sort in your first year of owning property in Marbella - so nothing slips through the cracks.
The to-do list nobody gives you
Every guide to buying property in Marbella focuses on the purchase process. Very few cover what happens after you complete. Here is the practical checklist we wish someone had handed us on completion day.
Immediately after completion
Register the utilities (electricity, water, gas) in your name. This involves contacting the utility companies with your escritura and NIE number. Your lawyer or a local gestor can handle this if you are not in Spain. Set up direct debits for IBI (annual property tax) and community fees from your Spanish bank account so payments do not lapse.
Within the first month
Arrange building and contents insurance if not already in place. Register with a local gestor or tax adviser who can file your annual non-resident tax return (modelo 210) or rental income tax returns as applicable. Get a copy of the community rules and introduce yourself to the community president or management company.
Within three months
Make a Spanish will (testamento). As we have covered in this series, Spanish succession law applies to your Spanish assets regardless of where you live. A Spanish will, drafted by a Spanish notario and registered with the central wills registry, simplifies matters enormously for your beneficiaries if the worst happens. It costs a few hundred euros and takes a morning.
Within six months
If you plan to rent the property, obtain or verify the VFT tourist rental licence. Understand your rental income tax obligations. Set up the property management arrangements if you are not managing it yourself. Consider a property inspection visit if you have not been back since completion - just to check everything is in order.
Ongoing annual tasks
Non-resident tax return (modelo 210 or rental income version) - typically filed by the end of the calendar year. IBI direct debit - the town hall sends a bill, ensure the direct debit is properly set up. Community fee reviews - the annual general meeting approves the next year's budget. Review your insurance annually.
None of this is onerous. With a good local gestor handling the tax filings, most of it runs on autopilot. The first year is about setting the systems up. After that, owning a property in Marbella genuinely takes very little effort.
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Check if it's still free - PlanMarbella.comFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need a gestor for my Marbella property?
A gestor is a Spanish administrative specialist who handles tax filings, utility registrations, and bureaucratic processes. For non-resident property owners, a good local gestor handles the annual tax returns and keeps everything compliant. They typically charge 200-400 euros per year for non-resident tax filing - very good value for the peace of mind.
When is the non-resident tax return due in Spain?
The modelo 210 for imputed income (non-renting non-residents) is due by December 31 of the year following the tax year. So for 2026, the deadline is December 31, 2027. Rental income versions have different quarterly filing deadlines. Your gestor will manage these dates.
Do I need a Spanish will if I already have a UK will?
A UK will does not automatically deal with Spanish assets efficiently. EU regulation 650/2012 allows you to choose the law of your home country to govern your worldwide estate (including Spanish assets), but having a separate Spanish will is still strongly recommended for administrative simplicity and to ensure your wishes are carried out without delay by the Spanish system.