Expats should receive greater protection when buying property abroad, says UK MEP

Expat Property

Liberal Democrat MEP Diana Wallis has stepped up her campaign to see UK expats receive a greater level of security when buying property in Europe.

A direct result of the Spanish expat property scandal, Ms Wallis has campaigned on behalf of the thousands of British expatriates who have purchased European properties only find themselves embroiled in ugly battles over the legality of said properties.

Now, in a bid to stop future expats from finding themselves in unsightly legal situations, Ms Wallis has published a booklet entitled ‘European Property Rights and Wrongs’ which she hopes will go a way towards stopping expats from making property market mistakes.

The booklet outlines legal steps to ensure security when buying abroad, and also stresses that the EU has a duty to protect property buyers.

Ms Wallis said: "Property rights issues in countries such as Spain and Cyprus are by far the most pressing in the Petitions Committee, and while tens of thousands face demolition, eviction or bankruptcy, the EU has been unable, or refused, to act. The EU offers consumer protection for someone purchasing books, a piece of furniture or a hairdryer, and yet it has been reluctant to act to protect consumers when they make the most important purchase of their life. I decided to launch this publication as a response to the stalemate we have found ourselves in, when defending those affected here in the European Parliament."