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Portuguese lawyers
Portuguese lawyers
Hi,
Anyone have experience of Portuguese lawyers holding their clients' property purchase money and not having to account for it?
I agreed terms on a property, and my local lawyer told me to send the total sum (not just the deposit) for swift completion the following month. The sale never went through and he ended up holding the money for 5 months and presumably enjoying about €2,000 euros interest from it.
Does anyone have experience of this? I had to chase him to return the money - do they have a right to keep the interest like that?
Anyone have experience of Portuguese lawyers holding their clients' property purchase money and not having to account for it?
I agreed terms on a property, and my local lawyer told me to send the total sum (not just the deposit) for swift completion the following month. The sale never went through and he ended up holding the money for 5 months and presumably enjoying about €2,000 euros interest from it.
Does anyone have experience of this? I had to chase him to return the money - do they have a right to keep the interest like that?
Lawyers
ummm yes, experienced the same myself a few years back with a Lagoa based lawyer who shall unfortunetely remain nameless as far as open forum is concerned. Problem is compounded when the lawyer and local estate agent 'know' each other. Mr Brown and his HM Treasury team could learn a lot from these types when it comes to cash management and raising funds without adding value.
G
G
I had a similar experience. My lawyer provided an estimate of costs to complete the purchase of our villa and i sent the amount requested. Everything was completed on schedule and I received the keys, deeds etc. Two years later I asked my lawyer to try and buy a plot for me and when i eventually got the bill for this work it transpires that they had been holding several thousand euros credit balance from my original villa purchase.
Had i not requested additional work i don't know if they would have returned the money ! They knew it was there as they had passed through two accounting year ends so must have had to reconcile their accounts.
Advice!
Always insist on a set of completion accounts once you take possession of the property or complete any transaction with a lawyer.
Had i not requested additional work i don't know if they would have returned the money ! They knew it was there as they had passed through two accounting year ends so must have had to reconcile their accounts.
Advice!
Always insist on a set of completion accounts once you take possession of the property or complete any transaction with a lawyer.
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Bruce Wallis
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lagermeister
- CVO Regular
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We bought two townhouses in 2003 and gave our lawyer Power of Attorney to deal with the purchase. Yesterday I was looking at the Deeds and ralised that the properties had been under valued by 40,000 euros each. I went to see him and he said he told us at the time. Lie ! Now we realise whey we were told to use this lawyer.
So the builder has got away with 80,000 euros cash. He said he wuld put it right for me. When we arrived at ther property he said we caould have a phone put in in a few days. It took 16 weeks and we had to run an international business from a mobile !
On the next purchase we overpaid the SISA tax by 9,000 euros. They told us we could not stop the cheque and no-one could rip it up or return it to us. That was a year ago and every time I ask the lawyer he says ring at the end of the month. His secretary originally said it would be returned in a few days. I wish I had stopped the cheque at the time - legal or illegal! Don't trust the lawyers out here they are "in " with the camara and the estate agents. They are as coprrupt as the rest of them!
MODS: Edited in line with forum rules
So the builder has got away with 80,000 euros cash. He said he wuld put it right for me. When we arrived at ther property he said we caould have a phone put in in a few days. It took 16 weeks and we had to run an international business from a mobile !
On the next purchase we overpaid the SISA tax by 9,000 euros. They told us we could not stop the cheque and no-one could rip it up or return it to us. That was a year ago and every time I ask the lawyer he says ring at the end of the month. His secretary originally said it would be returned in a few days. I wish I had stopped the cheque at the time - legal or illegal! Don't trust the lawyers out here they are "in " with the camara and the estate agents. They are as coprrupt as the rest of them!
MODS: Edited in line with forum rules
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carvoeiro1
- CVO Senior
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