Chapter
Buying a townhouse in Spain: what to check
Quick answer
A townhouse is attached to its neighbours, so the checks combine those of a house and a flat: shared walls, boundaries, the estate community and its fees, and any extension. Read the statutes and compare the registry, cadastre and licences with the house.
Applies toBuyers considering a terraced or semi-detached house, often on an estate with shared facilities.
On this page: 16 sections
§ 1What a townhouse is
A townhouse is a house attached to one or more neighbours, in a row or in pairs. Spanish sellers call it by various names, including adosado and pareado. Legally it can be a stand-alone property, or part of a larger estate with shared areas. This page belongs to the section on property types.
§ 2Community or not
Many townhouses are in an estate with shared roads, gardens, pools or security. The estate may be a legal community under the horizontal property law, or a looser association with private rules. The difference affects what can be enforced, how fees are set and how debts attach. The legal process section of this handbook explains communities of owners. Read more on apartments for the checks on fees, minutes and statutes, which apply here too.
§ 3Party walls and neighbours
The wall that separates your house from the next is often shared. The Civil Code has rules on shared walls, and the estate statutes may add others. Ask before you plan to drill, extend or raise the house. Noise, damp and fire safety are common concerns in attached houses. Ask the neighbours how they find the construction.
§ 4Boundaries and extensions
Compare the registry description with the cadastre and the house. Townhouses are often extended with a room, a roof terrace or a garage. Ask for the licence and the registry entry, and check the estate rules, which may restrict colours, fences and extensions. The legal process section explains what happens to works without permission.
§ 5Parking and shared areas
Ask where you can park, whether the space is part of your property or shared, and who maintains the roads. Check the right of use of shared pools and gardens and whether the use is open to visitors and tenants.
§ 6Costs
Taxes on a purchase depend on whether the house is new or resale. The costs section explains them. Running costs include local tax, insurance, utilities and community fees. We print no average.
§ 7Letting
If you plan holiday lets, read the statutes, because a community can restrict tourist rental, and regional rules apply too. The rent-and-invest section covers lets in more detail.
§ 8Compare
For detached houses, read villas explained.
For country houses, read more on country houses and rural property, and for houses that need works, read more on renovation projects.
For plots, read more on land and self-build, and for houses by the sea, read more on beachfront and golf.
§ 9Before you sign
Visit twice, speak to neighbours and the administrator, and ask your lawyer to review the title, the statutes and the licences together.
§ 10Insurance
Ask whether the policy covers damage that starts in a neighbouring house, such as fire or water, and who is responsible when it spreads along a shared wall. Ask the community whether it insures the common areas and what the policy excludes.
§ 11Noise and privacy
Attached houses share sound. Visit at different hours, listen at the party wall and talk to the neighbours. Ask about rules on terraces, pets and parties. A quiet street at noon can be a different place at night.
§ 12Resale
Townhouses sell to families and second-home buyers, and the market depends on the area. Ask agents how long similar houses take to sell and what features buyers ask for. We print no market figures for townhouses.
§ 13Questions for the seller
Ask who the neighbours are, whether there have been complaints about noise or works, what the community fees cover and whether any assessments are planned. Ask for the last minutes and accounts, the licences for any extension, and the bills for the year. Compare the answers with the papers.
§ 14Visiting well
Visit at different hours and in different weather. Check the party wall for damp and cracks, the roof and the terrace for leaks, and the parking and access. Ask a technician to look at anything that worries you before you make an offer.
§ 15Keep records
Keep the title, the plans, the licences, the statutes, the minutes and the bills together. They will be needed when you sell, and a buyer will ask for them.
§ 16Back to the section
More on types of property explains the kinds of home a foreigner can buy and what each needs checked.
FAQRelated questions
Is a townhouse a house or a flat in legal terms?
It can be either, or a mix. Some townhouses are separate registered properties with no shared ownership, and others sit in a community with common areas and quotas. Read the title and the statutes to see which.
Who owns the party wall?
The wall between two houses is often shared, and the Civil Code has rules on shared walls. The registry and the neighbours’ papers may say more, so ask your lawyer to check before you plan alterations.
Will I pay community fees?
Often yes, if the houses share roads, gardens, pools or security. The amount depends on the estate. Ask for the budget, the last accounts and any special assessments, and make sure the seller is up to date.
Sources
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Ley 49/1960, BOE-A-1960-10906) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 7, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 17 (consolidated text of 3 October 2026)Last checked 26 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Código Civil (BOE-A-1889-4763) (official source, opens in a new window), Article 1455: costs of the deed of saleLast checked 17 October 2026
- Dirección General del Catastro: Access to cadastral information (official source, opens in a new window), Free consultation by address or cadastral reference; protected dataLast checked 17 October 2026
Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.