Has anyone had problems recovering property sales proceeds from Tunisia?

alt14

I really don’t know where to turn.  I sold 2 studio apartments 3, almost 4, years ago in Port el Kantaoui and I have not received a penny even though the buyers have been able to live in those apartments all this time.

Has anyone been able to speed up this process?  I’ve paid my taxes on it which happened a few months ago and my solicitor says there is yet another approval to undergo before I can get my money from my Tunisian bank account.  It feels like the authorities just don’t want to let the money go.

I have contacted my MP and the Embassy but all I get is that they can’t help with individual cases!  I know other Brits are having the same problem, just at my apartment complex alone, let alone anywhere else in Tunisia.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?   Many thanks.

MeteredOut

You say "yet another approval to undergo before I can get my money from my Tunisian bank account."

What is the approval?

And have you personally confirmed the the funds are in your Tunisian bank account?

Schwarzwald

Weak wording and summary.

to clarify:
- you have indeed received the sales proceeds
- but they sit in your overseas bank account (in your name) in Tunisia
- but you have problems exporting them back to the UK
- given Tunisias rather strict capital controls
- and authorities keep asking for additional documention and checks.

So it is not a buyers problem (who paid for the apartments) it is a problem with authorities.

RHemmings

I haven't moved money from Tunisia, but I have moved sizeable amounts of money around the world.

Each country has its own rules and regulations, and Tunisia (from a quick google) appears quite tough. One thing that came up was proving the source of the money that is to be moved. 

You say that you sold the properties 3 or 4 years ago, but only paid tax on them a couple of months ago. Is this normal in Tunisia? Not knowing the local situation, it looks a bit odd to me and can this have marked you and your transfer out as something that needs to be given due attention?

Personally I would say that the people you need to engage with to find out more about this are a Tunisian expats forum, e.g. possibly the Tunisia forum on expat.com but that is not very active, or a Tunisian lawyer who can help you. Personally, I would think the latter to be the better choice. Though, it comes with a cost.