Ask these before a deposit, and ask for the answers in writing. A seller who answers all eleven plainly is worth dealing with. A seller who is vague on more than one is telling you where the problem is.
1. What exactly is the title on this plot? Not "it is good title" — the actual position. A certificate, an excision, a registered survey and nothing more. Get the words, and get them written down.
2. Whose name is on the documents? And what is the chain between that person and the person selling to me? Ask to see every link, including any deed and any consent already granted.
3. May I have copies for my solicitor? The answer should be yes without hesitation. Anything else ends the conversation.
4. Has the land been charted? If yes, ask for the result. If no, ask whether you may chart it before paying, and treat a refusal as decisive.
5. Is any part of the plot affected by a government acquisition, a road setback, a drainage alignment or a power line? Ask it as a direct question and get a direct answer, because a partial answer here is the one most likely to be technically true and materially misleading.
6. Who signs, and on what authority? For a company, confirm incorporation and the signatory's authority. For family land, ask who the accredited representatives are and how you can verify that independently.
7. What is the total cost of ownership? The plot price is rarely the whole figure. Ask about deed of assignment fees, survey fees, development or infrastructure levies, consent fees, agency, legal, and anything payable at allocation. Ask for the full schedule before you commit to the first payment.
8. What exactly will I receive, and when? A receipt, a contract of sale, a deed, an allocation letter, a survey in your name. Ask for each item with a timeline attached, and be direct about what happens if the timeline slips.
9. Has this plot been sold before? And has any plot on this scheme been the subject of a dispute or a claim? Ask it plainly and watch the answer.
10. Where do I pay, and to whom? The answer should be a company account, against an invoice and a receipt. Never cash, never an individual's personal account, never a third party you have not been introduced to.
11. What happens if I miss an instalment? Cover this before you sign, not when it happens. Ask about the grace period, the penalty, whether the plot can be reallocated, and what is refunded if the plan is terminated — the amount, the deductions, and the timeline.
Two habits worth building. Put the questions in an email, so the answers arrive in writing and become part of the record. And ask the same question twice on different days if the first answer was vague; consistency is informative.
None of this is adversarial. A serious seller expects these questions and has the answers ready. We publish most of them on the listing before you have to ask.
Still deciding what to buy?
Tell us the size, the area and the budget. We will tell you what fits and what the documentation position is on each one.