When faced with shoddy service in a shop or business we can often react by simply not returning. It may be however that the failure on the part of the company is so great that we feel the need to take the matter further. In Spain there are specific ways to make a formal complaint and the method chosen will depend on the specific situation you are in.
Well, setting-aside for one moment the obvious difficulties that may be associated with having to deal with anyone in Spanish there are indeed a number of options available. If you are not happy with a product or service, as a first step you should make a verbal or written claim directly to the establishment that sold you the product or service. Assuming sufficient grounds and a degree of reasonableness on the part of the establishment, this is the perhaps the easiest and most convenient way of sorting out such problems.
If this does not resolve the situation and you still believe your rights as a consumer have been breached, you should request a complaints form from the establishment. These official documents include instructions on how to fill them out and before which authority they need to be filed. In most cases, you need to send a copy of form to the Oficina Municipal de Informacion al Consumidor (OMIC) which will process the complaint from there on. The OMIC is also a good place to start for general or specific information on making such claims.
Another option are the Juntas Arbitrales de Consumo. These are state-sponsored organisms which provide both parties the opportunity to reach an out-of-court agreement. They are not judicial organisms however and have no competence in conflicts arising between private individuals or in cases which involve intoxication, injury, death or where there are indications of fraud or other criminal activity. In such cases and in general if no prior and amicable agreement is reached between the parties to the conflict, you would need to file a formal legal suit in the courts.
Mortgages on Inherited Property in Spain
When buying a Spanish place in the sun to relax and retire it is normal to have your mind filled with all of those balmy evenings nursing a relaxing glass of rioja. Certainly few would be thinking about what happens when we end-up booking into the great holiday home in the sky...however, in these days of long-term mortgages and falling property prices it becomes an issue when heirs-to-be have to calculate the cost of taking on a mortgage in the sun as well as the home!
Maintenance Payments upon Divorce in Spain
Few areas of the law are as diverse as family law given that this particular area is a reflection of the diversity of the world's legal jurisdictions. In Spain, for example, the family as a social unit is given particular importance.
Inheritance law in Spain
Ths Spanish government has recently revised the rules regarding inheritance tax for spouses and family members. In particular the family residence hsa maintained its exemption from tax up to 95% of its value. However the maximum value of this ecemption has been incresaed to 500,000€. It is now more important than ever to determine which residence is the habitual residence and the courts have made judgment in this regard.
