Spanish addresses and how to sort out the confusion

Confusion? Spanish Adresses? Never!!

Yes, OK, now that we have the humour out of the way, on to the serious stuff.  You may have noticed that when you give out or look at the address you believe you live, it may differ (quite markedly in some instances) from your postal address, your electricity supply address, water supply even and of course the address that is shown on the Padron (assuming you are resident and have a Padrón)

This can be very very confusing as for example you want to get internet and the company chosen cannot validate your address on the system so tells you their services are not available.  This is because companies such as internet companies will be reliant on the CADASTRAL address, which is also what will go on the Padrón.

So how to find the actual Cadastral record? the one where Spanish companies and authorities say you are?

Go Here : https://www1.sedecatastro.gob.es/cycbieninmueble/ovcbusqueda.aspx

You will see 5 tabs across the top labelled "RC", "CALLE/NÚMERO", "POLÍGONO/PARCELA", "COORDENADAS", "CRU"

If you are having difficulties getting an address to validate on a particular companies system, don't even bother going to "CALLE/NÚMERO" because you will be met with the system not being able to find the address you enter, in much the same way as the company whose services you seek won't be able to find it.

I have found that the BEST way to do it is to put your address in Google Maps and when you get the right location, scroll down and find the two decimal Latitude / Longitude coordinates for the address selected.  It doesn't matter if they are not exact to the centimeter.

Now go to the link provided above and select the tab marked "COORDENADAS".  You will see you are presented with a drop down box that allows you to select either coordinates in decimals or coordinates in degrees, minutes and seconds.  The decimal coordinates are the default.

put in the decimal coordinates for your address that you have just found and then click the button marked "DATOS".  
You will likely be presented with a long list of houses / dwellings that correspond to those coordinates and the coordinates around or in the same urbanizacion.

Scroll down the list until you find what you recognise to be your house / apartment - this record will then give you the EXACT cadastral reference of your address.  Make a note of what address it gives and then go back to whoever it was you were seeking services through and enter THAT address.  Chances are it will now validate and you can proceed.