Before buying land or property in Nigeria, checking the seller’s deed is an important step. A Deed of Assignment, Deed of Lease or other property deed can contain important information about ownership and the history of the transaction.
Deed verification helps you establish whether the information in the document is consistent with the property’s available records before you commit your money.
What Is Checked During Deed Verification?
Depending on the type of deed and property, verification may involve checking:
- Names of the parties
- Property description
- Plot and survey details
- Previous ownership information
- Date of the transaction
- Registration details
- Consent requirements
- Existing interests or restrictions
The details should also be consistent with other documents provided for the property.
Why Verify a Property Deed?
A document provided by a seller should not automatically be treated as proof that the transaction is safe.
Verification can help uncover:
- Inconsistent ownership information
- Questionable documents
- Unregistered transactions
- Conflicting claims
- Incorrect property descriptions
- Missing consents
- Existing restrictions or interests
Discovering these issues before payment can save you from a difficult property dispute later.
Deed Verification in Lagos
If you are buying property in Lagos, the deed should be checked against the relevant land records and other supporting documents.
Whether the property is in Lekki, Ikeja, Ajah, Ikoyi or another area, consider having a qualified property lawyer review the transaction, particularly where significant money is involved.
Can You Verify a Deed From Abroad?
Yes. Nigerians living in the UK, US, Canada, UAE and other countries can coordinate the verification process remotely.
For example, if you are considering buying a house in Lagos while living in Manchester, you can provide the deed and other property documents while the Nigerian-side verification and follow-up are handled locally.
How Travo.ng Can Help
Travo.ng can coordinate relevant deed verification and property-document logistics where the requested service is available.
This may include:
- Document collection
- Deed verification coordination
- Local follow-up
- Appointment coordination
- Collection of completed documents
- Courier delivery
- Updates for customers abroad
Where you need a legal opinion on whether the deed gives you a valid interest in the property, a qualified Nigerian property lawyer should review the documents.
Don’t Pay Before Verifying the Deed
Before completing a property purchase:
- Obtain the seller’s deed and supporting documents.
- Check that the names and property details match.
- Verify the relevant records.
- Investigate any inconsistencies.
- Get legal advice where necessary.
- Proceed only when you are satisfied with the title position.
Proper deed verification can give you greater confidence when buying land or property in Nigeria, particularly when you are managing the transaction from abroad.
Travo.ng can help coordinate the relevant verification and document logistics where available.
