Paying safely from abroad
Every payment, to the right place.
Sending a deposit across borders is the part many buyers worry about. We go through every payment with you before it is made, so you know where the money is going and why.
01How it works
How each payment is made.
The same routine for the reservation fee, the deposit and every instalment after it.
Know the schedule
Before you reserve, your adviser takes you through the payment plan: each amount, when it falls due and what triggers it.
Confirm the account
Payments go only to the account named in your contract. Confirm the details with your adviser by phone before you send anything.
Send it the right way
A bank or a regulated currency transfer service, with the reference the developer asks for. Some markets need the transfer described a certain way; your lawyer and adviser will tell you how.
Get the receipt
Every payment should be acknowledged in writing by the developer. We make sure you have that before the next one is due.
02In detail
The rules we never bend.
- Pay only into the account named in your contract
- Never act on an email that changes bank details; call your adviser first
- A written receipt for every payment
- Your lawyer sees the payment terms before you sign
03Questions
Paying safely from abroad, answered.
How do I pay a deposit on a property abroad?
By bank transfer or a regulated currency transfer service, to the account named in your contract. Your adviser confirms the amount, the account and the reference with you by phone before you send it.
What if I get an email saying the bank details have changed?
Do not pay. Call your Continental adviser on a number you already have. An email changing the bank details is a well-known way property payments are stolen, and genuine developers rarely change accounts mid-purchase.
Should I use my bank or a currency transfer service?
Either works if it is regulated. Currency specialists often give a better rate on large transfers, and some let you fix a rate ahead of an instalment. Compare the rate and the fees on the full amount, not just one of them.
04More help
Buying from abroad.
01 / 03Off-planOff-plan progress updatesPhotos and news from the site through construction, so you always know where your home is.
02 / 03OwningAfter you buyLettings, management and support from us and the developer once you have the keys.
03 / 037 marketsThe rules where you buyOwnership, costs, tax and residency, market by market, in each buying guide.
05Talk to an adviser
Questions about paying.
Tell us where you are buying and where the money is coming from. An adviser will take you through how the payments would work.