Fee range by report type
Urban apartment 60-120 m²: €600-900 (~£510-£770). Detached villa: €900-1,500 (~£770-£1,280). Commercial: €800-1,400. Plot: €700-1,200. Multi-property within same case: progressive discount.
INDEPENDENT VALUER · COSTA DEL SOL
Party-appointedBilingual EN/ESIn-house surveyor
Property Appraiser in Málaga
Court-valid valuations for cross-border divorce, UK probate, mortgage challenges and Hacienda appeals. Bilingual reports.
WHEN YOU NEED A VALUER
When does an international owner need an independent valuation?
Six scenarios account for most cross-border valuation work on the Costa del Sol.
- Cross-border divorce settlement
- UK probate with Spanish assets
- Bank repossession (ejecución hipotecaria)
- Boundary and construction disputes
- Expropriation (justiprecio appeals)
- Hacienda comprobación de valores
WHAT THE REPORT INCLUDES
How is our expert valuation report structured?
Four sequential stages, each documented in full so any judge, opposing solicitor or tax inspector can trace the reasoning behind the final figure.
On-site inspection
Physical measurement reconciled with title deed and cadastre, systematic photography, qualitative factors (sea views, noise, orientation, walking access).
Registry & planning
Nota simple from Spanish Land Registry, town hall planning check, classification, encumbrances and easements verified between deed, registry and cadastre.
Comparables analysis
6-8 closed transactions from the Land Registry of the past 6-18 months, adjusted for surface, floor, age, condition and views. Every comparable referenced.
Drafting + court ratification
Bilingual report delivered with photographic record, plans and annexes. Court testimony at ratification included when called by the Spanish judge.
HOW IT WORKS
How does the instruction work end-to-end?
Five steps from first contact to court ratification. Bilingual throughout.
First contact + engagement letter
Call or WhatsApp to define the case. Fixed-price quote in writing and committed turnaround in the engagement letter (English version provided).
02
On-site inspection coordinated
Coordinated with whoever holds the keys —owner, administrator, UK solicitor or Spanish court via exhorto— without friction.
03
Registry & comparables
Nota simple, planning certificates, six to eight closed transactions referenced at the Spanish Land Registry within the relevant timeframe.
04
Report drafting (bilingual)
Reasoned valuation delivered in Spanish + English columns. Ready for parallel filing in Probate Registry / Spanish court without translation cost.
05
Court ratification
In-person testimony in Spanish court when called. Preparation with your Spanish or UK solicitor on technical questions opposing party may raise.
AN IN-HOUSE SURVEYOR, NOT A SUBCONTRACTOR
A report only holds up before a Málaga judge when the surveyor is on our own team and the method is the one the courts recognise: Order ECO/805/2003.
In-houseSurveyor on our own team
£510From (~€600)
10-21Standard days
A REPORT THAT HOLDS UP IN COURT
Bank tasación vs independent valuation
Spanish bank tasaciones follow ECO/805/2003 with Banco de España prudence criteria — structurally conservative. Independent valuations look at actual market value, which is what Spanish Civil Code recognises for compensations.
- Purpose
- Mortgage security vs procedural evidence
- Method
- Regulatory prudence vs market criterion
- Bias
- Underestimates 5-15% vs market
- Court weight
- Read as biased vs defensible
PARTY-APPOINTED VS COURT-APPOINTED
Party-appointed vs court-appointed valuer
A party-appointed valuer (perito de parte) is hired by the party. A court-appointed valuer (perito judicial) is designated by lottery from COAAT/COA. Both are valid; party-appointed enables advance strategy.
Appointment
Party hire vs college lottery
Fee
Hiring party vs split 50/50
Strategic value
Advance prep vs neutrality
Practice
Always commission party-appointed too
FEES AND TIMING
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Fixed-price written quote before accepting the assignment. Zero variable component tied to value concluded.
Standard and rush turnaround
Standard 10-21 days from signed engagement. Rush 5-7 days for imminent hearings with 30-50% surcharge. We coordinate with your UK or Spanish solicitor directly.
What the fee includes
On-site inspection, measurements, photographic record, nota simple, drafting, comparables annexes, two signed copies for Spanish court filing, and court ratification when called.
UK/IE solicitor instruction sheet
Standard professional instruction sheet for UK/IE solicitors: fixed-price quote, committed turnaround, direct interlocution, format compatible with parallel English procedural rules where required.
INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT
We value what the property is worth — not what suits one side of the dispute.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
The questions international owners and their solicitors ask most often before instructing.
How much does an independent property valuation cost in Málaga?
Between €600 and €2,500 (~£510-£2,140) depending on complexity. Fixed-price quote in writing before accepting the assignment.
The fee is invoiced for the service delivered, never as a percentage of the value concluded — that would be a professional conflict of interest. Progressive discount for multi-property instructions.
How long does it take?
Standard turnaround 10 to 21 days from signed engagement and receipt of initial documentation. Rush turnaround 5 to 7 days for imminent court hearings with documented surcharge. We coordinate timelines directly with your UK or Spanish solicitor.
Does your report have court validity in Spain?
Yes, fully. Drafted with the structure, methodology and detail required to serve as expert evidence in Spanish civil, criminal or contencioso-administrativo proceedings. Court ratification reinforces evidentiary weight materially.
Party-appointed vs court-appointed valuer — what is the difference?
Party-appointed (perito de parte) is selected and paid by one party, works for their defence. Court-appointed (perito judicial) is designated by lottery from the Professional College list.
Both valid in oral hearing; commissioning your own party-appointed valuer lets your solicitor prepare technical strategy in advance.
Do you need to inspect the property in person?
Yes, except in exceptional cases. The on-site inspection verifies declared surfaces, real condition, construction quality, views and noise —none of which any online portal reflects. Desktop-only reports are easily challenged in oral hearing.
Do you work with UK and Irish solicitors?
Yes, routinely. UK solicitors, Irish solicitors and continental lawyers whose clients own property in Spain — particularly in family law (divorce), succession (cross-border probate) and tax disputes (HMRC, Revenue Commissioners). Bilingual reports ready for filing in both jurisdictions.
Do you cover all of Málaga province?
Core area: Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola and Málaga city with full comparables density. Other municipalities (Marbella, Estepona, Mijas) case by case. If we cannot, we say so before accepting and refer to trusted colleagues.
Who pays the valuer in a cross-border Spanish divorce?
Party-appointed valuers are paid by the party that hires them; each spouse can have their own.
Court-appointed valuers (designated by Spanish judge) are split 50/50 by default unless the costs order at the end attributes it differently. Uncontested divorces typically share a single jointly-instructed valuer at 50/50.
Is a forensic valuation required for UK probate with Spanish assets?
For the UK Probate Registry filing, Spanish property value is declared based on market valuation at date of death. HMRC expects a defensible figure. The parallel Modelo 650 in Spain carries Hacienda comprobación risk if undervalued. One bilingual report at date of death satisfies both jurisdictions.
What if Hacienda rejects the Modelo 650 declared value?
Hacienda issues a proposed supplementary tax bill plus interest and possibly a penalty. The taxpayer has a window to file allegations with an independent forensic valuation. If the allegation fails, next steps are reposition appeal and economic-administrative claim before the TEAR Andalucía.
Ready to commission a court-valid valuation?
If you have a court hearing scheduled, call us today. If you are exploring whether an independent valuation is the right tool for your situation, a first orientation conversation by phone or WhatsApp is free, in English.
Property appraiser Málaga — in-house specialist for international owners
We run an in-house property appraiser service in Málaga, unusual among Costa del Sol agencies that typically outsource or do not offer the service. Working Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola and Málaga city street by street gives us the comparables density Spanish courts require.
We handle cross-border divorce settlements, UK probate with Spanish assets, mortgage challenges to Spanish banks, civil litigation, expropriation appeals and Hacienda comprobación de valores defences.
Bilingual reports usable directly by your UK or Irish solicitor, with currency notes (GBP-EUR conversion at valuation date) added when supporting HMRC or Revenue Commissioners proceedings.
Professional fees agreed in writing before accepting the assignment, with no variable element tied to value concluded —that would be a conflict of interest. Standard turnaround 10-21 days. Court ratification in Spanish proceedings included at no extra cost when the judge calls it.
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