Updated
GL-T-07
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- What it is
- A legal check of ownership of a property before purchase
- What it establishes
- Who the real owner is, and whether there are debts, seizures, disputes or restrictions
- When it is carried out
- Before the deposit and any payments
- Who carries it out
- An independent lawyer for the buyer, not the seller’s agent
- Why
- The check costs a fraction of a percent of the deal and protects the whole amount
02 / In plain words
What Title search means
A title search is a legal check of ownership of a property before purchase. Put simply: making sure the seller really is the owner, that the property has no hidden debts or disputes, and that after the deal you receive clean title rather than someone else’s problems.
Several areas are checked at once. Ownership — who the owner is according to the official register and on what basis. Encumbrances — mortgages, charges, seizures, easements. Litigation history — current and concluded disputes. The property itself — whether its actual state matches the documents and whether structures and alterations are lawful. And the seller — their legal capacity, marital status and consents, where required.
The key rule is one: the check is carried out by a lawyer working for the buyer, and it is carried out before any money is paid. The seller’s agent, however pleasant, is interested in closing the deal. A check costs a fraction of a percent of the purchase price, while the cost of not doing one is, at worst, the whole amount.
A case from practice
A buyer was being rushed: the property was “going, you need to pay today”. The check revealed an ongoing court dispute over the property. The deal did not go ahead, and the money stayed with the client. In deals like this, haste almost always works against the buyer.
When a title search is needed
- Buying a home abroad
- A property for a Golden Visa or citizenship
- Buying on the secondary market
- A deal on a property under construction
- Buying from a private individual
- A buy-to-let investment
03 / What it covers
What exactly is checked
The seller
- Legal capacity
- Basis of ownership
- Required consents
Property
- Register data
- Lawfulness of structures
- Match with the actual state
Debts
- Mortgages and charges
- Arrears on the property
- Taxes and fees
Disputes
- Seizures and restrictions
- Court cases
- Third-party claims
04 / How it works
How the check works
Hire an independent lawyer
Request register extracts
Check the property and the seller
Obtain a legal report
Only then — payments
05 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
The check is carried out before the deposit, not after
02
The lawyer must work for the buyer
03
An official extract outweighs the seller’s assurances
04
Unlawful alterations become your problem
05
Debts on a property often pass with it
Common mistakes
- Paying a deposit before the check
- Entrusting the check to the seller’s or developer’s lawyer
- Skipping the check because the deal is rushed
- Not checking whether structures and alterations are lawful
- Believing that “everything is clean” without documents
06 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
The lawyer is found before you fall for a property — then the decision is not made in a hurry under pressure from the seller. The deal budget includes the cost of the check from the outset. And the order is agreed in advance: first the extracts and the report, then the deposit, then the main payment. The reverse order is the most common and most expensive mistake buyers make.
What we do for you. We always put the title search before the money and bring in a lawyer who works for you. If the property is being bought for a programme, we check it against the programme’s requirements at the same time: sometimes a legally clean property still does not qualify under the conditions.
Igor VentsHead of real estate, Title Deed and property checks
07 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
A legal check of ownership of a property: who the owner is, whether there are encumbrances, debts or disputes, and whether the property matches the documents.
Before the deposit and any payments. After payment there is usually no longer a way to withdraw without losses.
The seller’s agent is interested in the deal. The check should be carried out by an independent lawyer working for the buyer.
Usually a fraction of a percent of the deal value. Compared with the risk of losing the whole amount, the two are not comparable.
Some problems are resolved before the deal — by paying off a debt, removing an encumbrance or obtaining consents. Others mean it is better to walk away from the property.
Yes. The project itself, the rights to the land, the permits and the developer’s financial position are checked, not only the contract.
Related terms
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