Almost every land dispute we take on began with a purchase where this was skipped.
The ownership certificate
Confirms who holds the plot. Check the name against citizenship documents, and be careful where the holder is acting under a power of attorney.
The current Land Revenue Office record
The certificate in a seller's hand may be out of date. The office record is what governs.
The survey map and field book
These show the plot's shape and neighbours. Registered area and occupied area differing is common, and far easier to resolve before a sale.
Encumbrances
Mortgages, court restrictions and acquisition notices are recorded against the plot. Any one of them can stop a transfer.
Access
A plot with no legally secured access is worth a fraction of one with it, and this is not always visible on the ground.
About the author
Anjali Shrestha
Founder & Managing Advocate
Most disputes are decided by a document somebody signed without reading. My job starts before that.
