Check out the local laws when buying property overseas as a permanent or holiday home
Whether you are buying property overseas as an investment, as a holiday home or as a step towards living and working abroad, you will want to know how to keep on the right side of the law. It is natural to assume that other countries have similar laws to those we are familiar with in the UK, but different cultures do not necessarily approach issues from the same angle, so it is best to not assume they came to the same conclusion as British law makers!
No matter where your second or holiday home is located it is sensible to be aware of the most everyday laws of your destination country. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is an excellent starting point for visitors and for those living and working abroad as it provides basic legal information for over 200 countries. The most pertinent legal areas to research are probably the following:
Driving laws
Most people buying property overseas, living and working abroad or travelling to their holiday home will want to have access to a car and the road network. Quite apart from needing to know the basic highway code such as whether to drive on the right or the left, who has priority at roundabouts, and speed limits (which may vary depending on prevailing weather conditions), there are also different rules about seat belts, what constitutes roadworthiness, and the carrying of minors and compulsory equipment. The latter can vary widely from regulations in the UK.
For detailed advice about driving laws in European countries, see the Automobile Association´s Travel Advice section. If your holiday home or travelling destination is further afield, you may find similar information at .
Alcohol laws
No matter where you are buying property overseas, you are likely to find there is some kind of restriction on the sale and consumption of alcohol. Usually minors are not allowed to drink (but the age of majority differs), and the equivalent of the UK´s ´drunk and disorderly´ is a common piece of legislation around the world. However, the general attitude to alcohol is often much less relaxed than it is in Britain. In most Muslim countries, consumption of alcohol is either outlawed (ie Kuwait, Pakistan) or is only allowed in licensed hotels and restaurants (ie Oman), while in Florida it is illegal to carry an opened can or bottle of alcohol in the street or even in your car.
Brits buying property overseas, visiting their holiday home or living and working abroad will need to know the local drink-driving limits as these are often considerably tighter than in the UK. In fact, the UK´s limit of 0.8mg/l is higher than most others. In Poland, for example, the limit is 0.2mg/l while in France, Bulgaria and Spain it is 0.5mg/l. Some regions (ie Spain and Florida) have even lower limits for young or inexperienced drivers. Penalties for drunk driving are usually severe.
Sex laws
Wherever you are planning on living and working abroad, or even just visting a holiday home, it is as well to bear in mind that attitudes towards sex and relationships vary enormously. While cohabiting is deemed perfectly acceptable in the UK, it is illegal in the UAE. So, too, is adultery, and any public display of affection between men and women could lead to arrest in Qatar or Kuwait. These extremes prove how important it is to check the local laws before buying a property overseas.
The attitude to prostitution can also vary dramatically. At one end of the scale, it carries the death penalty in some Muslim countries; at the other end, prostitutes pay taxes and union dues in the Netherlands. Between the two extremes, most countries clamp down on street prostitution but turn a blind eye towards brothels. However, the age of consent for prostitutes is usually higher than the standard age of consent within a country.
The age of consent is different around the world. Even within one country, the age may be different when the age gap between partners is small or where the older partner is below a certain age. The Aids charity Avert publishes a useful chart of laws around the world.
While homosexuality is legal throughout Europe, it carries the death penalty in many Middle East and Muslim countries. You can find a quick guide at www.sodomylaws.org but if this issue is important to you, contact the relevant embassy for further details before setting off to your holiday home or buying property overseas. For information about same sex marriages and civil partnerships around the world, see a recent BBC survey.
Drugs laws
Drug trafficking laws around the world tend to be fairly uniform: it is illegal to import and export drugs. Penalties range from death to long terms of imprisonment. Best advice to anyone living or working abroad or buying property overseas is to not do it.
The possession of drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetemine are also illegal in most countries, typically involving a lengthy stay in prison. Possession of lower category drugs such as cannabis has been decriminalised in only a few countries. If you take any regular medication in the UK, perfectly legally, you should check that it it is legal in the country where will be living and working abroad. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website or the embassy of the country concerned should be able to provide you with up-to-date information.
Smooth the move to your holiday home
Detailed information on the criminal, commercial and property laws of the country in which you are buying property overseas can, of course, be obtained from a local lawyer or other legal specialist. Whichever method you choose, the time invested in familiarising yourself with the most everyday laws in the country where you are going to be visiting, living or working abroad is always well spent.
