Search Q&A
Power Of Attorney
My parents live in Belgium and I live in the UK. They want to make provision to sign some property over to me, but it is difficult for me to physically be there to sign the papers due to the quarantine issue .
Their lawyer has suggested giving someone power of Attorney to do this - has anyone done this and how would I proceed.
Thank you in advance for your help
1) I suppose the obvious route would be to ask your parents lawyer?
2) I know you didn't ask, but please think carefully about this and possibly take independent advice in the U.K. before you do it. Belgian tax law as regards residential housing is completely different to UK tax law. See the q&a here :
https://www.thebulletin.be/donation-our-family-house-children
Can't you put the documents in the post?
Whether the suggestion is a good idea, I don't know but signing documents without you being here is an everyday occurrence.
You simply sign the papers in the presence of an independent witness; typically another solicitor, a doctor, a bank official, someone at your town hall. The list is almost endless.
You can actually get anyone to witness you signing the documents through something like Skype or Zoom.
When we sold our house in the UK ten years ago, the solicitor put the documents in the post to us, we signed them with our next door (Belgian) neighbour witnessing our signatures and then posted them back.
It is possible that the UK has tightened up on who can witness such documents since then, but your commune/gemeente can always provide such a service as they are the designated providers in Belgium.
Hi. There are 2 possible versions of this. The easier is to write a letter authorising someone to sign on your behalf. However, you would need to check with your parents' notary if this will be acceptable. If not, then the more complicated version is to get a "procuration" done with the help of the Belgian embassy in the UK. There is a fee for this.