Spain - British Expat Forum

Maybe a silly question.... But why do most of the properties I see for sale in Spain have bars on the windows?

as far as I know its an insurance company requirement. No bars no insurance cover !

Interesting question.
I have taken out house insurance a few times now and it certainly wasn't something they asked about - but perhaps if the assesor turned up to house without 'rejas' after a claim....

Having a second house, empty for most of the year as a lot Spanish do (or did before they sold them to the ex-pats), could be a reason, but I suspect it is more of a tradition now than any else.

I also think it's just a tradition just like older French houses have shutters.

Houses do get burgled with them on anyway, they don't stop determined thiefs so it doesn't seem they are such a great security device.

Also - I note new houses do not have them so it's really just the older ones.

Don't worry - it doesn't mean Spain is infested with crime which when you see them was my first reaction!

Mark

At first I thought they were almost prison like, but then I got used to them and felt a sense of security when not at home. But as you say they are not burgle-proof, so how does a burgler get through them without being seen or heard??

Quote:

how does a burgler get through them without being seen or heard??

Out in the campo they would not worry about that.

The newspapers here are full of stories of people being knocked out with gas, and then robbed. Not sure how true it all is.

Alan

I didn't want them at all cos I think they look ugly but after living here for a while I realise that they're necessary cos we take our sliding windows out completely for at least 3 months of the year to get air into the rooms. We're now finding that a lot of things we criticised the Spaniards for before we lived here now make perfect sense!!!

Alan-LaCala wrote:The newspapers here are full of stories of people being knocked out with gas, and then robbed. Not sure how true it all is.

Apparently Patrick Vieira and his family were robbed at home (in France) in May using this technique. Perhaps it's crossed the border?