The registration of a house officially proves its ownership. Even though it is not an obligatory formality, it is convenient to do it as it enables you to make use of several advantages. The most important one is that you have legal guarantees in case a problem arises, such as appearances in court. Furthermore, if you wish to sell or rent the house, this formality will speed up contract-signing procedures. We must also point out that this formality has no expiry date.

A FIRST VISIT TO THE LAND REGISTRY OFFICE

As we have just mentioned, the law does not obligate anybody to register a house in the Land Registry Office. The cost of this formality will depend on the characteristics of the house. However, it is advisable to do it. Many unexpected situations can arise and it may be important to have legal guarantees. For instance, let us suppose that the seller of the house has outstanding debts. If the buyer is not aware of this fact and purchases the property, then he/she will inherit these debts. Nevertheless, you can avoid this unpleasant situation if you go to the Land Registry Office before formalizing the purchase, because there you will be informed about the legal situation of the house.

THE RIGHTFUL OWNER

When the house is registered in the Land Registry Office, the buyer officially becomes the owner of the house. This is extremely important because it means that only the new owner will have rights or advantages regarding the house. We must take into account that if the former owner still appears as being the rightful owner, then he/she can mortgage the house without the new owner´s knowledge.  We must add that you can only mortgage a house if it is registered in the Land Registry Office. We must also bear in mind the inheritance. The inheritor will always appreciate if the owner has registered the house. This fact is also an advantage to the owner because then it is easier to formalize the inheritance. If this is not done, the person who inherits the house must prove who was the rightful owner. This leads to countless bureaucratic complications. Something similar happens when a property is sold: if it is registered, the formalities are speeded up.