Real Estate
Acquisitions and disposals, commercial leases, development projects and cross-border property holding structures.
Property is national law at its most national: registration systems, notarial practice and transfer taxes differ entirely between Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy. We act on commercial and residential transactions in each, and on the holding structures that international owners use to hold them sensibly.
What this area covers
- Purchase and sale of commercial and residential property
- Commercial, retail and office leases, and lease renegotiation
- Development projects, planning permissions and construction contracts
- Property due diligence, title review and soil and asbestos certification
- Share deals over property-holding companies and transfer tax analysis
- Landlord and tenant disputes, service charge and dilapidations claims
Situations clients bring us
You are buying commercial premises
We carry out title and planning due diligence, review the environmental position — soil certificates in Flanders and Brussels are a frequent source of late surprises — negotiate the deed with the notary and advise on whether an asset or share purchase is more efficient.
You are taking or renegotiating a lease
Commercial lease law is heavily regulated in Belgium and Italy, particularly for retail. We negotiate term, indexation, repair obligations and break rights, and explain which protections you cannot contract out of.
You own property in a country where you do not live
We advise on ownership structure, local tax registration, succession consequences under the EU Succession Regulation and the practicalities of letting a property from abroad.
How we work
- Due diligence reports written as a short list of issues and their consequences, not a document index.
- We work with notaries in each jurisdiction and attend completion with you.
- Clear advice on transfer taxes and registration duties before you commit to a structure.
The European dimension
Where cross-border practice makes the difference
There is no European land law, but European rules reach into property constantly: the Succession Regulation on inheritance, state aid on development incentives, energy performance obligations flowing from EU directives. Our offices cover five registration systems, so a portfolio spread across them can be handled in one instruction.
Questions about real estate
Talk to a lawyer about real estate
An initial consultation of up to forty-five minutes is charged at a fixed fee of €150 excluding VAT, and waived where we go on to act for you on the same matter.