There are many reasons you need a legal representative in Spain not least of all because of the language barrier, also the system here is very different from in the U.K. and can be very complex. If good legal representation is not sought here are some nightmare scenarios you could find yourself in if you are not given good legal advice:

• You buy a property with debts or embargos
• You buy a property that was never registered or only partially registered
• You buy a property that was not the one you saw because the description given in the land registry does not correspond to the property you wanted to buy
• You hand over a deposit to a person who purports to be the owner and you never see him again
• You buy a property with tenants that have a legal contract and you were not informed
• You have paid the deposit towards a new home while still on the drawing board but before completion the builder runs out of money and goes bankrupt.

These scenarios are not meant to put you off buying property in Spain but to demonstrate some of the things that could happen to you if you don't get the paperwork checked out thoroughly by a professional person.