Notary
Purchasing a home in France must be done through a notary. Notaries are independent government officials. Their primary duty is to authenticate all deeds and documents and ensure that a transaction is carried out correctly.
Using a notary is mandatory when buying a property in France. However, if you require further or specialist advice on managing your property, do not hesitate to contact your personal solicitor or legal adviser.
Each party may use his/her own notary during the transaction at no extra cost to the buyer. The fees will be shared equally between the respective notaries.
The notary's tasks
It is important for international buyers, and in particular those from the UK, to be aware that there are two types of marital status in France:
- To check and confirm details of any charges affecting the property
- To ascertain details of title and third party rights to the property
- To control the conformity of the property (conformity with standards, identification by land registry references, zoning restrictions and planning, etc...)
- To draw up the "acte authentique de vente" or deed of purchase
- To collect all fees related to the transaction and forward them to the appropriate local or regional authorities
- To receive the funds for the agreed purchase price and to deliver them to the seller
While you are required to use a notary, fees are fixed by law and you are free to appoint the notary of your choice.