Moroccan Notaries Face 96% Drop in Activity Amid Real Estate Slowdown

The difficulties of the profession are of various kinds. First, the notary maintains very close relations with the real estate sector, severely affected by the current crisis. Then, only notaries whose business volume is important, particularly those in partnership with low-cost housing developers and having ongoing real estate operations before confinement, have managed to get through it.

"For the past two weeks that I’ve been back, my office phone hasn’t rung once. Apart from a few real estate powers of attorney drafted, activity remains timid..." complains Me Fayçal Amine Benjelloun.

Furthermore, Article 12 of the law governing the notary profession prohibits notaries from receiving and processing deeds outside their offices. Clients are required to appear before the notary. The same applies to the intervention of other players such as the banks that finance the purchase of the property.

During confinement, it was difficult to bring together all these players. In these "exceptional" cases, Article 12 allows the notary to travel, provided he obtains authorization from the presidency of his regional professional body and informs the Attorney General of the King near the court of the place of practice.

According to the President of the Order of Notaries, Abdellatif Yagou, this practice is "even in normal times, especially for formalities with banks". Today, the number of files has dropped by more than 90%, he says, adding that with or without authorization to travel, activity is very reduced.