Buying land in Ghana: checks to make before you pay
Most land disputes start with a payment made too early. The checks that protect a buyer, in the order to do them.
· 1 min read
Land disputes are among the most common cases in Ghana's courts. Most can be avoided by checking before any money changes hands.
1. Conduct an official search
Apply to the Lands Commission for a search on the land, using a site plan. The search shows whether the land is registered, who holds it and whether anything is recorded against it.
2. Confirm the seller's authority
For stool, skin or family land, confirm who has authority to grant it and that the right people will sign. For private land, ask for the seller's own title documents.
3. Visit the land
Walk the boundaries, speak to neighbours and look for signs of another occupier or a dispute.
4. Get it in writing
Pay against a written, signed document, not a promise, and register your interest with the Lands Commission promptly.
Sources
- Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036)
- Lands Commission, searches and registration
- GhaLII, Ghana Legal Information Institute (texts of Ghanaian statutes and judgments)
This article is general information about Ghanaian law, not legal advice. Speak to a lawyer about your own situation.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Please contact us about your own situation.
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