What is Alternative Dispute Resolution? Is it right for your problem? What types of ADR exist? How are they used?
Continue readingA General Guide to Foreign Wills
Do you have assets in another country? If so, do you have a Will for that country? If not, it’s something you should seriously consider. Find out how in this guide.
Continue readingChoosing a Lawyer for International Work
If you need to see a lawyer, you need to see a good lawyer: not just someone who’s going through the motions and racking up fees.
Continue readingInternational Wills
This guide deals with international Wills – Wills specifically written to be valid in multiple countries around the world. How do you make one? Where will it be recognised? Are they a good idea?
Continue readingPowers of Attorney – a Global Guide
Powers of Attorney are much used in international transactions where somebody who would normally have to attend to sign a document finds it inconvenient or impossible to do so.
Continue readingRenting a Property in Spain
We all need somewhere to live. Find out the rules about renting a property in Spain – and how to do it. Whether it is a holiday home, a permanent residence or something that falls between the two, the Spanish system can give you some surprises!
Continue readingLetting (Renting Out) Your Property in Spain
Whether you are a professional landlord or somebody who lets their home when they are not using it, there is quite a lot to learn about letting property in Spain. It can be very expensive if you get it wrong. This guide looks at the essentials.
Continue readingSelling a Property (Real Estate) in Spain
Selling a property (real estate) in Spain is quite a simple process. Yet there are still things that can catch the unwary. This guide explains what they are and how to avoid them – as well as taking you through the process, step by step.
Continue readingFractional Ownership & Timeshare in Spain
Timeshare and fractional ownership are both concepts that strike fear in many people. In some cases, they should! In other cases, they can be a great way of sharing the use (and the cost) of a holiday home. What are they? How do they work? What are the dangers to look out for?
Continue readingBuying Newly Built Property (Real Estate) in Spain
New property is very popular, especially with investors. What are the special things to look out for when buying a new – previously unoccupied – property in Spain? How do you guard against the risks?
Continue readingBuying Off-Plan (unfinished) Property (Real Estate) in Spain
Many people like the idea of buying property before it has been completed. There are good reasons for doing so. But what about the risks? What are they and how can you control them? This guide looks at those issues.
Continue readingBuying Commercial Property in Spain
There are two group of people who buy commercial property. Those who need it for their own use and those who like it as an investment vehicle. Both groups need to make sure they buy the right property.
Continue readingDebt Collection in Spain
For any business or individual, debt collecting is sometimes a tedious necessity. In Spain, it can be very slow and, all too often, unproductive. You can maximise your chances of success by taking some basic and inexpensive precautions and planning ahead. This guide covers what to do and how to do it.
Continue readingSetting Up a Company in Spain
Do you need a company in Spain? If so, which type? What are your options and what are their respective advantages and disadvantages? This guide sets out, briefly and simply, some of the issues concerned.
Continue readingStarting a Business in Spain
Starting a business in a new country is exciting and it can be very profitable. It will certainly change your life! However, if you get it wrong it can prove to be a financial disaster and could change your life in all the wrong ways. Getting it right needs a bit of luck but, much more, hard work and thorough preparation. This guide will help you make the most out of this opportunity.
Continue readingBuying a Property (Real Estate) in Spain
Buying a home or other property (real estate) costs a lot of money and so is worrying. It is also something that that has been done, literally, millions of times and can be completely safe. How do you do it? How do you make it safe?
Continue readingMatrimonial Regimes in Spain: the Law
Whenever you are married, certain rules govern how your finances are going to be treated. These are the rules in Spain. They may be very different from the rules in your country – and failure to understand them can prove very costly.
Continue readingWills for use in Spain
Let’s be clear. If you have any assets in Spain – a house, a business, a car, a bank account or pretty much anything else – you should make a Will valid for use in Spain. If you live in Spain this is even more important. This guide tells you how to go about making a Will in Spain.
Continue readingEmployment Law in Spain
Some people work for the same employer, without incident or trouble, for years or decades. Others are not so lucky and encounter difficulties from unsafe working practices to racial or sexual harassment.
This guide gives you initial guidance as to what to do if things go wrong.
Continue readingFamily Law in Spain
Family law is immensely complex because families are immensely complex. It also – together with criminal law – reflects the nature of the historic and cultural basis of a society much more clearly than any other aspect of law. How a society deals with the family is absolutely central to that society’s core values.
Continue readingGetting a Divorce in Spain
Divorce is one of the most common risks associated with living in another country. The reason why is subject to some debate but meeting new people, drink, sunshine and the fact that you are not under the immediate eye of your family or neighbours probably all contribute. So, in some cases, do lurking problems that existed before the move. Whatever the reason, lots of people end up seeing a Spanish lawyer about divorce. Fortunately, the system works well.
Continue readingInheritance Planning in Spain
Nobody wants to face up to the inevitability of death and so most people never do any inheritance planning. That’s a great pity. It could not only save them and their heirs a fortune but it should also greatly reduce the stress when you die. Inheritance planning is one of the most cost-effective things you can do. Whatever your age, do it now!
Continue readingInheritance in Spain
Nowhere can a bit of forward planning produce such simple and dramatic results as in the area of inheritance. It can save you untold grief and inconvenience – and tens or hundreds of thousands of whatever currency you use to define your wealth. To think about this planning, you need to understand the inheritance rules in your part of Spain.
Continue readingDealing with a Death in Spain
Every country and culture has its own way of dealing with a death. From the bureaucracy to the ritual and the conventions surrounding bereavement, the process in Spain is likely to be different from what you are used to. Depending upon where you come from, it could be very different indeed.
Continue readingCriminal Law in Spain
Crime and criminal cases in Spain should be of interest to everybody who lives there, however honest you may be. What happens if you are arrested? Will you be locked up before your trial? Will you be entitled to legal representation – and how can you get it? What punishments do you face? This guide seeks to cover these issues.
Continue readingPowers of Attorney for Use in Spain
Powers of Attorney are really useful documents allowing somebody else to do things on your behalf. When should you make one? Who should you appoint? How do you make a Power? What does it cost? How long does it take?
Continue readingNotaries (Notarios) in Spain
Notaries are a crucial part of the legal system in Spain. They validate, witness and store all sorts of important documents. They can even marry or divorce you! What else can they do? How do you find one?
Continue readingThe Legal System in Spain
If you are going to live, work or do business in a foreign country one of the most important factors in ensuring a trouble and stress free time is having a good legal system. How does the system in Spain work? Where does it rank when compared to other countries?
Continue readingDisputes & Court Cases in Spain
Disputes occur in any country.
Often they are the result of genuine misunderstandings. Even more often they are the result of badly prepared contracts. Occasionally they are the result of bad faith. Very infrequently they are the result of fraud or other criminal activity.
Continue readingDefective Products Law in Spain
When you buy any product, things can go wrong with it. In Spain, the law deals quite comprehensively with your rights in these circumstances. this guide sets out what you can do in these circumstances.
Continue readingContract Law in Spain
Contracts – written or verbal, large or small – are pretty much central to large parts of our personal and business lives. How do they work in Spain? How do I know if a contract is legally valid? What happens if things go wrong?
Continue readingConsumer Protection in Spain
What happens when you buy something and it doesn’t work? Or which is dangerous? Or which works for a short time and then breaks? Or which is just a million miles from what was described when you bought it? Or when someone supplies you with a shoddy service?
Spain has a number of ways of helping you.
Continue readingChild Abduction to Spain
There is nothing more frightening or distressing than for your child to be abducted: taken away from you. This guides covers what to do if this happens and if it is the child’s other parent who takes the child.
Continue readingMarriage in Spain
Marriage is still a major part of our culture – and where better to do it than a vibrant country with, generally, good weather. This guides explains who can marry in Spain and the formalities involved.
Continue readingSex & Sexuality in Spain
This guide is about sex and sexuality in Spain. It covers issues like the age of consent, and LGBT rights and associations.
Continue readingDriving Licences in Spain
Almost every adult who wants to live or work in Spain will also want to drive in Spain. They need to understand what type of licence they need in order to do so. This guides explains that – and how to obtain a licence in Spain if you need one.
Continue readingDriving in Spain
Every year, hundreds of thousands of foreigners drive in Spain. Many worry about it before they do it for the first time. Very few worry the second time. This guide sets out some common-sense preparations and precautions to keep you safe.
Continue readingDoing Business in Spain
Doing business in Spain is an enticing prospect. It is a large market (46 million people) and a trillion dollar economy. It has a very large expat population and over 75 million tourists per year, which opens a number of unique opportunities. So how do you do business in Spain?
Continue readingDrinking & Driving in Spain
A couple of decades ago, drinking and driving in Spain was commonplace. Today it is not.
As in many countries, this reflects a change in the public perception of what is acceptable conduct but in Spain it also reflects much more police activity and substantial penalties – including disqualification from driving – for those arrested and convicted.
Continue readingAccidents in Spain in Public Places or Due to Defective Premises
Accidents in public places or caused by dangerous premises are dealt with in a special way in Spain. Is it worth claiming if you have been hurt?
Continue readingRoad Accidents in Spain
Accidents on the road are an all-too-frequent occurrence and, even though the rate of accidents has been significantly reduced by increasing safety regulations and by creating stricter rules, there is still a high number of such accidents in Spain. In 2016 there were over 100,000: 9,755 involving hospitalisation and 1,810 fatal.
Continue readingDealing with an Accident in Spain
Nobody thinks they will suffer an accident but, if you do, you need to act quickly to make sure you are fully compensated and protected.
Continue readingAccidents at Work in Spain
All accidents are bad. Accidents at work are usually surrounded by lots of regulatory and reporting requirements. Spain is no exception. Failure to comply with the rules – or to take action swiftly – can have serious consequences.
Continue readingAutonomous Communities in Spain
“Autonomous communities” (comunidad autónomas) are the political and administrative regions of Spain into which the whole of Spain is divided. There are 17 of them – plus two “autonomous cities” – Ceuta & Melilla in North Africa.
Continue readingDealing with an Inheritance in Turkey
Inheritance and dealing with an inheritance are topics where you will find that a little bit of forward planning can save you a great deal of money.
Continue readingMaking a Will in Turkey
Making a Will is one of the most important things that you need to do, especially if you own any property in Turkey. It can save you a huge amount of money. It costs very little. It gives you peace of mind. It is easy.
Continue readingFractional Ownership & Timeshare in Turkey
There are many things that we use infrequently: a holiday home, a boat, a luxury car or a 4×4. Even expensive jewellery.
For some people, the thought of sharing the use of those things is something totally unacceptable. Read no further.
Others can see a compelling logic in sharing the use of expensive items:
Continue readingLetting (Renting Out) Property in Turkey
It’s possible to make a good profit by letting (renting out) a property in Turkey. Just make sure you’re aware of the issues. As always, we recommend seeking advice from your lawyer and accountant before going ahead with any big plans!
Continue readingRenting a House in Turkey
Many people coming to Turkey decide to rent a property here. There are several reasons. They may just prefer renting property. They may be sent to Turkey for a fairly short time in connection with their work and find that renting a property in Turkey is more cost-effective than buying. They may decide to rent for a year whilst they look for a property to buy. They may decide to put their cash into a business rather than into a property in which to live.
Continue readingSelling a Property in Turkey
The process of selling a property in Turkey is much more straightforward than the process of buying a property in Turkey. So much so that most Turks would simply choose an estate agent and then, with the agent, look after the rest themselves.
Continue readingBuilding or Altering a House in Turkey
To build or alter a house in Turkey, as in any country, there are various requirements that must be satisfied. Many people ignore these regulations, but we strongly recommend you are not one of them!
Continue readingMortgages for Foreigners in Turkey
In the past, many foreign buyers of property in Turkey used to take a mortgage from a bank in Turkey to help with the cost of the purchase.
As you will see, the position has now become more complicated, but it is still possible to obtain mortgage finance in Turkey.
Buying Commercial Property in Turkey
Buying commercial property can be a little more complicated than buying residential property.
Commercial property is, in essence, anything that is not residential or agricultural. The definition includes shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, warehouses, car parks and the like.
Continue readingBuying an Off-Plan Property in Turkey
An off-plan property is a property that you agree to buy before it is fully constructed. You might be buying when no work at all has been done: when it is a mere concept or architect’s drawing. Alternatively, you could be buying when the building works are partly completed.
Continue readingBuying a New Property in Turkey
Many people prefer to buy and own new houses and other property. There are a number of reasons:
Continue readingBuying a Property in Turkey
A property is always an expensive item, so you do not wish to risk losing your money. This is true whether the house in Turkey or elsewhere.
Continue readingChild Abduction to Turkey
The abduction of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. Not only is it extremely distressing but it is also going to be difficult to fix the problem, particularly when you may be living many thousands of miles away from the place to which the child has been taken.
Continue readingAdoption in Turkey
There are many reasons that parents choose to adopt children. Whatever the reason, the ease and security of the process depends massively on the country. Is it possible to adopt a child in Turkey?
Continue readingDisputes & Court Cases in Turkey
Disputes occur in any country.
Often, they are the result of genuine misunderstandings. Very often, they are the result of poorly prepared contracts. Occasionally, they are the result of bad faith. Very infrequently, they are the result of fraud or other criminal activity.
Continue readingAccidents in Public Places (or Due to Defective Premises) in Turkey
Many people are injured each year as a result of defective premises in Turkey. Some of the injuries can be extremely serious: even life-changing. Others can be less dramatic but still cause you significant pain and financial loss. For example:
Continue readingAccidents at Work in Turkey
The number of workplace accidents is increasing quite rapidly in Turkey. In 2017, over 2000 people were killed and 200,000 injured.
Continue readingRoad Accidents in Turkey
Accidents on the road are a sadly common phenomenon, particularly in Turkey where the combination of badly-maintained roads and a tendency to ignore for the traffic laws leads to a higher-than-average rate of collisions.
Continue readingDealing with an Accident in Turkey
Unfortunately, accidents happen. When they do you need not only to take the correct action but also to do so swiftly.
This guide focuses on road accidents, but many of the principles apply to accidents of all kinds.
Continue readingDefective Products in Turkey
In Turkey, defective products are dealt with under the general law and, in particular, under the Code of Obligations and the Consumer Code.
However, there are some issues regarding claims arising out of defective products which are worth grouping together and it is those issues that form the substance of this guide.
Continue readingConsumer Protection in Turkey
Most countries have laws intended to protect the consumer. Turkey is no exception. The need for consumer protection arises because of the usual imbalance between the power of the trader and the power of the consumer.
Continue readingContracts in Turkey
Most countries in the world use one of two basic systems when it comes to contracts: the Continental European (Roman Law/Napoleonic Law) system or the Anglo-American system. The system in Turkey is modelled on the Continental European system but has been updated and (in some respects) simplified.
Continue readingPowers of Attorney in Turkey
A Power of Attorney is a legal document that authorises another person to do something such as signing a document, opening a bank account, or attending a meeting on your behalf and with your full (or, at least, some limited but defined) authority.
The contents of a Power vary a lot depending upon what it is to be used for. However, the process of making one is always the same.
Continue readingMediation & Arbitration in Turkey
Mediation and arbitration are both alternatives to going to court if you have a dispute. They’re intended to be much cheaper alternatives. They are different from each other and it’s important to understand the differences if you’re thinking of using either service.
Continue readingNotaries in Turkey
Notaries play an important role within the Turkish legal system. This will be of no surprise if you come from a mainland European country but quite surprising if you’re used only to systems in places such as the US and the UK: the so-called Anglo-Saxon legal tradition.
Continue readingLawyers in Turkey
The main source of professional legal help available in Turkey is the lawyer (avukat). There are about 95,000 practising lawyers in Turkey. About 90% are generalists, covering most or all aspects of the law. All of them are professionally qualified and regulated by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Türkiye Barolar Birliği or TBB).
Continue readingThe Police in Turkey
In Turkey, there are several different types of police officers.
Each performs a different task and each has different powers.
The Turkish Legal System
Turkey has a very effective legal system: sometimes slow, but fully functioning.
Unlike in some countries, you do not need to ‘buy’ the judges, but you do have to be diligent and pursue your case to make sure things happen without any unnecessary delay.
Recent changes following the 2016 ‘coup’ have not helped either its efficiency or credibility.
Continue readingSelling a Business in Turkey
Once you have built a successful business it will (hopefully) build up in value and can later be sold.
Continue readingTaking Over (Buying) a Business in Turkey
Many people consider taking over an existing business rather than starting their own, new one. There are advantages to doing this but there can also be significant risk.
Continue readingStarting a Business in Turkey
Turkey is very welcoming when it comes to people wanting to set up new businesses. They realise that new business boosts the economy and creates local employment – and they also recognise that, for historical reasons, Turkey lacks some of the skills required by innovative businesses in the 21st Century.
Continue readingDoing Business in Turkey – From Outside the Country
Turkey permits foreigners and foreign businesses of any nationality to do business in Turkey. This is true whether they are selling goods or providing services.
Continue readingWorking for Yourself (Self Employment) in Turkey
It is often difficult for a foreigner to find legal employment in Turkey and so the obvious question arises as to whether, if you can’t work for somebody else, you can set up your own business and work for yourself.
Continue readingWorking Illegally in Turkey
Working illegally in Turkey is, as we have said in many of our guides, widespread. As we have also said, it is dangerous as well.
Continue readingEmployment Law in Turkey
A knowledge of employment law will make your life much easier, whether you’re an employer or an employee. Every country’s employment law is different and the employment law in Turkey contains many unusual features.
Continue readingWorking for Others (Employment) in Turkey
Finding a job in Turkey can be difficult. In most cases, Turkey doesn’t need foreign nationals to fill a labour shortage.
Continue readingDealing with a Death in Turkey
Dealing with the death of a loved one is always distressing. It can also be stressful, time consuming and expensive. The stress, time factor, and expense are often worsened by distance, language, and differences in procedure.
Continue readingSex & Sexuality in Turkey
As befits an old country right in the centre of the old Mediterranean civilisation, Turkey is pretty much on the centre-ground of gender politics.
Continue readingDrink & Drugs in Turkey
Turkey is rather schizophrenic when it comes to its attitude to alcohol and drugs. As a substantial wine producer it is, perhaps, not surprising that social attitudes to the consumption of alcohol are very relaxed. As an Islamic country, it is perhaps equally unsurprising that their attitudes towards drunken behaviour are unaccepting and uncompromising.
Continue readingSetting up a Company in Turkey
Turkey is one of the least complicated places – and one of the quickest – to set up a company.
Continue readingMarriage in Turkey
Turkey still has one of the highest rates of marriage in the world: about 7.75 women out of every thousand in the population get married each year. We’re also blessed with a low – but growing – divorce rate (20%).
Continue readingFamily Problems (Separation, Divorce & Paternity) in Turkey
This guide deals with some of the more stressful and upsetting times in a person’s life. As always, though, the more information you have, the better prepared you are for what lies ahead.
Continue readingCrime & Criminal Cases in Turkey
In each country, the criminal system is unique: probably more so than any other part of the law except for family law. In both cases, this is because the law in these areas goes right to the heart of a nation’s values, traditions, and culture.
Continue readingDebt & Bankruptcy in Turkey
In Turkey, debt is no longer treated as seriously as it perhaps was in years gone by.
Continue readingChoosing a Lawyer in Turkey
What do you need to consider when looking for legal advice in Turkey? How do you know if a lawyer is qualified? Which lawyers will deal with your specific case?
Continue readingWhy is the law different in different parts of Spain? – Video Guide
This is a question that we get asked a lot – for people not used to Spain, the differences in law across the different autonomous regions can be quite confusing!
Continue readingBuying a New Property on the Costa del Sol
For this see our Guide to Buying Off-Plan Property on the Costa del Sol. It describes, in particular, how to buy a new property in the area of Andalusia/Andalucía – which contains the Costa del Sol. See a map here. Please note that certain aspects of the law in Spain vary from one “autonomous community” (comunidad autónoma) to another. For …
Continue readingBuying a Property in Bulgaria
Bulgarian property has long been a popular investment – but the law in Bulgaria can make the process confusing for foreigners. Here, two experts take you through the process of buying real estate in Bulgaria.
Continue reading