Buying a property can be stressful at the best of times, especially if you throw the French language and the French legal system into the mix. As Ashtons Legal correctly point out, “French property law and the procedures involved in buying or selling a French property differ substantially from the English system of conveyancing”. Buying a property in France should be relatively straightforward but if you don’t speak French then you won’t fully understand the implications of what you’re signing. The French legal documents for a property purchase in France are often lengthy and complicated so please don’t sign anything until you’ve had the French documents translated into English and checked by a French lawyer. This is where I come in. As a professional and qualified French to English legal translator and lawyer-linguist, I can help you navigate the complexities of the French language and legal system.

Buying a property in France can be scary because the language and the legal process are foreign to you. Stone King‘s International and Cross-Border Team explain more about the complex topic of French conveyancing in this short video. I can provide real added value and peace of mind when you need your French legal documents translated from French to English for your property purchase in France because I understand the legal implications under French law and the process. Nicole Gallop Mildon, a Partner at Russell-Cooke hit the nail on the head when she said that “familiarising clients with a system they are not used to while simultaneously contending with language barriers and cultural nuances can create a number of potential obstacles and effective, empathetic communication is vital”. My French to English legal translation services ensure that the content of your French legal documents are communicated effectively in English and provide you with all the information you need before signing on the dotted line.

What to expect when you work with me

The recent example below perfectly demonstrates how I always go the extra mile for my clients. The added value that a professional and qualified French to English translator and lawyer-linguist like me can bring to the table should not be underestimated when it comes to investing a lot of money in a French asset. Find out below how providing French to English legal translation services for a French survey report for a property purchase really can prevent you from buying a property riddled with termites or full of asbestos.

Recently, a client asked me to translate the first page of a survey report for a property purchase in France. This simple summary at the beginning of the report didn’t provide my client with enough information to make such a huge financial investment and purchase a property in France. So, what did I do?

I was honest and I set out my concerns in a very comprehensive email.

• I recommended that the client ask the notaire for their advice or even better, ask their own lawyer’s advice on which parts of the report they needed translating from French into English. This was in the hope that any legal professional worth their salt would tell them they needed the whole report translated into English before even so much as considering progressing with their French property purchase.
• I identified which sections of the report related to the issues that the client was most concerned about, including the presence of asbestos, lead and problems with electrical wiring.
• I explained that while the client’s suggestion to translate the first page of the report might be cheaper and quicker for them in the short term, this was a very risky strategy as the first page of the report was simply a very brief overview of the issues addressed in the survey report and it specifically stated in French that this page should not be read independently of the whole report because it didn’t provide all the information required. An important fact that was only made known to the client due to my ability to understand French and communicate this to them in English.
• I reassured the client that I was giving them the same advice that I would give to my family and friends and regardless of whether they used my French to English legal translation services to translate this survey report into English, I wanted to provide the best possible service and in order to do that, it would be remiss of me not to give them my two cents as a French to English lawyer-linguist too.
• As a French to English lawyer-linguist, I couldn’t emphasise enough how important it was that they had all the facts before making such a big financial investment in France. I strongly advised them to have the whole report translated from French into English so they had the full picture before deciding whether or not to invest their hard-earned cash in the French property.

What happened next?

I provided a quote for the sections of the survey report that the client wanted to translate from French to English but in the end, they said that they didn’t have the budget for my French to English legal translation services.

How did I help my client?

While it’s a shame that the client didn’t have the budget to invest in my French to English legal translation services in the end, the client really appreciated the time I had taken to speak to them and my honesty and said that they now understood the importance of translating all French legal documents into English. I can now sleep soundly knowing that I did everything in my power to make sure that this client knew the risks of not investing in a professional French to English legal translator for their French legal documents. Overall, they received the best possible service because I ensured that they progressed with their French property purchase with their eyes wide open.

And that’s the sort of added value that a French to English legal translator and lawyer-linguist like me can offer during a French legal process such as a property purchase where all the legal documents are in French because I understand the legal implications under French law and how the legal process for a property purchase works in France. Therefore, I really am the best woman for the job and I take my responsibilities in safeguarding your interests and making sure you understand all the French legal documents for your French property purchase very seriously. I do this by providing accurate and clear English translations of French legal documents so you have all the information you need in English to decide on your next move.

You can find out more about why you need a qualified French to English legal translator like me when buying property in France in my recent podcast interview for Just Jump with Ben Small from Ibanista.

Please contact me to translate your French legal documents into English before you sign any French property documents as these documents may be legally binding and include onerous terms. Professional French to English legal translation services are a wise investment early on in the process and should always be included when calculating your budget for your dream property in France. If you require French to English certified translations of your property documents for official purposes, I’m also qualified to provide this service for you. Email me at info@coleytranslates.com for a free quote and so much more!

I also work with talented professionals who can assist you with the other aspects of buying a property in France, including currency solutions for your property purchase and French notaire and lawyer recommendations.