James Grech & Associates

Anyone buying a home in Malta, drawing up a will or granting someone power to act on their behalf will sooner or later need a notary, and James Grech & Associates is a practice that deals with exactly that kind of work. It has been running for 13 years from an office on Naxxar Road in Birkirkara, one of the largest towns in the island's central region and an easy place to reach by road from most parts of Malta.

A notary in Malta is a public officer who drafts and publishes the deeds that give legal force to transactions such as property transfers, so the role is closer to a conveyancing solicitor and a witness rolled into one than anything found in the UK. Its approach rests on legal certainty, impartiality and peace of mind, and its aim is to guide clients through some of the more important moments of their lives. It is listed in the notaries in Malta section of our directory.

Buying, selling and leasing property

Property work is the first thing the practice puts forward. It acts on the purchase of immovable property (the Maltese term for land and buildings), on sales, on exchanges of one property for another and on donations of property. A dedicated area covers property bought by foreigners, which matters if you are a UK buyer approaching the Maltese system for the first time. If you are still deciding where to live, our Malta relocation guide sets out the practical side of moving.

The same office prepares leases and rental contracts, and it handles emphyteusis, known locally as ċens. This is a long-term arrangement under which land or a building is granted for a set period in return for an annual payment, and it is a feature of Maltese property that visitors often find unfamiliar. The practice also deals with loans, which in practice means the deeds that record borrowing and the security attached to it. If you need a mortgage first, a nearby specialist such as Alecta Advisors for mortgages is another business in our directory.

Wills, successions and family matters

Away from property, the practice drafts wills, known in Maltese as testmenti, and it handles successions, meaning the formalities that follow a death when the estate has to be passed on to the heirs. It also prepares powers of attorney, which allow another person to sign or act for you, and it advises on matrimonial regimes, the rules that govern what a married couple owns and how it is shared.

Other family-related work includes the acknowledgement of children born out of wedlock and applications to the Court of Voluntary Jurisdiction, the court that deals with matters where there is no dispute between parties. Expatriates who own a home on the island often need a Maltese will alongside their UK one, and the office can explain how its contracts and wills work before you sign them.

Oaths, affidavits and other notarial services

The practice is also a commissioner for oaths. That means it can take a sworn statement, draft an affidavit, authenticate a signature and certify that a document is genuine, which is useful when a bank, a government department or an overseas body asks for a notarised paper. It also offers legal translations, searches (riċerki) on property, and general legal advice connected to its work.

If you are planning a company or a tax-efficient move, notarial work often sits beside the services of an accountant or corporate adviser, and our featured partner CLA Malta for company and tax services covers that ground, and accountants such as 3a Malta are also listed in our directory. For a broader view of how tax works for British residents, read the Malta tax guide for UK nationals.

The people behind the practice

James Grech founded the practice and is its managing partner. He works with two associate notaries, Tamika Agius and Valentina Chircop Troisi, and four trainee notaries, so a number of lawyers handle the day-to-day paperwork. Martin Grech serves as accountant and office manager, and the support side includes two office administrators and an external administrator.

Short news items on its blog cover subjects that affect property owners and buyers, including the conservation of older buildings, grants for restoring and finishing privately owned homes and incentives for first-time buyers. These are useful background reading if you are considering a purchase in a Maltese town or village. For the wider sector, see our overview of financial services in Malta.

Visiting the office and getting started

The office stands at 74 Naxxar Road in Birkirkara, in the middle of town. Birkirkara lies between Valletta and the northern resorts, so it works as a convenient stop for anyone staying along the coast. If you want to combine a meeting with a day out, our Valletta guide is a good companion for the capital, only a short journey away, and flights to Malta from the UK make the trip simple to plan.

The practice works through appointments, and its online form offers choices such as buying immovable property, selling immovable property or other matters. To begin, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the practice, which will then reply to you directly.