The checks to make before you pay for land in Uganda.

1. Know which kind of land you are buying

Uganda recognises four land tenure systems: Mailo, Freehold, Leasehold and Customary. Each one changes what document proves ownership, who must consent to a sale and what rights sitting occupants may hold.

• Mailo and Freehold land normally carries a certificate of title. Mailo land in particular may have lawful or bona fide occupants whose interests survive a sale.
• Leasehold land is held for a fixed term. Ask how many years remain and what the lease conditions require.
• Customary land may be evidenced by a certificate of customary ownership or, often, by community recognition and local records. Extra care and local verification are essential.

If the seller cannot tell you clearly which tenure applies, pause the discussion until it is clear.

2. Search the title at the land office

For titled land, a search at the relevant Ministry of Lands zonal office confirms who the registered proprietor is, the plot and block numbers, the size, and whether there are caveats, mortgages or other encumbrances recorded against the title. A photocopy of a title is not proof; the register is.

Compare every detail on the search result with the seller's identification and the copy of the title you were shown. Small differences in names or plot numbers deserve a full explanation.

3. Walk the boundaries with a surveyor

The title describes a piece of land on paper. A registered surveyor can locate the beacons on the ground, confirm the acreage and identify whether neighbouring developments, roads or wetlands overlap the plot. Buyers who skip this step sometimes discover they have paid for a road reserve, a portion of a neighbour's plot, or a wetland that cannot be developed.

4. Confirm who must consent

Under Uganda's land law, a spouse's consent is generally required before family land where the family lives or earns a livelihood is sold. Where the land is jointly owned, held by an estate or owned by a company, additional consents or resolutions may be needed. Ask the seller directly who else has an interest, and let your lawyer verify the answer.

5. Speak to the neighbours and the local council

Neighbours and the local council usually know whether the land has been sold before, whether it is contested and who has been using it. A short visit costs nothing and has stopped many bad purchases.

6. Agree the paperwork before the money

• A written sale agreement prepared or reviewed by your lawyer, naming the parties, the land, the price and the payment schedule.
• The transfer forms and any consents needed for registration.
• Clarity on who pays stamp duty, registration fees and any outstanding ground rent or rates.

7. Pay only against a confirmed identity and confirmed instructions

Send money only to the person or account that the sale agreement names, after you have confirmed their identity in person and in writing. Be cautious of requests to pay a “brother”, an agent or a new number at the last minute. Earth Trust never asks clients to pay to an unconfirmed number; written payment instructions can always be requested for any matter.