Preparing an overseas referral from the UK or EU

Define the service you are providing

Introducing a buyer, advising on a purchase and negotiating a transaction are not necessarily the same activity. Explain your intended role to a qualified adviser in your own jurisdiction. Do not assume that requirements are identical across the UK and EU or that a foreign agency’s procedures cover your obligations.

Questions for your compliance and accounting advisers

Ask what disclosure the client needs about a referral reward, what documentation supports your service and how the payment should be invoiced and reported. Confirm any relevant tax treatment for your business and the actual contractual arrangement. A generic statement about cross-border services is not enough to determine the answer.

Prepare the introduction with the buyer

Explain who will receive the contact details and why. Agree the communication language and an appropriate time for a shared call. Do not send unnecessary personal documents as part of the initial brief. Confirm the recipient and channel before providing documents required later.

Confirm the overseas team's terms

Request the attribution rules, the fee for the selected property, the payment trigger and settlement timing. Clarify what changes if a buyer already contacted the team, switches projects or returns for another purchase. Keep those answers with the applicable agreement.

Then prepare the buyer’s purpose, budget and timing using the agent guide below. This lets the local team discuss a relevant shortlist without replacing your own compliance review.