Decreto (Decree) 218 – Public Advisory Notices

One of the most common fines that the Inspectors from “Junta de Andalucía” give out is for the lack of Public Advisory Notices (“Los Carteles Informativos”). Yet they are one of the easiest things to comply with in the Decree 218. Article 12, point 1 of the Decree states that if you are in the business of selling or renting property then you need to have a clearly visible sign IN SPANISH, stating the following: “El consumidor tiene derecho a que se le entregue una copia del correspondiente Documento Informativo Abreviado de la vivienda”. As point 2 implies, you can have it in other languages as well but it MUST be in Spanish first and foremost. This basically means that ‘the client has the right to be given a copy of the corresponding Résumé Information Document for the home’.

An interesting point to note is that although this sign or notice refers to the Spanish DIA form (this is the form used for off-plan homes, homes under construction, homes sold direct from the constructor/promoter and rental homes) and not to the Spanish FI form (see appendix 5 of the Decree) used in the sale in second-hand homes (resales), an Estate Agent must still have this sign on public display. Even though we didn’t have any rental properties at the time the Inspector visited us, he was surprised that we had that sign on display as it didn’t really apply to us. However, he mentioned that by doing so we had saved ourselves a hefty fine as the Decree still requires the sign to be on display.

What size should this sign be and where should it be displayed? Point 2 of Article 12 says it should be the same size as the “Claims & Complaints” notice and displayed at the side of said notice. We have the signs displayed inside our office but we also have a copy of the “Cartel Informativo” in the window as well. That saves us from having to print the same wording on every single property information card. Normally the “Claims & Complaints” sign is printed on an A4 piece of paper with Landscape orientation. If you want to make your own sign and wonder what the law requires you to display in Spanish (without having to download our PDF files) then just copy and paste the following text within the quotation marks: “Este establecimiento tiene libro de hojas de quejas y reclamaciones a disposición del consumidor que la solicite.”

I have made both of these forms available in PDF format and in both Landscape and Portrait orientation so that you can place the Public Advisory Notice in your office window. They are written in both Spanish and English.

Files Available are:
Public Advisory DIA Sign – Horizontal (File Size=10Kb)

Claims & Complaints Sign – Vertical (File Size=10Kb)

To view the above files you will need Adobe Reader, which you can download for free from here: