Utilities are never the part anyone looks forward to, but they are what make a house work. Without electricity, water or wifi even the best villa feels more like an expensive tent. On the Costa del Sol you need electricity, water, internet, alarms, garbage collection, community fees and IBI property tax in place before life feels normal. Setting them up can be straightforward, but it can also turn into a headache. A lot depends on whether you buy a resale or a new build, whether you sign with a power of attorney or in person, and just as importantly who you work with and how much your agent actually helps.
From notary to keys
If you buy with a power of attorney the lawyer signs the title deed on your behalf, pays the vendor with a bank cheque and receives the keys. The lawyer usually takes care of changing electricity, water, garbage, IBI and community fee contracts into your name. In my case, clients also allow me to collect the keys from the lawyer’s office and start the process straight away. That means arranging the alarm, checking the locks, setting up wifi, even opening for furniture deliveries. Many good agents will do the same, but some leave this part to the lawyer or to the buyer themselves. It is important to ask how involved your agent will be.
If you attend the signing yourself you walk out of the notary with the keys in your hand. The process after that is the same, only it can feel more stressful if electricity has been cut off, water is not yet transferred or internet has not been installed. And since notary appointments often drag on for hours with little excitement, many people are happy to let their lawyer handle it instead.
Resale homes versus new builds
Resales are usually simpler. The property already has electricity and water contracts, and the lawyer can change the account name and bank details into yours. Most contracts even state that the vendor must keep utilities running for a certain period, so in theory you should not arrive to a cut connection. In practice, though, some sellers cancel early and then a reconnection is needed. It is annoying but fixable and can come with penalties for the vendors. You do not have to stick with the same providers either. I usually recommend checking if there are better deals before taking over the existing contracts.
Internet may also be active, but most owners sign a new package. This is where surprises happen. One side of the street might have fibre, the other only 4G. Alarm systems often exist in resales too, but they should be reset and codes changed if you plan to keep them. Many people prefer a new one altogether. Locks are an easy win. A fifty to one hundred euro replacement buys peace of mind that no spare keys are floating around.
A new build is different. When you get the keys the property usually doesn’t look perfect and electricity and water most likely are not yet connected, (some developers leave their construction electricity or water on a little while extra) New contracts need to be created, which can take days or sometimes weeks. Paperwork delays, slow suppliers, holidays or weekends can all push things back. Until then the home is dark, and flipping the switch does nothing. Internet and alarms also wait for electricity, so it becomes a domino effect. Locks in new builds are factory new, so most owners leave them as they are. Community fees, garbage collection and IBI tax only start once the property is registered, while in a resale they are already running and simply get transferred to your name.
What to expect and when
Timelines are where the difference really shows.
For a resale: electricity and water are usually on and transferred or changed in a few days, internet can be active within hours if the area has the connections, and alarms and locks are same day jobs. Garbage fees are billed once a year by the town hall, IBI property tax once a year, and community fees monthly or quarterly.
For a new build: electricity and water can take days to weeks to be connected, internet comes after that, and alarms follow once power is confirmed. Garbage, IBI and community fees only begin once the home is registered and the community is formally active.
Gas
Gas is rare on the coast but it does exist. Some older homes run on butane bottles that are delivered to your door by trucks honking their way down the street. Or you can get some at the local gas station. If you are not used to cooking with gas, nothing wakes you up like running out halfway through boiling potatoes. Newer developments are almost always fully electric, which keeps things simple.
Television
Television is easy once wifi is alive. Swedes want SVT and TV4, Brits need Premier League, Americans want CNN or NBC. Packages exist for all of them. In resales, dishes or equipment might already be there but most owners change subscriptions. In new builds it is simply added once internet is running.
Why it is better not to rush
It is tempting to celebrate a signing by booking the next flight and moving in. But if electricity is not yet connected, or water is still weeks away, the dream quickly feels like camping with marble floors. It often makes sense to wait until utilities are confirmed. For resales this simply makes the move-in smoother. For new builds it is even more important, because snagging lists must be completed within a set time frame agreed by the developer. Those checks are only done properly once electricity and water are working to check for issues. If the deadline passes without the home being tested, the developer can argue that you had enough time and refuse later claims. When everything is connected, you can go through the snagging list properly and arrive to a home where the lights are on, the water runs, your furniture has been delivered, the wifi connects and the alarm is armed. In short, it feels like home. All you need to do is to usually get dishes, glasses, towels and cutlery.
Doing it yourself
Most buyers prefer their lawyer and agent to handle this part, but if you still want to do it yourself here is how.
- For electricity contact Iberdrola, Endesa or Naturgy with your title deed, NIE number and bank details.
- For water call or visit the municipal company for your town.
- For internet check coverage with Avatel, Olin, Movistar, Vodafone or Orange. Fibre availability changes by street.
- For television add the expat package once wifi is running.
- For alarms contact companies like Sector alarm, Securitas Direct or Prosegur once electricity is confirmed.
- For garbage fees and IBI check with your town hall.
- For community fees contact your community administrator. (They will find you though)
It is possible to do everything yourself, but expect paperwork, Spanish-only phone calls and a few visits to offices. Most people decide it is easier to let the lawyer and agent handle it.
At the end of the day the split is simple. A good lawyer usually handles the contracts and official changes for electricity, water, garbage, IBI and community fees. I personally step in on the practical side, arranging alarms, internet, locks and making sure the home is ready for move in. Together it covers everything, and that is how the process should work.
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