Costa del Sol: Owners & Investors—Your November Window— Tuesday, the 4th of November

November is the only month where "town hall" and "quick turnaround" appear in the same sentence.

Contractors reply. Insurers have time to adjust terms. Property managers haven't disappeared into Christmas mode. By mid-December, that all slows—reduced hours, skeleton staff, answers deferred until January 8th at the earliest.

Today, we use the window to do three things owners chronically delay: permits, compliance, and risk cover. This issue is a deep dive for owners and investors—and still useful if you're watching the market or planning an STR pivot.

Step 1 — Know your occupancy and STR status (10 minutes, this morning)

Run the four-point check:

✓ Occupancy/STR compliance
Are you registered as a vivienda de uso turístico — tourist home — with your municipality? Is your registration number on all listings, your welcome book, and rental contracts?
Missing this: up to €15,000 penalty.

✓ Permit reality
Any works planned for 2025? Decide now: obra menor — minor works permit — (cosmetic, no structural change) or obra mayor — major works permit — (plumbing, electric, layout).
Wrong category: 8-week delay + €2,000-5,000 fines.

✓ Insurance fit
Does your policy actually cover STRs, water damage during works, and all-risk liability? Most standard policies don't.
Gap discovered mid-claim: full exposure, no payout.

✓ Community rules
What does your comunidad — homeowners' association — restrict? Noise, short-term lets, water usage during summer, and signage. Get it in writing before deposit.
Neighbor complaint mid-works: stop order, legal fees, lost bookings.

Cost of waiting: Each point above becomes 3-6x harder (and more expensive) to fix after December 15th.

Town hall:
Pre-book the counter you'll need (urbanismo for permits; padrón/registro for miscellaneous). Many municipalities now require online pre-booking 2-3 weeks out for non-emergency visits.

Contractor slot:
Lock January start dates now. Agree: milestones, retention schedule (hold 10% until final walkthrough), and site photos at each stage. No handshake deals—signatures or nothing.

Policy review:
Ask the broker you used for an endorsement letter confirming STR cover, renovation cover (all-risk if structural), and liability limits. This is the document your lawyer and lender will request if something goes awry. Get it now while brokers have time to read your file.

Accounting check:
If you plan to claim 2025 works or depreciation, obtain the documentation standard agreed upon with your bilingual accountant now. Receipts? Invoices with CIF? Bank transfers only? Know before you pay the first bill.

Timeline reality: Town hall pre-booking in November = 2-week wait. In January = 6-8 weeks.

No deposit until you see all six:

One sentence that saves thousands: "Email me the six items above, and I'll send the deposit within 24 hours."

If they won't, that's your answer.

Need intros? Reply "builder," "PM," "insurance," or "STR compliance." We'll introduce you to two vetted options from the Black Book and step back. No spam, no kickbacks without disclosure.

Reply by Friday for December start dates.

Last week's data showed October arrivals up 12% year-over-year—nice for headlines, messy for infrastructure already operating at summer-peak capacity. And those "early 2026" improvement timelines? Treat them as aspirational until you see diggers moving dirt.

What carries into 2026, and what doesn't:

Internet/fibre:
If your connection has been flaky, assume the status quo through spring. Budget €40-€60/month for a backup 5G router rather than counting on Telefonica upgrades landing on time. This matters for premium weekly rates and medium-term lets to remote workers who'll test your upload speeds on Day 1.

Water:
Expect summer restrictions again. Plan water-sensible landscaping now and specify fixtures (dual-flush, aerators, leak sensors). Your insurer may reward you with lower premiums for taking preventive measures. Your neighbors will definitely do so—with fewer complaints.

Parking & access:
Marbella's parking crunch won't miraculously improve. If you promise a space or valet service in listings, make sure it's contracted with backup options, not "best effort."

Service capacity:
November responsiveness ≠ , July capacity when tourist volume triples. If your model assumes peak-season turnarounds within six hours (cleaner arrives, issue fixed, guest happy), test that assumption with your PM this week. Most can't deliver it consistently in high season. Adjust pricing or SLAs accordingly now.

Drop high-season occupancy by 10-15% from your pro forma.
Raise changeover/cleaning costs by €15-€25 per stay.
Add two no-show service calls per month, June-September (plumber ghosts, cleaner sick, AC tech delayed).

Still happy with the yield? Good—proceed. If not, the cheapest fix is scope control and timing, not "finding a cheaper contractor."

(Want a second set of eyes on your assumptions? Reply "yield sanity check." We'll review your model and flag the risky lines. Takes 20 minutes, costs you nothing.)

We push this because Owners select on Compliance, Quality, Trust, ROI, Transparency—not glossy promises. Price, pace, and paper trail. Plan for friction; you'll outperform peers who don't.

Municipal differences are real.
Benahavís permit approval: 3-4 weeks average.
Marbella permit approval: 6-8 weeks average, often longer in the summer.

Don't copy your friend's process from the next town. Ask your ayuntamiento — town hall — which path your specific scope triggers. We'll help you phrase it (Spanish-lite below).

Licencia de primera ocupación (first occupancy licence):
New-build or fully refurbished property? Confirm it's on file before listing or insuring. Lenders, insurers, and STR inspectors all check. Missing it = you're operating illegally even if you have your vivienda de uso turístico number.

Want our permit flowchart (navigates the 7-step fork between menor and mayor) + a two-page checklist? Reply "permits." Plain English with Spanish terms inline so you can hold your own at the counter.

"¿Esta obra requiere licencia de obra mayor?"
— Does this work require a major works permit?

"Necesito el número de registro turístico."
— I need the tourist license number.

We include two phrases tied to the week's task—practical, not performative. Keep them in your phone; you'll say them aloud within 10 days.

Tell us what you need—builder, PM, accountant, tax advisor, insurance broker, doctor, clinic, school search, driver, airport transfer, restaurants that take proper reservations and don't ghost your booking—and we'll introduce you to two vetted professionals.

Licensed. Insured. Responsive. Discreet. We verify, we trial, we rotate out poor performers. Minimal data sharing. NDA on request. Clear labeling if a partner also sponsors us (rare, and we disclose it).

That's the Black Book promise: your time is finite, your tolerance for runaround is zero, and we've already done the work.

Your replies stay private. One-to-one intros only, never broadcast to a list. No provider sees your name or contact information until you say so.

(It's also our house style: calm, precise, no hype. We ask readers to choose us for our judgment, not noise.)

Plain‑English guidance to land, settle, and thrive on Spain’s Costa del Sol—homes, schools, healthcare, visas, taxes, work, and daily life.💛

See you on the paseo,

P.S. - If this landed in your Promotions tab, drag it to Primary. Gmail learns fast, and you won't miss the December disruption calendar (trust us, you'll want that one handy when your PM goes silent December 20th).

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