Normal procedure

[Claus]

I am buying a resale house. My lawyer refuses to answer any more questions from me, as she thinks I have too many. I am a foreigner, and most of the procedures seem very strange to me. Can you help me with 2 of them?

1. My lawyer says I am to transfer the whole purchase or at least 30 % to her account. Is this normal procedure? When I asked her how I could be sure my money was safe with her, whether she could show me proof of her being insured etc. she said that she was not legally obliged to inform me of such things.

2. She says I will receive the draft contract soon. But I can only review the personal details. I am not supposed to suggest changes to the legal content of the contract. Is this normal procedure? Am I to close my eyes and sign on dotted line? She says she will not explain the contract to me as I have already taken too much of her time.

Thank you!

[Nigel Howarth]

Dear Claus,

This is very strange. You should be instructing the lawyer. I suggest you discharge her and take your business elsewhere - and certainly don't send her any money!

The British High Commission in Nicosia publishes a list of English-speaking lawyers who may be able to help. You can download that list by clicking here. (Louise Zambartas who sometimes helps me out here is on that list, but there are several others on the list as well) And perhaps your High Commission/Embassy here publishes a similar list.

Buying a property here is possibly the largest investment an individual will make in Cyprus - you have every right to ask questions to satisfy yourself that your potential investment is safe. If she is refusing to answer those she probably has something to hide.

And why I wonder is she refusing to show you her insurance? There is clearly something very strange going on here! Are you sure she is a registered lawyer?

And to say you cannot suggest changes to your contract is ridiculous! And it's even worse to say she will not explain it to you. This woman sounds a complete fraud!

If you would like to send me a PM with the name of the lawyer, I'll let you know if I've heard anything about her.

Regards,