5 Documents Every Property Buyer Needs

1. Certificate of Occupancy

This is one of the most important documents as it confirms that a property is legally owned by the seller. It is issued by the State or Local Government, depending on the location of the property, and confirms its approved use class (i.e. commercial or residential). A legal property owner should have one original copy while another copy is held by the Land Registry.

2. Deed of Assignment

This is an agreement between the seller of a property and a buyer, showing evidence that the buyer has paid for a property and the seller, having accepted this payment, transfers all rights, title, interest and ownership of that property to the buyer. Nobody legally owns a property without this document. The deed of assignment can only be drafted by a lawyer and must be signed by the state Governor or a designated official. 

3. Deed of Lease

Also known as Governor’s Consent, this document is a confirmation that ownership of a property has been transferred. The Deed of Lease was first issued in the 1970’s and 1980’s for the transfer of government-owned properties in particular.

4. Land Certificate

This is a title document which confirms the ownership of a piece or large parcel of land, mainly used in rural areas. It was used prior to the formal declaration of the Land Use Act of 1978.

5. Survey Plan

This is a land document which shows the boundary measurements of a parcel of land and confirms its exact measurements and description. Survey plans are handled by qualified surveyors and also help to confirm actual ownership status of a property.

Buying a property in Africa can be easy with a trusted partner.

Contact us at info@seso.global or call us on +234 903 699 9862 or +233 20 340 0041 to find out more about the offers available from our network of developers and service providers.