Property expert witness in Málaga

Not always for the technical side. We inspect the home with whoever holds the keys and send you the report to go through with your lawyer. Whether you attend the trial is decided by your lawyer.

It depends on whether it is part of the building works and how old it is, how it was built and whether the drainage has been maintained. The expert report identifies the cause, which decides whether the claim goes to the builder, a neighbour or the insurer.

Each participant is liable for damage caused by their own errors: the designer for design faults, the contractor for workmanship, and technical site management for supervision and control. Where the cause cannot be attributed or fault is concurrent, all are jointly and severally liable. The developer is always liable to the buyer alongside the others. For that reason, contacting the developer is usually the simplest starting point for the owner.

You can still claim against other participants, such as the contractor, architect or technical site management, and their liability insurers. For structural damage, seguro decenal, the ten-year structural insurance, provides direct cover. If the developer is insolvent, the claim must be notified within the insolvency proceedings. The libro del edificio, the completed building documentation, identifies participants. A solicitor should assess the available routes.

Seguro decenal is the insurance the developer must generally arrange for homes (the law exempts an individual self-builder of a single detached home for their own use), covering material damage from structural defects compromising building stability for ten years. If structural damage occurs, the owner can claim directly against the insurer, which is particularly useful where the developer has disappeared or become insolvent. The insurance certificate should form part of the home or building documentation. The Spanish name distinguishes this cover from an ordinary household policy or the other building guarantee periods.

Yes. An expert can act before any court in Spain. Our bases are Torrevieja, serving Alicante, Murcia, Valencia and Albacete, and Seville, serving western Andalusia. For other provinces, we assess travel for the inspection and trial. In some cases, ratification can take place by video conference if the court authorises it. Describe your case and we will advise on availability.

This depends on complexity, the number of defects and the documents requiring study. A report on a home with a few issues may be ready within a few days after inspection. Numerous defects or an abandoned renovation take longer because each item must be measured and valued. The quote sets the delivery period. If you have a procedural deadline, include it when requesting a quote.