12 May 2026 11:36 AM:

There is already another thread discussing this:  Managing a property on Costa del Sol while living abroad – how do you handle it?

Thread: How do Costa Blanca owners manage properties while abroad?

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18 Mar 2026 6:52 PM:

My father used to have a professional managment agency look after his property when he was absent, but was very dissatsified, as several times they failed to spot an issue even when it was obvious (once a storm took off several roof tiles, we had no idea how they could not have noticed as there were broken tiles all over the front garden, another time my dad came back to find the back door was unlocked, fortunately nothing was missing), the agency simply  provided excuses rather than owning the problem.

I don't have any agency at my place. One neighbour has the key and keeps an eye on things and another friend takes a look here and there, and I never had a problem. So depending on your particular risk awareness and maybe location, probably an agency is not necessary.

Thread: Managing a property on Costa del Sol while living abroad – how do you handle it?

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19 Jan 2026 4:39 PM:

Normally in flats, aircon units would drain into a water container on your balcony or near the unit. You would have to empty the container when it fills up. Or, if you can do so, link it to your water drainage pipes in your flat, if it's convenient

Be very careful when doing this as very unpleasant smells can emanate from your water drain. As a minimum you would need an S-trap, but this would be at danger of drying out in the hot climate so you would need to refill it from time to time. Just manually emptying a container here and there might be less hassle in the long run.  

 

Thread: Aircon drain pipe

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19 Jan 2026 11:22 AM:

 

Review the contract: Carefully review the contract you had with the builder to determine the scope of work that was agreed upon and the payment terms. If the additional items were not included in the original contract or invoice, it may be easier to dispute them.

I absolutely agree. Construction / technical Spanish can be quite different from spoken Spanish, so it is woirth sitting down and reading the contract slowly and in detail. If anything doesn't make sense, ask to have it explained. If anything seems excessively vague or ambiguous, ask to have it put more precisely. The builder is asking you to spend a big sum of money, so you have every right to ask and re-ask questions. I think the vast majority of builders are honest and not trying to trick you (but honest mistakes can and do happen, and misunderstandings and miscommunication happens as well). But the small number of cowboys are spoiling it for the rest of the trade. 

 

This message was last edited by amogles on 1/19/2026.
Thread: Builder changed quote and over charging. Threatening court if I don’t pay the extra

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19 Jan 2026 11:14 AM:

Some works require immediate decisions on site. This can sometimes lead to delays if you wait for formal quotations, or it might result in agreeing to additional building work without having the full facts or costs in advance.

There is a saying that goes something like, as long as emergency situations provide an excuse to bypass due process, people who stand to benefit when due process is bypassed will try to create emergency situations. 

 

Thread: Builder changed quote and over charging. Threatening court if I don’t pay the extra

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