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ENERGY

Shared central heating in Spain’s buildings to end soon: what you need to know

If you have district heating in your building in Spain, you may soon have to install an individual meter in your flat or apartment, the Spanish government has announced.

Published: 5 November 2021 13:30 CET
radiator, central heating
A radiator seen up close. Photo: ri / Pixabay

In some parts of Spain it’s still common to find communal central heating systems for the whole building, known also as district heating systems, but the Spanish government has set out rules for these to be replaced by individual meters.

The plan is to make people more aware of the energy consumption they are using and to make sure that everyone is paying for their own heating usage. Currently, heating bills in these buildings are just split equally between the number of apartments, taking into account the number of people who live in each. 

Building managers and community of neighbours will have until mid-2022 or early 2023 to install the systems necessary for individualised meters, depending on the climatic zone the buildings are located in and the number of homes they contain. 

As of May 2023, each neighbour in buildings with district heating in Spain must pay exclusively for their own heating consumption.

District heating systems usually run on natural gas energy, heating the entire building via the same network.

The new measure will affect at least 1.7 million homes in Spain and will mainly affect those buildings built before 1998.

It will also avoid energy waste of two million tons of CO2 per year. The majority of district buildings in Spain are in Madrid: 700,000, but they’re also common in Cantabria and Navarre.

Why has Spain chosen to scrap district heating?

A study carried out between 2015 and 2018 revealed that the installation of meters that control individual heating usage in homes with district central heating generates an average saving on your heating bill of 29.60 percent two years after its installation.

This research was carried out in 396 homes with central heating in the Community of Madrid and was supervised and certified by the property managers of said communities of owners.

Installing individual central heating has the potential to save €230 in heating costs a year per housing unit, according to the Spanish Association of Heat Cost Distributors.

How much do the meters cost?
 
Individual meters can cost around €250, plus the cost of installing them, but prices can vary a lot depending on the building you live in. 
 
If it’s not possible to install a meter for the entire apartment however, you will have to install individual meters on each radiator at a cost of around €30 per unit. 
 
It is also possible to rent meters and a monthly cost of around €7 – €10, including maintenance. 

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The dates you need to know

The decree published by the Spanish government on August 6th 2020, set out the deadlines by which a quote must have been obtained. You can find out what climate zone you’re located in by looking at the government’s Basic Document on Energy Saving. 

  • February 1st, 2021 for buildings of non-residential use and those in climate zone E with 20 or more dwellings.
  • July 1st, 2021 for those in climate zone E with fewer than 20 homes and in climate zone D for buildings with 20 or more homes.
  • December 1st, 2021 for those in climate zone D with less than 20 homes and in climate zone C for buildings with 20 or more homes.
  • February 1st, 2022 for those in climate zone C with fewer than 20 homes.
Spain's climate zones according to the Technical Building Code. Source: CTE
Spain’s provinces categorised into climate zones according to the Technical Building Code. Source: CTE

If the quote you receive proves to be technically viable and makes economic sense, the Spanish government states that “the holder must proceed with the installation of individualised accounting systems within a maximum period of fifteen months from these dates”.  

Each community of neighbours will be responsible for the installation and payment of the meters, in other words property owners will have to share the costs. If they fail by a certain date there will be sanctions of between €300 and 60,000.

This means that the individual meters themselves will have to be installed by the following dates:

  • May 1st, 2022 for buildings of non-residential use and in climate zone E for buildings with 20 or more homes.
  • October 1st, 2022 for those in climate zone E with less than 20 homes, and in climate zone D for buildings with 20 or more homes.
  • March 1st, 2023 for those in climate zone D with less than 20 homes and in climate zone C for buildings with 20 or more homes.
  • May 1st, 2023 for those in climate zone C with less than 20 homes.

Exceptions to the new measures

There are however some exceptions; not all buildings or homes will have to comply with this regulation if they’re not able to.  

“The simplest way to comply with the regulations is to put a meter on each apartment, but this is only technically possible in heating systems arranged in a ring”, said Enrique García, spokesman for the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU).

Those for example which cannot install individual meters due to technical reasons or those which have heating systems equipped with heat emitters connected in series (provided that they serve more than one user in the same ring) will be exempt. 

Any system that does not allow for individualising consumption, such as user-to-user system management, is also exempt.

Those buildings which would lack of economic profitability because they’re located in climatic zones A and B will also be exempt. This includes some buildings in parts of Almería, Cádiz, Castellón, Ceuta, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, Murcia, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Seville, Tarragona and Valencia.

READ ALSO: Spain’s new electricity rates for 2021: the tricks to help you save up to €300 a year

In the last five years, in anticipation of the new regulations, meters have already been installed in 180,000 flats in Spain, according to the Spanish Association of Heat Cost Distributors. 

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For members

LIFE IN SPAIN

EXPLAINED: How to buy a boat in Spain

Considering buying a boat to enjoy life to the fullest in Spain? Here's a breakdown of costs, legal requirements, financing options and useful tips to factor in before purchasing a bowrider, a day sailer, a yacht or any other 'barco'.

Published: 3 May 2024 12:18 CEST
EXPLAINED: How to buy a boat in Spain

Spain has around 8,000km of coastline, and access to the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Bay of Biscay. For boat enthusiasts, you’re spoilt for choice in Spain.

But it’s not just as simple as picking out a boat, buying it and setting off into the ocean.

There are several decisions you’ll need to make first, rules to follow, administrative hoops to jump through, and then maintenance costs on top of that.

Types of boats

The first thing you’ll need to consider is the type of boat you want to buy.

Generally they can be split into two broad categories: motor boats and sailing boats.

Motor boats are the most popular type of boat sold and offer the greatest variety of options because they include pretty much everything from smaller more affordable power boats to huge luxury yachts.

As such, you could get a smaller motor boat, say for day trips of fishing on the coast, for as little as €10,000, whereas yachts, as you can imagine, can cost millions, depending on the size, power, design and quality of the boat.

According to several Spanish maritime sources, buying a used boat that you can live on in Spain can cost anywhere between €13,000 and €150,000.

Spanish website topbarcos.com has hundreds of boats listed for you to get an idea of what’s available in the second-hand market, as well as a page for new vessels.

Sailing boats are the more environmentally friendly option and require the most skill to sail, and include light sailboats, catamarans and trimarans. Again, prices vary from €5,000 to over a million, depending on the size, type of sail, material and quality of the boat.

Once you’ve decided on the type of boat you want and found one you’d like to buy, you’ll need to consider any potential legal requirements.

A woman sits next to a yacht in Puerto Banús luxury marina in Marbella. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

What are the legal requirements when buying a boat in Spain?

  • The correct nautical qualifications for the type and size of the boat you want to buy. There are different types of nautical licences to sail different boats in Spain, such as the PNB (Basic Navigation Skipper), the PER (Recreational Boats Skipper), the PY (Yacht Skipper) or the CY (Yacht Captain). Each has specific limitations in terms of length, power, distance from the coast and the type of sailing you can do.
  • Compulsory civil liability insurance that covers possible damages that you may cause to third parties with your boat.
  • Have all the necessary documentation for the boat, such as the certificate of seaworthiness and (essentially an MOT for the boat, showing that it’s in working order) and the navigation permit.
  • You’ll also need to pay the corresponding taxes on the boat purchase, such as VAT (21 percent), the special tax on certain means of transport (12 percent) or the transfer tax (4 or 6 percent, depending on the region).

READ ALSO: How do I get my boat licence in Spain

What other factors should you keep in mind before buying?

Think about what type of navigation you want to do, how often, with how many people and what your budget is. 

Don’t go with the first boat you see. Search and compare different models, brands, prices, conditions etc and don’t forget to keep an eye out for scams.

It’s a no-brainer but try the boat before you buy it, don’t just rely on photos or descriptions. Request a test ride to check the condition and navigational operation of the boat. 

If you do not have much experience or knowledge of nautical matters, it’s advisable to hire a professional to accompany you throughout the purchasing process. It could help you avoid possible legal, technical or administrative problems that arise.

They will also assist you with checking the condition of the boat’s interior: the carpentry, the engine, the electrical installation, the tanks, bilge, kitchen, bathroom and other compartments.

Here is a list of dozens of Spain-based brokers (as they’re called) or nautical companies that can assist you. 

Crucially, they will also be able to give you an informed assessment of what price you should be paying for the boat you’ve chosen. 

How can you pay for a boat?

Unless you have enough disposable income to pay for it cash, you probably want to know what kind of financing is available to you. 

There is the nautical mortgage (hipoteca náutica), which mimics the system for property mortgages, including the need for a down payment and embargo conditions in non-payment situations. 

Nautical credits (Créditos náuticos) also exist, which again are not too different from regular loans, including fewer notary costs than nautical mortgages and fixed interest rates. 

And lastly, nautical leasing is also an option, which is when a company acquires a boat and rents it to a customer for a certain period of time (normally between 4 and 15 years) and usually with an option to buy at the end of the contract.

Don’t forget the upcoming maintenance costs

If you manage all that and buy the boat, you’ll need to maintain the boat and pay costs to do so. These include:

The mooring: ie. the place where the boat is left when it is not in use. The price of mooring depends on the size of the boat and the location of the port. It can range from around €100 per month to several thousand.

However, be warned, in Spain these aren’t easy to come by. The Association of Industries, Commerce and Nautical Services (ADIN), estimates that Spain has only 107,894 moorings for 229,000 boats.

You’ll also need to pay for periodical technical checks that must be carried out on the boat from time to time to check its condition and operation. Again, the price depends on the type and size of the boat and the services contracted. It can vary from around €200 euros to several thousand.

Regularly cleaning the boat to avoid dirt, rust, algae, and parasites damaging the boat can also be quite costly. It can vary from as little as €50 for smaller boats to several hundred for bigger ones, and most experts recommend it should be done every 4-6 weeks.

READ ALSO: How to live on a boat in Spanish waters

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