The Land Due Diligence Checklist is a practical worksheet created to help you organise the checks, documents and professional advice needed before paying for land. It is Tool 3 in the From Land to Home companion toolkit and supports Chapters 6 and 7 of From Land to Home. The worksheet is designed for use alongside your lawyer and licensed surveyor and does not replace professional legal advice.
Buying land can involve ownership claims, incomplete documentation, boundary problems and payment risks. This checklist gives you a clear structure for recording the information you receive, the documents you collect and the checks completed before money changes hands.
Check the Seller and the Right to Sell
The first section helps you establish who is selling the land and how that person, family, company or traditional authority acquired it.
You can record:
- Who is selling the land
- How the seller acquired it
- Proof of that acquisition
- Other people who may need to agree to the sale
- Other possible claims over the land
- People already living on, farming or using the plot
This gives you a written record of the basic ownership questions to discuss with your lawyer and surveyor.
Organise the Documents You Receive
The Land Due Diligence Checklist provides space to record important documents and confirm that copies have been kept.
The document section covers:
- Site plan
- Indenture or other transfer document
- Receipts for payments previously made by the seller
- Documents showing how the seller acquired the land
- Official search results
- Surveyor’s report
- Other relevant documentation
Keeping these records together can make it easier to review the transaction with your professional advisers.
Complete Key Checks Before Payment
The checklist also guides you through important checks before you make payment. These include appointing your own lawyer, engaging a licensed surveyor, checking the site plan against the actual land and recording the result of each check.
Further checks include:
- Official search at the Lands Commission
- Checks for court cases or claims through your lawyer
- Enquiries within the community
- Clarifying the interest being purchased, its duration and conditions
- Confirming any continuing rent or other payment obligations
Keep Payments Traceable
The payment and agreement section encourages you to keep a clear record of every transaction.
It prompts you to confirm that:
- Payment is made against documents
- The payment method leaves a record
- Every payment has a written receipt
- A written agreement is signed and retained
- No money is paid under pressure
- Registration is being handled through your lawyer
- Boundary marks are placed and photographed
- Your land documents are organised in a secure land file
Know What to Do if Someone Challenges the Land
The toolkit also includes practical prompts for situations where people arrive on the land demanding documents or making claims.
It advises you to record who they are, ask for claims in writing, avoid handing over original documents, contact your lawyer and seller, and avoid making payments under pressure. It also recommends documenting what happened and taking photographs when it is safe to do so.
What This Toolkit Helps You Organise
The Land Due Diligence Checklist helps you:
- Record seller and ownership information
- Track supporting land documents
- Work systematically with your lawyer and surveyor
- Record official searches and enquiries
- Check the site plan against the physical land
- Document payments and receipts
- Record boundary information
- Maintain a proper land file
- Respond more carefully to competing claims or document demands
Who Is This For?
This worksheet is suitable for:
- First-time land buyers
- Individuals preparing to build a home
- Ghanaians living abroad who are purchasing land
- Families acquiring land for future construction
- Property investors
- Buyers who want a written record of their land checks
- Anyone working with a lawyer and licensed surveyor before completing a land purchase
How to Use It
Use the checklist before making payment for land. Fill it in alongside your lawyer and licensed surveyor, record the date and result of each check, and keep copies of the supporting documents.
The worksheet specifically states that you should not pay until the listed checks have been completed.
Keep the completed checklist with your land records so you can refer back to it when registration, construction or future ownership questions arise.
Product Details
Product: Land Due Diligence Checklist
Series: From Land to Home Companion Toolkit
Tool Number: Tool 3
Related Chapters: Chapters 6 and 7
Format: Digital PDF worksheet
Length: 2 pages
Author: Adams Bediako Asare
Website: asarebediakoadams.com
This toolkit is provided for personal use and should not be sold or redistributed without permission.
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