Montenegro Girl x
2 simple steps to finding an independent solicitor in Montenegro (who speaks English!)
If you read any advice about buying property in Montenegro (or anywhere else for that matter), they always say use a reputable and independent solicitor. And quite right they are too.
But exactly how do you find one when you are buying in a foreign country with a different language that sounds like gobbledegook and customs that you are, well, unaccustomed too?
Estate agents can usually recommend various solicitors. And for the most part I expect they are credible professionals, who would act impartially on your behalf.
But you may be like me and wish to err on the side of caution and go one step further in making sure you are being vigilant in all things. (And possibly paranoid about being ripped off too!). If that is the case, then you may prefer to source your own solicitor, that has no connection with the estate agent and seller.
Well, the good news is, it needn’t be difficult. In 2 simple steps you can find an English-speaking registered lawyer for your property purchase in Montenegro. Or your will – or anything else you may need one for.
List of registered solicitors in Montenegro
The Bar Association of Montenegro (AKCG) is regulated by the Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro. AKCG stands for Advokatska Komora Crna Gora.
It is based in the capital, Podgorica and helpfully holds a list of registered lawyers on its web site. They have grouped them into different areas of Montenegro, so you can look them up in the area relevant to your purchase.
Look for registar advokata or click on the button called spisak advokati po opstinama (list of solicitor by municipalities). Their website actually translates into English but I’ve noticed that it doesn’t always carry through into all sections).
Making sure the deeds are clean
So, your lawyer plays a crucial role in ensuring that all owners have signed their agreement to sell, so there can be no outstanding claim on the property later on. This is part of their job in checking that the deeds are in order and clean.
Independent solicitors in Montenegro who speak English
When you have got the list of registered legal professionals in your area, head on over to the website for the British Embassy in Montenegro.
Here you can find a list of English speaking solicitors prepared by the British Embassy Podgorica. The solicitors on this list are not recommended or verified by the Embassy as such, but all you need to do is check that their names are also on the AKCG register.
And, hey presto, you have a shortlist of registered independent English-speaking solicitors in Montenegro.
You can then contact a few of them by email or phone and get quotes for their work in handling your property transaction. (If phoning, try viber or whatsapp, as both are used widely in Montenegro).
Avoid non-english speaking independent solicitors in Montenegro?
To be honest, you don’t necessarily need to rule out non-english speaking independent solicitors in Montenegro. It may certainly make things a little simpler, granted, but I have found Montenegrins very resourceful and helpful in this respect. (How many people speak Montenegrin outside the former Yugoslavia after all?!) In my experience if a person doesn’t speak much English, they always seem to have someone to call upon to interpret – their 15-year-old daughter or neighbour’s friend – who speaks fluent English.
The excellent lawyer I used when I bought my apartment in Kotor in 2005, Radojka Popovic, only spoke a few words in English. She used her teenage daughter as an interpreter and go-between for email communication.
I actually do know enough Montenegrin to get the gist in most things, which definitely helps when in a meeting where everyone is babbling away in Montenegrin. But in important matters I still prefer to have someone with excellent English, who can interpret.
So, there you have it. My 2 simple steps to find an independent, registered lawyer in Montenegro.
Now all you need to do is bag yourself that dream home!
Montenegro Girl x
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