# Glass curtains for expats on the Costa Blanca.

> A guide to glass curtains for expats on the Costa Blanca: climate, the community of owners when you live abroad, permits and looking after a closed-up home.

## What should an expat know before enclosing a terrace?

For an expat, enclosing a terrace with glass curtains works the same way as for any owner: site visit, quote, permits and installation. Three things change: the language of the community and the town hall, the months you spend away, and a climate that lets you use the terrace in Alicante almost all year round.

This guide is for people who spend a few months a year on the Costa Blanca, for those who have just bought a home and do not yet know how a Spanish community of owners works, and for anyone who has moved here for good. The rules are the same for everyone, but living far away or in another language makes some steps easy to miss or leave too late.

If you are still choosing a system, start with our page on [glass curtains](https://luneks.es/en/glass-curtains/), which explains how they open, stack and get cleaned. Here we focus on what changes for an expat: the climate, owners meetings from a distance, permits and looking after the terrace while the house is shut up.

## Why do so many expats enclose their terrace on the Costa Blanca?

Because the terrace gets used almost all year. The [AEMET climate averages for the Alicante station](https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimaticos/datosclimatologicos/valoresclimatologicos?l=8025&k=val) for 1981 to 2010 give a mean annual temperature of 18.3 °C, 2,851 hours of sunshine and only 311 mm of rain. January averages 11.7 °C, with average lows of 6.3 °C. Winters are mild, but mornings and evenings are cool.

That contrast is what makes an enclosure worthwhile. On a sunny January day a glazed terrace warms up and becomes the best spot in the house, while an open one is left cold by the wind. People from northern Europe often spend exactly the winter months here, and a terrace sheltered from the wind gives them many more hours outdoors.

## What is the climate like in Alicante through the year?

Climate averages for the Alicante station, 1981 to 2010, from [AEMET](https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimaticos/datosclimatologicos/valoresclimatologicos?l=8025&k=val).

| Figure | Value | What it means for the terrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mean annual temperature | 18.3 °C | The terrace can be used in every season |
| January mean | 11.7 °C | In winter the wind bothers you more than the cold |
| January average low | 6.3 °C | Winter evenings call for side enclosure |
| August average high | 30.8 °C | Summer needs shade and airflow |
| Hours of sunshine a year | 2,851 h | The sun warms an enclosed space even in winter |
| Rain a year | 311 mm over about 37 days | Many terraces work without a roof |

## What changes if you do not live in Spain all year?

What changes is the upkeep between stays. Closed glass curtains keep sand, leaves and rain off the terrace while you are away, and you come back to a clean space. But an area left shut for months without ventilation builds up damp and dust, and the bottom track is the first place to show it. It is worth getting it ready before you leave.

If the house is right on the seafront, salt adds work, which we cover in the article on [glass curtains by the sea](https://luneks.es/en/blog/glass-curtains-by-the-sea/). Rubber seals age in the sun even when nobody opens the panels; when they need replacing, the parts are in [seals and spare parts](https://luneks.es/en/seals-and-spare-parts/). (to be confirmed)

- Clean the bottom track and check that the terrace drain is clear.
- Leave the panels closed and locked, with plants and furniture away from the glass.
- If you can, ask someone you trust to open up and air the terrace once a month.
- When you return, stack the panels once while dry before using them every day.

## How does the community of owners reach you if you live abroad?

The [Horizontal Property Act](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1960-10906) requires every owner to give the community secretary an address in Spain for notices (Article 9.1.h). Without one, the flat itself counts as the address, and if delivery fails there, the notice goes on the community noticeboard and takes effect after three calendar days.

For anyone who spends months away, that matters: the notice of the meeting that votes on your enclosure can end up in an empty letterbox. Enclosing terraces needs a vote of three fifths of owners and shares (Article 17.4). You can attend by proxy with a signed note (Article 15.1), so it is enough to leave your authorisation with someone you trust or with the administrator.

- Give the property administrator (administrador de fincas) an address in Spain and, if they accept it, an email.
- Ask whether the community has already approved an enclosure model before you order yours.
- If you cannot attend the meeting, sign a proxy authorisation.
- Absent owners’ votes can count in favour if they do not object within 30 days, with exceptions (Article 17.8).

## Which permits does an expat need to enclose a terrace?

The same as any other owner. Nationality does not change the procedure: what counts is the municipality, the building and the type of enclosure. On the Costa Blanca a responsible declaration or a minor works licence at the town hall is usually enough, plus the community’s agreement if you live in a block of flats. The details vary from one town to the next.

We cover the rules of Alicante, Valencia and Murcia in the article [do I need a permit to enclose my terrace](https://luneks.es/en/blog/terrace-enclosure-permit/), and more briefly on the page about [enclosure permits](https://luneks.es/en/enclosure-permits/). One point helps if you spend months away: under [Article 69 of Law 39/2015](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-10565#a69), a complete responsible declaration lets the work start on the day it is filed.

## Can you arrange the enclosure in English or Russian?

This LUNEKS website is in Spanish, English and Russian, so you can read how the systems work in your own language before asking for a quote. Paperwork for the town hall and the community, on the other hand, is in Spanish or Valencian, and it is wise to go through each document with someone who knows the language before you sign it.

(to be confirmed)

(to be confirmed)

## Which system suits the months you spend in the house?

The right system depends on when you are here. If you come mainly in winter, you want to block the wind and keep the sun’s warmth; in summer, shade and air. People who live here all year usually combine both. You can compare the options at your own pace on the [system comparison](https://luneks.es/en/system-comparison/) page, which also shows what combines with what.

- Winter: [insulated glass curtains](https://luneks.es/en/insulated-glass-curtains/), which keep the heat in better than single glazing.
- All year: glass curtains plus a retractable roof for rainy days.
- Summer: a [bioclimatic pergola](https://luneks.es/en/bioclimatic-pergola/) to control the sun, with curtains at the sides when the wind picks up.

## How do you enclose the terrace if you only live here part of the year?

Six steps so nothing is left hanging when you leave. More on [how we work](https://luneks.es/en/process/).

1. **Book the visit while you are here.** The survey happens on the terrace, so fit it into the weeks you are in Spain.
2. **Talk to the administrator.** Ask about any approved model and leave an address in Spain for notices.
3. **Choose for your months.** Winter, summer or all year: each use needs a different combination.
4. **Leave a signed proxy.** If the meeting happens while you are away, someone can vote for you with your note.
5. **Coordinate the town hall procedure.** Declaration or licence, depending on the town. (to be confirmed)
6. **Fix the installation date.** Ideally with some margin before you return, so the terrace is ready when you arrive. (to be confirmed)

> Before you leave for a long stretch, stack the panels, clean the bottom track and close them again. When you come back, the hard part is not the glass but the sand and dry leaves that have sat in the track for months.
>
> Mikhail, founder of LUNEKS

## What else do expats ask about glass curtains?

### Can I order an enclosure if I do not live in Spain all year?

(to be confirmed)

### Do I need a different permit as a foreigner?

No. The procedure depends on the municipality, the building and the type of enclosure, not on your nationality. You usually need a responsible declaration or a minor works licence and, in a block of flats, the community’s agreement. The exact procedure is set by each municipality’s building works bylaw.

### How do I hear about community meetings if I live abroad?

The Horizontal Property Act asks you to give the secretary an address in Spain for notices. Without one, your flat counts, and if a notice cannot be delivered there, it goes on the community noticeboard. Leave a signed proxy as well, so that someone can vote on your behalf.

### Are glass curtains any use for sitting out in winter?

Yes, and in Alicante that is their main use. With a January mean of 11.7 °C and 2,851 hours of sunshine a year according to AEMET, a terrace sheltered from the wind warms up on sunny days. For cool evenings, insulated glass curtains keep the heat in better than single glazing.

### How should I look after them if the house is closed for months?

Before you leave, clean the bottom track, check the drain and leave the panels closed and locked. If someone can air the terrace once a month, even better, because damp builds up in a closed space. When you return, stack the panels once while dry before using them every day.

### Which languages do you work in?

(to be confirmed)

## What else is worth reading if you live on the Costa Blanca?

- [Do I need a permit to enclose my terrace? Alicante, Valencia, Murcia](https://luneks.es/en/blog/terrace-enclosure-permit/): What the town hall and the community ask for, with the laws linked.
- [Glass curtains by the sea: wind, salt and maintenance](https://luneks.es/en/blog/glass-curtains-by-the-sea/): What changes when the terrace faces the sea.
- [How to clean and look after glass curtains](https://luneks.es/en/blog/clean-maintain-glass-curtains/): Cleaning the glass, the track and the seals step by step.

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https://luneks.es/en/blog/glass-curtains-for-expats/