A Power of Attorney

The powers given by the donor may differ substantially depending on the transaction or legal matter for which the POA is required for (civil or criminal litigation, real estate, inheritance matters, etc…).

Spanish powers of attorney usually give the donor very broad powers to deal with each specific affair. For example, a power of attorney for the purchase of a property often includes clauses allowing the attorney to open, close and manage bank accounts, set up direct debits, contract utility suppliers, pay taxes, submit forms, send and receive notifications to and from different authorities, the list goes on.

This is solely done for practical reasons, in order for the attorney to be able to carry out all the necessary steps to complete the service. It would be very time consuming and costly for the donor to authorise each action separately. However, this does not mean that the donor cannot ask to limit the powers. This can be requested at all times.