# Costa Blanca community fees: what to check before buying an apartment > An attractive asking price is only part of the budget. Understand the building's regular charges and future commitments before choosing your apartment. By Verdi Estate · 13 October 2026 Canonical: https://www.verdiestate.com/blog/costa-blanca-community-fees-apartment-buying-checklist.html ## At a glance - Compare the annual recurring charge, what it covers and the actual payment schedule. - Ask for the community debt certificate and a separate summary of approved or proposed extraordinary works. - Have your independent adviser check outstanding amounts and agree the seller–buyer allocation in writing. When comparing apartments in San Miguel de Salinas, Torrevieja or Orihuela Costa, community fees deserve their own place on your shortlist. A headline monthly figure does not tell you what is included, whether the seller has arrears or whether substantial works are already planned. This checklist separates those questions so that you can ask for evidence before committing. ## 1. Start with the annual cost and the services included Ask the seller for the current approved contribution for the specific apartment, supported by recent receipts. For comparison, convert the recurring charge into an annual figure. Dividing that total by twelve is a budgeting tool; it does not mean the community collects payments monthly. Request a breakdown of the services covered. Depending on the building, the budget may include cleaning, lifts, gardens, pools, communal electricity, administration or insurance. Check which items are billed separately. Do not assume a fee exemption because you will not use a particular facility. ## 2. Look at the budget, accounts and meeting decisions Ask the seller or an authorised representative to obtain the approved budget, the most recent accounts and relevant owners' meeting minutes. Read them together: the fee tells you the current contribution, while the other documents help explain spending and decisions. Look for recurring overspending, collection difficulties, maintenance proposals and works awaiting quotations. Ask for aggregate financial information rather than other owners' private records. If something is unclear, request a written explanation before treating the cost as settled. ## 3. Understand the debt certificate's role The Registradores buyer guide recommends checking that community payments are up to date and obtaining the relevant certificate. Ask your independent lawyer or notary to review the certificate for the particular apartment close to completion; a seller's recent receipt answers a different question. Article 9.1(e) of Spain's Horizontal Property Law makes the acquired property liable for specified unpaid general community expenses within the elapsed acquisition year and the previous three calendar years. The seller must provide a matching debt certificate at the deed unless the buyer expressly waives it. Get independent advice before agreeing to any waiver. ## 4. Separate existing arrears from future extraordinary charges A community may be discussing or have approved work that has not yet been billed. Ask separately about roof, façade, lift, pool or other shared-area projects. Request the agreed contribution for the apartment, instalment dates and the status of the decision. Distinguish a proposal from an approved commitment. Do not assume the person who owned the apartment when work was approved must pay every later instalment. Article 17.11 addresses improvement charges by reference to ownership when the amounts become payable. Have your adviser classify the charge, check the timetable and record the seller–buyer agreement; different types of work need careful treatment. ## 5. Keep a written comparison for each apartment Use the same checklist for every home: recurring annual contribution, separate charges, arrears, approved works, payment dates and unanswered questions. A low ordinary fee can coexist with major upcoming expenditure. A higher fee may cover services that would otherwise be additional costs. Keep your maintenance and insurance plans separate from the community budget, and check the actual policy scope instead of assuming everything inside the apartment is covered. These are practical budgeting questions, not a prediction of what any particular Costa Blanca building will charge. ## 6. Turn the information into your next step Before paying a reservation, identify which community documents are still missing and ask your independent adviser how to reflect that in the proposed terms. Avoid filling gaps with verbal assurances or an estimated fee from a different apartment. Verdi Estate can help organise the information requests as you compare homes across Costa Blanca South. Tell us your complete budget, preferred areas and any shared amenities you consider essential. Your chosen professionals should confirm the legal and financial implications for the actual purchase. ## Questions buyers ask ### Are community fees the same for every apartment in a complex? Do not assume they are. Ask for the contribution assigned to the specific property and the basis used by that community, including any separate building or shared-facility charges. ### Does an up-to-date debt certificate show all future repair costs? Use it to review the property's debt position, then request meeting decisions and the schedule of extraordinary contributions separately. Those documents answer different questions. ### Should I judge a property by the lowest advertised community fee? Compare the full annual cost, included services and documented future commitments. Request evidence for missing figures rather than treating an attractive monthly estimate as the complete budget. ## Sources and further reading - [BOE — Ley 49/1960 de Propiedad Horizontal, articles 9 and 17](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1960-10906) - [Colegio de Registradores — Cómo comprar una vivienda: community payments and buyer documents](https://www.registradores.org/documents/33383/229204/Guia_castellano_2020f.pdf) General information, not individual legal or tax advice. Confirm property-specific requirements with an independent professional.