You have inherited a home in Barcelona: what to do in the first six months

Inheriting a home usually comes at a difficult time, with deadlines that do not wait. In Catalonia, both inheritance taxes must be filed within six months. Here is the checklist, in order.

Weeks 1 to 4: documents

• Death certificate and the Spanish certificate of last wills (available 15 working days after the death).
• The will or, if there is none, a notarial declaration of heirs. Every foreign heir needs an NIE.
• Title deed, last IBI (council tax) bill and any outstanding mortgage balance.

Months 1 to 5: value and accept

Before signing the acceptance, find out what the home is really worth: the declared value is used for inheritance tax and becomes your acquisition value if you sell. The acceptance deed is signed before a notary and then registered at the Land Registry.

Before month 6: the taxes

• Catalan inheritance tax: six months from the death, extendable by six months if requested within the first five. Children and spouses get a €100,000 allowance and large reliefs (99% of the tax for spouses).
• Municipal plusvalía: also six months, extendable to one year in Barcelona. If the home was the deceased's main residence, the council grants 95% relief to the spouse, children and other relatives, provided the home is not sold within three years, unless the heir dies.

Then: sell, let or keep

Mind the three-year condition: selling earlier can cost you the plusvalía relief. All heirs must agree to sell. Non-resident heirs should also check double taxation with their home country.

L'Agence Barcelona helps you value the home on real sale prices, coordinate the paperwork with our lawyer and, if you sell, clear, prepare and sell it for a fixed fee.

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Sources: Catalan Tax Agency (inheritance and gift tax, Legislative Decree 1/2024), Barcelona city council (IIVTNU), Spanish Tax Agency. General information, not a substitute for advice from a lawyer or tax adviser.