Buying a home with a garage and storage room: what to check in the deed, the simple title report and the owners' association

Buying a home with a garage and storage room: why it is worth checking the annexes

When a home includes a parking space, storage room or both, it is not enough to look at the total price or assume that everything advertised is included. In a sale and purchase, the difference between a private annex, a common element with exclusive use, or a space that belongs to another property can completely change what you are buying.

The key is to compare three levels: the Land Registry description, the title deed or deed of declaration, and the financial situation of the property. The Community of Madrid reminds us that the simple title report allows you to check who the owner is and what charges exist on the property, while Law 49/1960 on horizontal property regulates, among other things, the ownership share, common expenses and liability for owners' association debts. Law 29/1994 on Urban Leases is also useful for distinguishing between a home and accessories when they are rented as ancillary parts of the property.

The general guidance is simple: if the garage or storage room matters to you, do not close the transaction without confirming exactly what you are buying and the financial स्थिति of each element linked to the home.

What to check in the simple title report and the deed

The simple title report does not replace the deed, but it does help you spot inconsistencies before signing. The Community of Madrid's information on home purchases explains that the informative simple title report makes it possible to know about charges such as mortgages or seizures and to verify whether the person selling is really the owner. In addition, the regional information itself recommends checking the payment of the property tax and owners' association fees before the purchase. You can see it here: Home purchases.

At a minimum, review these points:

1. Whether the parking space or storage room appear registered as an independent property or as an annex to the home.

2. Whether the deed describes those spaces with a number, surface area and location sufficient to identify them.

3. Whether there are charges, seizures, mortgages or encumbrances that also affect the garage or storage room.

4. Whether the ownership share includes those annexes or whether there is a separate property with its own share.

5. Whether what is advertised matches what is actually being transferred: a specific parking space, a specific storage room or a right of use different from ownership.

Common mistakes:

- Thinking that a parking space advertised in the sale “always comes with the flat”.

- Signing without checking whether the storage room appears in the same title or in a different one.

- Assuming that a commercial reference is equivalent to an exact Land Registry description.

How to check whether there are owners' association debts or outstanding expenses

In a home with a garage or storage room, owners' association debts matter just as much as in the main dwelling. The Horizontal Property Act establishes that the buyer is liable with the property itself for sums owed to the owners' association by the previous owner, limited by law to the current year and the previous three calendar years.

That is why, before paying a deposit or signing the deed, it is advisable to follow this order:

1. Ask the seller for a certificate of owners' association debts.

2. Check that the certificate matches their declaration of being up to date or, where applicable, the acknowledged debt.

3. Check whether the certificate includes the home and its annexes, or whether there are separate elements with their own expenses.

4. Verify whether there are approved special assessments or outstanding extraordinary expenses.

5. Confirm with the owners' association whether there are special fees linked to renovations, the lift, accessibility or other common works.

Practical advice: if you are buying a home with a separately registered annex, do not assume that a certificate referring only to the flat automatically covers the parking space or storage room. Ask for information that is consistent with what is actually being transferred.

What you should have settled before signing

If, after reviewing the paperwork, you are still interested in the home, it is worth setting out in writing the points that usually cause disputes.

1. Identify precisely which assets are being transferred: home, garage, storage room, annexes and, where applicable, their Land Registry numbers.

2. State whether the parking space or storage room is free of charges or is being transferred with any specific charge already known.

3. Include an express reference to the state of the owners' association fees and the certificate provided by the seller.

4. If the advert included equipment or accessories, confirm whether they are included in the price or excluded.

5. Check that the handover of keys includes remote controls, cards, garage access keys and any item needed to use the annexes.

If you need a general valuation of the home, you can request one at online home valuation in Madrid. The estimate is indicative, provides a value range and a PDF report, and can be completed with an optional visit if you wish.

Mistakes to avoid and when to ask for help

In a purchase with a garage and storage room, the most common mistakes are not about the price, but about defining the asset being sold.

Mistakes to avoid:

- Not checking whether the parking space is an annex to the home or a separate property.

- Not asking for an up-to-date simple title report.

- Signing without checking owners' association debts and the property tax.

- Assuming that everything shown during the viewing belongs to the property.

- Not putting in writing what is included in the price.

If the paperwork does not add up, if there are discrepancies between the advert, the deed and the simple title report, or if the garage and storage room have a different legal status from the home, the sensible thing is to ask for an individual review before signing. You can do so via contact or at the UBICASA office at Calle Montesa 29, Madrid, from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 15:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00.

In short, buying a home with annexes is entirely possible, but it requires calmly checking exactly what you are buying, what charges it carries and what community costs may remain attached to the property. That prior check usually avoids problems later on that are far more costly than the initial review.

If you would like to go further, read our related guide: Selling a flat with a storage room: what to check before listing it.