An unpaid fine can prevent the sale of a car

An unpaid fine can prevent the sale of a car, FOCUS reported. This can already happen because of the changes introduced on May 3. According to them, notaries will now be obliged to check whether people who confess to a transaction have unpaid taxes, duties, insurances or fines. This caused tension in the industry. Notaries warned that there could be a delay in transactions.

Unpaid fines, taxes or other obligations to the state can fail a deal to sell a property or a car, for example. From May 3, all sellers will be checked by the notaries whether they are not debtors.

These innovations create additional work for intermediaries in real estate transactions and especially for notaries. The main burden falls on the notaries, who act as tax collectors at the expense of the state," said Anton Andonov, a broker in a real estate agency.

The new rules call the trades into question.

"If the notary finds that there are such obligations, they must be repaid immediately or a new appointment must be made and a new transaction organization created," added Anton Andonov.

If a notary confesses a transaction to a person with obligations to the state - he will be personally responsible.

"These changes really bring tension to our work, as the notary must effectively check for the existence of public obligations subject to public performance - not as the parties presented declarations until now. We are personally responsible. This means that if a fine for a traffic violation is not paid, then the notary must pay it out of his own pocket," commented Dimitar Tanev, chairman of the Chamber of Notaries.

Hastily made changes to the Tax and Insurance Procedural Code 10 days ago also brought turmoil to the sector. The redacted text requires a re-reference also by a judge of records.

"I'm worried that there will be a delay in the transaction, because according to my information, the registration judges are still not ready with the relevant equipment, computers, they don't have electronic signatures and this could cause a delay," added Dimitar Tanev, BNT broadcasts.

Specialists advise that inquiries about obligations be carried out earlier than the day of the transaction, as this is possible through the NRA website.

"We will advise clients and help them make electronic inquiries or take out certificates under Article 87 whether or not they have obligations a few days before the transaction," said Anton Andonov, a broker in a real estate agency.

"The text was not put up for public discussion, no opinion was requested from anyone - it was just changed like that," Dimitar Tanev, chairman of the Chamber of Notaries, also said.