The three sections
- Descripción de la finca. The property described: type, address, built surface and its registry reference. Cross-check this against the cadastre and the listing.
- Titularidad. Who legally owns it, in what share, and how they acquired it. The seller must appear here — if they don’t, stop.
- Cargas. The charges: mortgages, seizures, easements and conditions. An empty cargas section is what you want to see.
The red flags
- Hipoteca (mortgage). A loan secured on the property. It must be cancelled at or before completion — confirm how and when.
- Embargo (seizure). A court or tax authority has frozen the property over a debt. A serious warning that needs resolving first.
- Servidumbre (easement). A third-party right over the land — a right of way, for example — that stays with the property after you buy.
- Condición resolutoria. A clause that lets a prior sale be undone if conditions aren’t met — understand it fully before proceeding.
Surface mismatches
If the surface on the nota simple, the cadastre and the listing disagree, treat it as a question to answer, not a detail to ignore. It can signal an unregistered extension, a discrepancy that complicates a mortgage, or simply an old record — but you want to know which before you pay.
Let VeoTrust read it for you.
Paste a listing and a Trust Check pulls the registry and cadastre and flags the charges and mismatches in plain English.
Run a free Trust Check →Where do I get a nota simple?+
From the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) — online via the registrars' portal for a few euros, or in person. Anyone can request one for any property; you don't need to be the owner.
What's the difference between a nota simple and the escritura?+
The escritura is the title deed signed before a notary; the nota simple is the registry's summary of the current legal situation — owner and charges. The nota simple is what you read during due diligence; it reflects what is actually registered.
What are 'cargas' on a nota simple?+
Cargas are charges against the property: mortgages (hipotecas), seizure orders (embargos), easements (servidumbres) and resolutory conditions. They can survive the sale, so any entry here needs explaining before you commit.
Related: what is a nota simple · checking community debt · the full buying guide