How much should I expect to be charged for water and electricity on a new development property?

Anonymous

A. With regards to connecting water and electricity, the fees may vary depending on the company. For water, you can expect an initial amount between 75 € and 150 €.

With regards to electricity, the first payment is normally paid together with the first bill, by direct debit usually. This figure may also vary, but it will be charged by the electricity company. If the community of owners or the developer is offering you the service, ask them for the water contract which also serves as a receipt for the first payment.

Regarding the community of owners, once it has been set up and the property has been handed over, community fees have then to start being paid. In fact, some developers who sell part of the dwellings and are still owning the others have to contribute to the overall community maintance cost.

With regards to the specific question of the swimming pool, the normal situation is for it, together with other common elements, and obviously the private dwelling, to be fit and ready for use, without any other further costs other than the normal routine maintenance and checks thereafter. It does happen, however, that some elements of the developement may be unfinished when you move in. In this case, it is the developers duty to finish off the works and cleaning up but with their own money, as part of a contractual obligation agreed with the property purchasers.