Sol Commercials uses and offers the legal services of CYC Asesoria legal y Tributaria, based in the centre of Fuengirola and CPS Spain, based in Benalmadena. Cristobal Ruiz from CYC and Simon Ellison from CPS Spain both have untarnished reputations in the field of leases, freeholds, accounts and legal/accountancy services. Of course it is your choice which lawyer you use.

When buying a leasehold business the legal fees are 1,500 Euros which includes the following:

• Residency paperwork

• Drawing up of the new lease agreement

• Social Security set up

• Work contracts

• IVA (VAT) registration

On top of the legal fees is the cost of changing the names on the opening licence. In all towns, apart from Benalmadena, this cost is 750 Euros. In Benalmadena, the cost of changing the names on an opening licence is charged by the type and size of the business. For a bar, cafe or restaurant the cost is 41.3 euros per square metre. For a shop or office the cost is 23.6 euro per square metre. Example: To change the names on an opening licence for a 50m2 cafe bar, in Benalmadena, the cost will be around 800 euros.

On the day of completion you will also be expected to pay two months rent, as a retention deposit, which is refunded on sale, and one months rent in advance.

The monthly rent printed, for each business, on this website is the amount the current tenant is paying. On the signing of a new lease the landlord is legally entitled to increase the rent by up to 20%.

The lawyer you appoint should negotiate the following clauses in the lease:

• Percentage the rent will increase on signing of a new lease.

• Percentage the rent will increase on the increment periods (If the lease is 5 year renewable, the rent will increase after the first 5 years. The rent will also increase by the rate of inflation each year. In 2006, the government set the interest rate at 2.7%)

• Percentage payable to the owner on sale (Legally the landlord is entitled to ask for, up to 20% of the declared sale price)

• Percentage the rent will increase, on sale, for new owners (legally the landlord is entitled to increase the rent by, up to, 20%)

• Length of the lease (It is imperative that the word renewable is written in the lease. If this word is missing the landlord can evict you after the first term of the lease)