You've signed at the notary, you've got the keys, and somebody has probably said enhorabuena at least three times. Congratulations. Now comes the part nobody puts in the listing photos: the admin.

I'm Layla, I run VA in Madrid, and I'm an expat living in the city. If Madrid has taught me anything, it's that every big step comes with its own pile of paperwork, usually in Spanish and usually with a deadline you hear about late. So if you're wondering what to do after buying a property in Madrid, this is the checklist I'd follow, in order.

Quick note: I'm not a lawyer or a tax adviser. These are the practical steps and the official facts behind them (sources at the end). Anything that depends on your own situation belongs with your lawyer, notary or asesor fiscal.

What should you check in the first week after buying?

Start with the utilities. Electricity, water, gas (if there is any) and internet are separate contracts, and each needs two answers: is it active, and whose name is on it? Depending on what you find, you may need a change of account holder (cambio de titular), a new contract or a reconnection.

• Water. In Madrid, water comes from Canal de Isabel II. According to the Comunidad de Madrid's consumer guide, when a home is sold the change of account holder has to be notified to Canal as soon as possible, and within one month at the latest. This one has a clock, so I'd do it first.
• Electricity and gas. Here's the bit that confuses almost everyone: the company that bills you (the comercializadora) isn't the one that owns the meter and the network (the distribuidora). You choose the first; the second depends on where the home is. Each supply also has a CUPS, a code that identifies the supply point, not the person, and it's printed on the bills. Have it ready before you call anyone.
• Internet. If someone has to come and install it, book it early. Working from home without wifi is a special kind of character building.

Ask the seller or the estate agent for the latest bills: they tell you who the providers are and where to find the CUPS. And when you get the keys, take dated photos of the meters. If there's ever a question about consumption before or after the handover, you'll be glad you did.

What follows the property in the first month?

The IBI, the direct debits, the community of owners and the insurance: the paperwork that stays attached to the home, whoever owns it.

IBI, the annual property tax. IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) is a municipal tax, and under Spain's local finance law it accrues on 1 January for the whole calendar year. How the cost is shared with the seller in the year you buy is something your purchase documents should answer. If they don't, ask your lawyer or the notary.

For the years after that, the bills need to reach you. Under Spain's cadastral law, what the notary and the land registry send to the Catastro counts as notice of the new owner, as long as the cadastral reference (referencia catastral) was included. So check that it's in your deed (escritura). I've covered IBI dates and payment options in my guide to IBI and Modelo 210 for owners abroad, so I won't repeat them here.

Direct debits. A new name on a contract doesn't always mean new payment details, so check each one. If your bank is outside Spain, my guide on how to pay Spanish bills from a foreign bank account explains how SEPA direct debits work and what to do if a company refuses your IBAN.

Community of owners. If the flat is in a building with a comunidad de propietarios, find out who manages it (often an administrador de fincas), how the community fees are collected and when the next owners' meeting is. One fact worth knowing: under the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, every owner has to give the community's secretary an address in Spain for notices. If you don't, the flat itself counts as your address, and notices delivered there are valid. If you won't be living in the flat, that matters.

Home insurance. Check what cover is in place, whether any existing policy continues after the sale and what you need. If you have a mortgage, ask your lender what they require.

Do you need the padrón if you'll live in Madrid?

If Madrid will be your usual home, registering your address with the city council (empadronamiento) is one of the first things I'd sort out. Other procedures, from healthcare to school admissions, often ask for it. Here's how the padrón works in Madrid, step by step.

What changes if you'll own the home from abroad?

Mostly, more planning, because nobody knocks on your door to remind you.

Taxes as a non-resident. According to the Agencia Tributaria, a non-resident who owns a home in Spain may have to file an annual return (Modelo 210) even if the home isn't rented out, because the tax office treats it as producing imputed income. The rules and dates depend on your situation, so this one goes straight to a tax adviser.

Someone who can be reached. Remember that address in Spain for the community? Think the same way about the IBI notices, the providers and access to the home (Canal, for example, has to be allowed in to read the meter). Decide early who receives the post and who keeps a spare set of keys.

The months it sits empty. If the home will be empty for part of the year, my checklist for leaving your home empty in winter covers water, the gas inspection, insurance and bills.

Where should you keep all the paperwork?

In one folder. Seriously. Digital is fine: deeds, utility contracts, IBI details, community contacts, insurance policy and every provider's phone number. The day something needs sorting (and that day will come), you'll know exactly where to look.

The short version: what to do after buying a property in Madrid

1. Check each utility: is it active, whose name is on it, and what's the CUPS on the old bills?
2. Notify Canal de Isabel II of the change of account holder within one month.
3. Take dated photos of the meters when you get the keys.
4. IBI: check what your purchase documents say about this year, and that the cadastral reference is in your deed.
5. Set up your own direct debits where needed.
6. Community of owners: find the administrator and give them an address in Spain for notices.
7. Home insurance: what's in place and what you need.
8. Padrón if you'll live here; non-resident tax obligations, with an adviser, if you won't.
9. One folder for everything.

We can take this list off your hands

You don't have to do every step yourself. At VA in Madrid, we help international homeowners organise the paperwork, coordinate with providers and follow up on the tasks we've agreed, in English or Spanish. You stay in control of the decisions and the payments.

If you'd rather hand over the list, message us on WhatsApp and tell us where you are with it. You can also read how our admin support in Spain works.

FAQ

Who pays the IBI in the year I buy a home in Madrid?
IBI accrues on 1 January, so the year's bill is linked to the owner on that date. How it's shared with the seller in the year of the sale depends on what your purchase documents say. If they're unclear, ask your lawyer or the notary.

Do I have to tell the community of owners that I've bought the flat?
The Ley de Propiedad Horizontal puts the duty to notify the change of ownership on the seller, and asks every owner for an address in Spain for notices. In practice, I'd contact the building's administrator myself, introduce myself as the new owner and share my details.

Can I do all of this from abroad?
Much of it, yes, but it depends on the provider and the procedure. Some steps need a signed authorisation, a copy of your ID or an in-person visit.

Do I need to register on the padrón if I don't live in Madrid?
No. The padrón records where people actually live. If the home is a second residence and you live elsewhere, it isn't the step for you.

The real question: what's first on your list?

You don't need to sort out everything the day you get the keys. Start with the utilities, keep an eye on the deadlines, and work through the rest a step at a time. Preferably with a café con leche in hand.

Sources (checked 14 November 2026): Comunidad de Madrid, consumer information on water; CNMC, El CUPS, ¿qué es, para qué sirve y cómo obtenerlo?; Texto refundido de la Ley Reguladora de las Haciendas Locales, article 75; Texto refundido de la Ley del Catastro Inmobiliario, article 14; Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, article 9; Agencia Tributaria, note on Modelo 210. Last updated: 14 November 2026.