Buying property in Guernsey: process and costs

A general orientation, not legal or financial advice — always confirm the current rules and costs with a Guernsey advocate and the official States of Guernsey pages linked below before relying on anything here.

Which market can you buy in?

Guernsey property is split into the Local Market (residency-restricted) and the Open Market (open to anyone). See how the Open Market and Local Market system works before you start looking, since it determines which properties you're even eligible to buy.

Document duty

Guernsey's equivalent of stamp duty is document duty, charged on a graduated basis on the price paid (or the market value, for a non-arm's-length transfer) — reported rates run roughly from 2.25% up to 5.5% depending on the price band, though the exact bands and any first-time-buyer relief can change. Check gov.gg for the current document duty rules — or ask your advocate — for the figure that actually applies to your purchase.

How a Guernsey purchase completes

Conveyancing here doesn't work like England and Wales. Once both sides have signed the Conditions of Sale, the buyer's deposit is paid and the estate agent has confirmed receipt, there's a binding contract. Completion itself happens in person: an Advocate prepares the conveyance, and the buyer and seller both attend the Royal Court's Contracts Court — sitting most Tuesday and Thursday mornings — to give verbal consent before a Jurat. Neither party signs the document themselves. Once the Greffe has confirmed the correct fees and document duty are paid, the conveyance is registered the same day and the sale completes. This is also why Guernsey property sales cluster on Tuesdays and Thursdays — see when Guernsey property sales complete for the pattern in practice.

Get advice early

Because completion happens through the Royal Court and involves duty calculated on the specific transaction, most buyers instruct a Guernsey advocate before making an offer, not after. This site links to Guernsey property professionals without ranking or endorsing any of them — do your own due diligence on who you instruct.

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Property for sale in Guernsey · Open Market for sale · Local Market for sale