Like most of Europe, the Baltic States use a notary system for purchasing property. In the UK notaries are not involved in property transactions and instead both the buyer and vendor appoint their own solicitor, whose sole interest is that of their client.

When buying in the Baltics though, it is wise to adopt this approach, so pay for an independent solicitor to look after your own interests, complementing the more neutral role of the notary.

The rest of the process is fairly straightforward. When you have found a property in either Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia, you will need to put in an offer through an estate agent – much as you would in the UK. If your offer is accepted, you will be required to pay a reservation fee and/or a deposit of around ten per cent. Ensure your lawyer checks whether you have a cooling off period of not, once you have paid a deposit.

Typical duties of the notary include assisting all parties in making sure that the process of selling the house runs smoothly. He is also responsible for receiving all contracts and checking their authenticity as well as carrying out the Land Registry searches.

The notary will be responsible for checking that there are not issues with the property at the time of sale which could affect the price of it. If there is a mortgage already on the property, then the notary must contact the bank and request the mortgage deeds. The sale may not be completed until the notary has collected all this relevant information.

The vendor and buyer sign the final sales contract in the presence of a notary, who then registers the new title deeds with the relevant authorities. Transfer of title can take as little as four weeks, but the time scale really depends on how quickly you are able to make an appointment with the notary.