SANTO DOMINGO. – In an interview on La Ventana de El Inmobiliariolast weekend, real estate lawyer Arlina Espaillat revealed that it is common practice for many real estate agents to download rental contracts from the internet, which may be economical at the time, but in the long run can lead to legal risks for not complying with the Dominican legal framework.
The lawyer issued a warning about the use of rental contracts downloaded from the internet and the possible consequences of this unorthodox practice.
Espaillat called on real estate advisors to always seek legal advice that allows them to maintain legal security for both owners and tenants.
“You have to know each of the clauses in a contract, know what they mean, know what's missing from that document you found on Google; know if it covers the specific aspects that the client requested to be protected,” and added that it is very important to be very clear that the contract does not have gaps that could generate conflicts, especially because they are not written in the context of Dominican laws.
Hence the importance of having a specialist lawyer, he says, since these contracts, although they may appear to be quick and economical solutions, lack legal validity and can lead to conflicts between the parties involved: "In this model there is no legal certainty nor certainty of the will of the parties."
The specialist also called on real estate advisors to strengthen their professionalism through constant training, keeping up-to-date with regulations, thus ensuring that agreements are clear, fair, comply with current legislation, are properly drafted, and protect the interests of all parties involved.
In this interview, Espaillat highlights the importance of legal advice in the real estate sector and the need to avoid practices that could compromise the legal security of transactions: “Investing in legal advice is essential to protect the interests of all parties involved and avoid serious legal problems in the future,” he concluded.
