Boundary disputes
Per Svensson If one has a dispute over the boundaries land with the neighbours' or is unsure where the real boundaries are, one may need to go through the process that in Spanish is called "Deslinde" and possibly also make an "Amojonamiento." "Deslinde" is the operation by which the physical borders between two properties are established, and "amojonamiento" is the act where this border is marked by border stones (mojones).Property for sale in Spain
This process is established in some of the articles in the Spanish Civil Code, where Article 384 states: "Any owner has the right to settle the boundaries of his property by a request to the owners of the neighbouring properties". Article 385 explains further: "The settling of the boundaries is done in concordance with the title deeds of each owner, and in the absence of sufficient titles, by what each of the neighbours is in possession of." If the neighbours cannot settle the borders according to the above, Article 386 explains further: "If the title deeds do not determine the limits or area belonging to each owner, and the question cannot be solved by possession or by way of evidence, the borders are established by distributing the land in dispute in equal parts."in
So, the first consideration when it comes to defining a boundary is what is written in the escritura. Not only the number of square meters (because that information may not be exact), but also what are defined as boundaries to the north, south, east and west. However, one may have a plot that is not rectangular, but is more like a hexagon, with two different neighbours in one and the same direction. If the title does not exactly define the borders, then the next question is what land one is physically occupying. If one has been planting trees up to what one considers the boundary, and the neighbour has never protested, or one has put up a wall along the boundary, accepted by the neighbour, this is then proof of ownership. But if none of these two methods suffices, and there is a piece of land in dispute between two neighbours, it will be divided into two equal parts. Property for sale in Spain
How to make a deslindeProperty for sale in Spain
If one feels it is necessary to have the boundaries of a property definitely established, since there are doubts or because one fears that a neighbour is encroaching, one may decide to make a deslinde. There are two ways:
1. One tries to agree with the neighbour on the boundaries as a private matter. If you are relatively good friends, you can just talk with him about the matter and eventually have him agree to walk the borders and make a private contract defining them. If you do not know him well, you may start by sending him a notarial requirement to make the deslinde (Such a notarial letter and a sample private contract are included below).Property for sale in Spain
2. If the neighbour does not answer the notarial requirement, then one must present a demanda de deslinde (demand for settling the boundaries) to the court. (You will also find the content of such a demand below.) The judge will then decide on the date and time when the deslinde will take place and will notify the concerned parties. If the whereabouts of the neighbouring property owner(s) is not known, a notification about the deslinde must be posted on the notice board of the Town Hall and also advertised in the 'Boletin Oficial' of the province. Property for sale in Spain
The deslinde is not cancelled if one of the parties affected does not appear at the place and the time given by the judge. At the meeting on the site (diligencia) the interested parties must present their titles and any other proof they have as to the extent of their property. They also have the right to bring in experts (peritos) to give testimony. Property for sale in Spain
If the boundaries can be established in such a way that both parties agree, a record (acta) will be drawn up whereby the borders are described. This must be signed by both neighbours before a notary. If one of the parties disagrees with the conclusion of the judge, he has the right to take the matter to court.
Here is a sample of a private contract on settling boundaries:
Contrato privado de deslinde Property for sale in Spain
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En....a...de...de 200.. Property for sale in Spain |
Reunidos Property for sale in Spain |
De una parte D...., mayor de edad, agricultor, vecino de....con domicilio en la calle...., numero....,provisto de Número de Identidad Fiscal.... |
De otra parte D......, mayor de edad, pensionista, vecino de.....con domicilio en la calle......, numero....., provisto de pasaporte Británico de Número.......... |
Los dos firmantes, reconociéndose la mutua capacidad legal para la firma del presente contrato de deslinde y amojonamiento, realizan de su libre y espontánea voluntad las siguientes |
Manifestaciones Property for sale in Spain |
A. Que los dos firmantes son propietarios de sendas fincas sitas en el término de.....conocido con el nombre de...., y cuyos límites, en conjunto, son los siguientes: (describirlos) |
B. Que los dos firmantes tienen inscritas los títulos de sus fincas inscritas en el Registro de Propiedad de......, a los siguientes datos (transcribirlos) |
C. Que los dos partes están de acuerdo en fijar los definitivos lindes. |
Por todo ello, puestos de común acuerdo, firman el presente contrato, que se regirá en virtud de los siguientes Property for sale in Spain |
Pactos Property for sale in Spain |
Primero. - Que reconocen como ciertos y reales los límites señalados en la escritura de propiedad le la que es titular de D...., reconociendo que dicha finca tiene una superficie de....... |
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Segundo. - Que de común acuerdo encargan al topógrafo D....a fin y efecto de que realice el oportuno deslinde y amojonamiento, señalando los verdaderos límites existentes entre las propiedades. |
Tercero. - Los dos intervinientes aceptan pasar y aceptar por lo determinado por el topógrafo, comprometiéndose a respetar en el futuro los mojones que señalen el deslinde de las respectivas fincas. |
Cuarto. - Los firmantes se comprometen a firmar cuantos documentos futuros sean precisos para reconocer el deslinde y amojonamiento aqui acordados, tanto si son públicos como privados, corriendo en este caso los gastos que ello signifique a cargo de quien solicitare la elevación a público del documento o de lo acordado en el mismo. |
Quinto. - Los firmantes renuncian a su fuero propio si lo tuvieren y se someten a los Juzgados y Tribunales de.....para la discusión judicial de cualquier cuestión que pudiera surgir como consecuencia del presente contrato. |
Y para conste, firma por duplicado y a un
solo efecto, en el lugar y fecha indicado en el encabezamiento. Property for sale in Spain |
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A rough translation into English: Property for sale in Spainproperty for sale in Spain |
ASSEMBLED
property for sale in Spain |
On one side Mr...., of legal age, farmer, living in......., street....number....with identification document number..... |
On the other side Mr....., aged..., retired, living in....., street...number...with British passport number..... |
The two parties, mutually recognising the other's legal capacity to sign the present contract on a boundary settlement and its marking, make of their free and spontaneous will the following:
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MANIFESTATIONS
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A. That the two signing parties are each owners of their properties situated in the municipality of.....known as....and whose boundaries are the following (description of the boundaries): |
B. That the two parties have inscribed the titles of their properties in the Property Register ....., with the following inscription dates (mention them). |
C. That the two parties are in agreement to definitely settle the boundary. And with this aim, and in joint agreement, they sign the present contract, that is governed by the following:
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AGREEMENTS
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First. They recognise as correct the boundaries contained in the title deed of Mr......, and that this property has an area of ... m2. |
Second. They agree to give the topographer, Mr........the task of making the settlement and marking the boundaries, to indicate the exact borders existing between the properties. |
Third. The two parties agree to accept whatever will be determined by the topographer, and agree to respect in the future the markers that indicate the boundary between the property. |
Fourth. The parties present agree to sign any future documents that may be needed to recognise the settlement and marking of the borders agreed upon herein, public as well as private. The costs of such documents shall be borne by the party that requests the document. |
Fifth. The two signing parties renounce their own jurisdiction, if such exists, and submit themselves to the Courts and Tribunals of .....for the legal discussion of any question that may arise as a consequence of the present contract. |
And so that it be evident, they sign in duplicate, both equally valid, in the place and at the date indicated above. |
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And what if the neighbour does not agree? property for sale in Spain
It may be that the relations between neighbours is not the best, or that one does not know who the owner of the neighbouring plot is. If one cannot reach an agreement to make a deslinde and sign a private contract about the boundary, there is another way -- take the matter to the judge.
If the land in question has a value of more than 50 000 euros , one must leave the action in the hands of a lawyer. But if the land in question has less value, one can personally bring the matter before a judge in the court where the property is located.
The way to do this is to make a "demanda de deslinde y amojonamiento", that could have the following form:
DEMANDA DE DESLINDE Y AMOJONAMIENTO
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D.........mayor de edad, retirado, provisto de pasaporte Britanica de Numero....., con domicilio en....., calle......., domicilio que señala para recibir notificaciones ante el Juzgado y comparece y como mejor en derecho sea procedente, dice; |
Primero. - Que es dueño, por compra, de la finca conocida con el nombre de...., sita en el término municipal de ......, según lo acredita con la correspondiente escritura de Propiedad, que figura inscrita en el Registro de la Propiedad de....., a los siguientes datos regístrales; (transcribirlos). |
Segundo. - Que dicha finca habiendo quedado desdibujados sus lindes y desaparecidos los amojonamientos existentes en otras épocas, habiendo sido invadido el terreno propiedad de quien esto suscribe por el colindante. |
Tercero. - Que interesa a esta parte que queden bien delimitados y precisos los lindes, señalados con los correspondientes mojones, para evitar conflictos futuros. |
Cuarto. - Que el domicilo del dueño de la finca colindante por la parte sur es D...... y que por la parte Oeste es D......., estando los restantes limites de la finca fuera de discusión por la existencia de un camino que la bordea en su parte Norte y por un cauce de agua en la parte Este. |
Por todo ello, y al amparo de lo previsto y dispuesto en el artículo 384 del Código Civil y lo establecido en cuanto a procedimiento por los artículos 2061 y concordantes de la Ley de Enjuiciamiento Civil, |
AL JUZGADO SUPLICO que teniendo por presentado este escrito junto con los documentos que lo acompañan, se sirva aceptarlo todo ello y mande incoar expediente de jurisdicción voluntaria de deslinde y amojonamiento de la antes dicha finca, citando a los colindantes y siguiendo el procedimiento por todos sus trámites, dictar en su día acta de deslinde y amojonamiento. |
En.....a...de...de 200.. Property for sale in Spain |
In a rough translation to English the text would be like this: |
DEMAND FOR SETTLEMENT AND MARKING OF BORDERS property for sale in Spain
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Mr....., of legal age, retired, with British passport number...., living in ....street..., that should be used as address for any notifications from the court, appears and in the best possible legal way declares: |
First. That he is owner, by purchase, of the property known as....., situated in the municipality of ......, that is confirmed with the corresponding title deed, inscribed in the Property Register of.... with the following inscription dates (add them). |
Second. That the boundaries of the property in question have become unclear and the marking stones of previous times have disappeared, and the land of the person signing this document has been encroached upon by the neighbour. |
Third. It is in the interest of this party that the boundaries be well and precisely marked, with the corresponding marking stones, to avoid future conflicts. |
Fourth. That the owner of the neighbouring property to the south is Mr..... and to the west is Mr......, while the rest of the borders are not disputed because of the existence of a road that forms the border to the north and a stream to the east. |
Because of all this, and in accordance with what is contained in Article 384 of the Civil Code and what is established as to procedure in Articles 2061 and in the Law on Civil Judgments, |
the Court is asked to consider this petition, together with the documents that accompany it, and that this be accepted as the start of a procedure of voluntary settlement and marking of the previously mentioned property, and to make an act of settlement and marking. |
In...at...of...200.. |
