Guides
Buying in England with money from Bulgaria: the evidence you need
If the money for your purchase comes from Bulgaria, you will need to show where it came from and how it reached your UK account. Gather the evidence in the first week, move the money early through accounts in your own name, and most delays never happen.
Why the checks exist
Every solicitor in England must check the source of the money used to buy a property, under the anti-money-laundering rules. Your lender runs its own checks as well. Until both are satisfied, contracts cannot be exchanged, so these checks are often what decides how quickly you can move.
The checks are the same for everyone. Money from abroad simply has a longer journey to show, and every step of it needs a document.
What to prepare
- Statements for every account the money has passed through, in Bulgaria and in the UK, showing it arriving and leaving. Usually the last six months, and further back if the money built up over time.
- Proof of where the money came from: payslips or an employment contract for savings from salary; the notarial deed (нотариален акт) and a bank statement showing the proceeds for money from selling a property in Bulgaria; the certificate of heirs (удостоверение за наследници) and the estate documents for an inheritance.
- For money given to you by family, the gifted deposit evidence instead: see the guide below.
- Your passport or ID card, and proof of your UK address.
Documents in Bulgarian
Many of these documents will be in Bulgarian. We read them in Bulgarian, which saves time on our side. Your lender sets its own rule, and may ask for certified English translations of some of them, so check with your broker early.
Moving the money
- Transfer it well before exchange, not in the last week.
- Send it from an account in your own name to a UK account in your own name.
- Avoid cash, and never route it through a friend’s or a relative’s account.
- Keep the confirmation of every transfer and currency exchange: each is part of the trail.
Stamp Duty if you live outside the UK
If you have not been living in the UK in the period before your purchase, a Stamp Duty surcharge for non-UK residents may apply. Whether it does depends on how much time you have spent in the UK, so tell us early. Your written quote works it out from your answers.
FAQs
Can I use savings from my Bulgarian bank account for the deposit?
Yes. You will need statements showing how the savings built up and the transfer to your UK account, both in your own name. The earlier we see them, the less likely they are to delay exchange.
The money comes from selling a flat in Bulgaria. What do you need?
The notarial deed of the sale, a bank statement showing the sale proceeds arriving, and statements showing the money moving from there to your UK account. If the sale is still going through, tell us when you expect the proceeds.
Do my Bulgarian documents have to be translated?
Not for us: we read Bulgarian. Your lender may still ask for certified English translations of some documents, and that is its decision, so ask your broker before you order any.
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