Although the process of buying property in Italy may not be exactly the same as in the UK – where you might expect to arrange a mortgage with your bank and view properties with an estate agent before making a decision – there are some techniques you can use to make sure that the purchase runs just as smoothly.

For instance, some of the protection that is afforded to UK residents remains in place when you go abroad, even if you are moving overseas for good. Registering with an embassy or consulate is one way to keep a link with authorities back home, just in case you need them. Alternatively, international organisations and local Italian bodies can also offer assistance if it is required.

Buying property in Italy with AIPP

The Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) maintains a database of known and trusted property industry operators who should be able to help you find a new home without anything going wrong.

However, it does advise that an independent lawyer should be consulted, with "independent" significantly meaning that the legal professional should be acting only on your behalf and should not also represent the estate agent in question.

Property should not be bought unless you can afford it, the organisation adds – warning against purchasing accommodation in the hope of selling it on at a profit before the repayments become too much to meet.

One factor that could play its own part in this is the relative strength of currencies, with the price of a home in euros not necessarily staying the same when converted into pounds on different days and at different exchange rates.

The AIPP is not the only organisation able to highlight individuals who should be able to be trusted; the Italian Chambers of Commerce can also help to do so.

Estate agents can register with the authority and must pass exams before they are accepted, meaning the buyer can be confident of their understanding of issues including property legislation, inheritance tax and civil law.

Registering with UK representatives

Buying property in Italy does not have to mean severing all ties with the UK; in fact it may be wiser not to do so, if you are concerned about what you might do if something goes wrong in your new home.

Consulates and embassies are located worldwide and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) should be able to help you to find one close to the area you are planning to move into.

Registering with the appropriate office on arrival lets the UK authorities know where you are and prepares them for the possibility of needing to lend assistance in an emergency – something they may be less able to do if you have not registered in advance.

The FCO is also able to advise on some of the cultural issues that might otherwise arise for Britons heading to Italy for the first time: these include the use of soldiers for some common policing activities and the fact that it is illegal to eat or drink around some of Florence’s main buildings.

A little preparation before leaving the UK or on arrival at your new Italian property can help to ensure that none of these issues arise.

Legal help for Britons in Italy

Legal assistance is available from the Consiglio Nazionale Forense, the Italian National Bar Council. This serves a number of functions, including advising on regulations impacting the legal profession itself and judging appeals against local decisions on disciplinary matters.

The council itself is governed by regulations and can be contacted by fax, telephone, email or in person at its administrative office in Rome or at the city’s courts.

In terms of general consumer protection, it is again the Chambers of Commerce which holds the duty of safeguarding the public in contractual dealings.

The authority offers dispute resolution services, as well as working to ensure contracts are not entered into which feature vague or ambiguous terms.