The developer recommends a lawyer. Should I use this one?

It is always advisable to have independent advice. You want your lawyer to act in your interests, not the developer’s.  PeregrineLaw will source the best independent lawyer for you at the best possible rate and manage the service levels of that lawyer. We will act as your UK representative and ensure that the transaction runs smoothly.

Why do I need a local lawyer – why can’t I use a British or an Irish lawyer?

Only lawyers who are admitted to practise in the country where the property is situated,  are legally allowed to deal with that property. UK and Irish lawyers have to appoint legal agents or correspondents in the country you have chosen but they add a significant fee to this. Some of them employ legal experts in-house but still have to appoint agents to do the work. PeregrineLaw simply goes to the source to save time and money.

Why can’t I go to the source and appoint my own lawyer in the country?

You can but often the information provided is highly technical in nature and requires legal interpretation. Sometimes, added to this, there is a language difficulty. As we are conveyancing lawyers we are able to cut through all of this for you and render the information in English and in a format that will be easily understood. Plus you have the added advantage of knowing that we are UK based and accountable to you here.

What about Professional Indemnity Cover?

PeregrineLaw always verifies this vis-a vis any lawyer appointed in any country. We check that they are of good standing and are registered currently with the relevant Law Society. UK solicitors will indemnify themselves against any errors in the content of their opinion and clients are ultimately in the hands the foreign legal representative. This is why PeregrineLaw manages this relationship in terms of service level agreements on your behalf.

Can PeregrineLaw provide escrow services?

Most certainly. Sometimes we recommend that you house your deposit in escrow account in order to keep the risk within the UK jurisdiction until the happening of a certain event eg the granting of a building permit. In that event, we have a number of excellent UK solicitors who will act as your UK escrow agent at a nominal fee pre-arranged by PeregrineLaw on your behalf.

Where is PeregrineLaw’s value added?

As we are involved in the sales process, often pre-sales, we have performed a diligence and are familiar with the country, the developer and the legal risks. Most clients are not corporate clients but individual investors, who seek to keep their acquisition costs to a minimum, while guarding against risk. PeregrineLaw invests in its legal diligence in order to deliver legal services at reasonable rates to individuals in these markets. There is a distinct need for a UK presence in terms of legal services but our aim is to provide this to individual investors at affordable rates.