Thousands of British homeowners in Spain could be owed €40,000-plus compensation over ‘floor clause’ mortgage scandal – this is how to claim

Thousands of British homeowners in Spain could be owed €40,000-plus compensation over ‘floor clause’ mortgage scandal – this is how to claim

BRITISH homeowners are winning up to €48,500 in compensation after major banks in Spain were exposed for putting a hidden clause in their mortgages.   In the early 2000s a string of lenders secretly wrote in their contracts that their clients’ payable interest rate could not drop below 3.5% – in what is now known as a ‘floor clause’. But for 10 years, between 2011 and 2021, the interest rate in Spain sat between 0-1%. It means countless homeowners spent years paying hundreds of euros more per month than necessary. Fairway Lawyers, based in Marbella, has been at the forefront of winning back money for affected homeowners – and on a […]

British expats forced to leave Spain – ‘don’t feel confident’ with new Brexit rules

British expats forced to leave Spain – ‘don’t feel confident’ with new Brexit rules

By ESTHER MARSHALL – www.express.co.uk Diego Echavarria is an expert in Spanish residency law. He is the founding partner of Fairway Lawyers on the Costa del Sol and spoke to Express.co.uk about British expats in Spain. He told Express.co.uk that one of his clients was asked to leave Spain in 72 hours after she struggled to prove she had residency. He said: “I had a case where someone who is a citizen in Spain couldn’t justify it. They gave her 72 hours to leave the country. “She was able to prove that she had residency so she was fine but I don’t know what’s going to happen to other people […]

Olive Press newspaper interview with Diego Echavarria

Olive Press newspaper interview with Diego Echavarria

Olive Press reporter Katherine Brook sat down with one of Spain’s best lawyers, Diego Echavarria, to discuss how he’s helped over 50 people who were victims of the floor clause claim back hundreds of thousands of pounds, as well as what problems Brits are currently facing in the country. Tell us a bit about yourself Diego? I was brought up in Madrid, which is where I studied to become a lawyer, splitting my time between there and Germany. I moved to Marbella in 2001 and then set up my own company, Fairway Lawyers, in 2006. Why Marbella? I specialise in being an English speaking lawyer, and Marbella’s a great place […]

Residency in Spain for UK nationals: Can a lawyer fix application problems and speed up the process?

Residency in Spain for UK nationals: Can a lawyer fix application problems and speed up the process?

Diego Echavarria of Fairway Lawyers in Marbella has recently been interviewed by The Local Spain after several of their British readers have contacted them to say they’re having problems getting their residency in Spain, and questioning why there are so many delays. The reporter spoke to several lawyers to find out what most the common residency issues are, how to correct them and why getting legal help might speed up the process. Gerard Martínez from Balcells Group in Barcelona explained to The Local that the vast majority of residency problems they are seeing now involve foreigners not knowing the best path to residency and not being sure about what their options are. Most […]

How to buy a home in Spain as a foreigner

How to buy a home in Spain as a foreigner

By www.thedeliciousday.com Diego Echavarría has practised real estate and immigration law in Malaga and throughout Andalucía for 20 years. I chatted with him via Zoom to learn the ins and outs of home buying in Spain for foreigners and why a real estate attorney is an absolute must. Here is a little of what he had to say… Why is a lawyer required when buying a home in Spain? Basically, you always need an attorney when you’re a foreign person investing in Spain. There are a lot of legal requirements and issues that most people do not know about. Lawyers check if the property has any debts and if the mortgages have […]

How can I get legal documents if I am illegally in Spain?

How can I get legal documents if I am illegally in Spain?

If you are in Spain without any type of permission, you could obtain it through ‘Arraigo’ permits based on extraordinary circumstances without going out of Spain. It is a benefit offered by our legislation to foreigners who meet certain conditions in order to acquire a residence and work permit, among them, the most important reasons are the following: 1. Social ties 2. Economic ties 3. Family ties 4. International protection and humanitarian reasons 1. PERMIT BASED ON SOCIAL TIES According to Spanish legislation any foreigner illegally established as a resident in Spain, can apply for a residence and work permit. The required periods of time are different according to the […]

The process and tips to request a self-employed work permit in Spain

The process and tips to request a self-employed work permit in Spain

Here we describe the procedure and explain the required documentation and some practical advice that might be helpful to you for succeeding in being granted a self-employed work permit in Spain. Tips Prior to requesting an authorisation and incurring a series of expenses, it is highly advisable to visit the country and get to know the city and the sector of activity that you will be undertaking and develop some contacts with persons who could assist you in establishing, developing and carrying out your business and who can help you to focus on the activity you will carry out. Have a good project or business that will be able to create revenues […]