Did you know that each year in Lusaka, at least 100 cases of plot fraud are reported?
Take your time to prevent losing your money; don't suddenly wake up and give it to any plot seller who has made a claim.
It is somewhat disheartening when the same plot of property is sold to multiple buyers.
I conducted in-depth interviews with over twenty individuals who were let down by their plots purchased in Lusaka, and I pinpointed five errors that they made.
One of the most crucial initial items you should comprehend is the type of land you are going to purchase and having documentation of ownership.
In this post I will explain in detail the mistakes you should avoid when buying plots, the types of lands in Zambia, and the legal process.
Types of land in Zambia
What type of land are you about to buy?
To understand what steps to take when buying land in Zambia, you should know the type of land you are buying.
In Zambia, there are two types of land depending on whether it is a
state or traditional owned land.
State-owned land is also called leasehold in which a person is given land with a tenure period of 99 years and it can be renewed for another 99 years.
This is land that the Ministry of Land needs to give out a
title and other necessary documents.
Traditional land also called customary land in which the land is under a certain chiefdom and is controlled by the various leaders in the respective chiefdoms.
Headmen/women have the authority to offer or allocate people who wish to join the area.
In some cases, customary lands are not sold instead they are given for free and maybe you are required to pay a certain amount for membership registration.
Just like state
land, be cautious when buying land from any Jim and Jack who claims to be the
grandson or a close relative to the chief.
4 mistakes to avoid when buying plots in Lusaka?
1. 1. Cashing in for a plot deal that is too good to be true.
We have so many crooks around the land-selling business.
Some of them are relatives of the landowners especially if the owners are elderly.
There has been a trend in Lusaka peri-urban areas where the grandchildren of a certain family sell land secretly at a very cheap price.
For example in Kafue a grandson to certain grandparents sold 10 hectares at ZMW5000, unfearfully the buyer lost land and money because the deal was aborted after the case was reported to the police.
From the look of things, you can tell the deal wasn’t genuine.
2. 2. No evidence of ownership.
Land needs to have clear evidence of ownership.
Such evidence may include a title deed or letter of sale from the previous owners.
Must be approved by the necessary authority or the head of the area
such as the councilor or headman has given sound information about that land.
Again, in other cases, a random scammer with a good history of certain land may pose as a legal owner.
This could be a man or woman who knows better the information about that piece of land but they are actually not the owners.
They have no papers or they may provide fake documentation just to make you pay.
Buying such land means you have been scammed.
3. 3. Ignoring red flags.
Some lands are owned by the family and not one of the family members.
If you observe that there is disagreement about selling land among the family members you better leave it.
Red flags are a good sign that shortly, you may lose your land
together with the money you paid or be
injured by other family members who are against the idea.
4. 4. Buying a plot that is under legal proceedings.
Due to some reasons, there are lands in Lusaka whose cases are in court and no final judgment has been passed yet.
Such lands can be under-sell by political cadres or individuals within the area and buying such lands is a risk.
What if the person who sold it loses the court case?
They may not even refund your money and you end up losing it like that.
Or worse if you
built structures on it you may end up getting them demolished like we have seen
in Palabana Chongwe and other areas in Zambia.
Questions to ask when you see "plots for sale " in Lusaka
- Are necessary papers available?
- What kind of land am I buying
- Is this the actual owner of the plot
Legal processes after buying a plot
Make sure to follow the right channel for putting things on your land.
You need the right papers and see the right people after buying a plot in Lusaka.
Here are a few documents and things you need to do
after buying.
Letter of sale
To have proof of plot acquisition you need to obtain a letter that shows you have bought land.
However, for customary it could be a different document depending on how they handle such situations.
Make sure you have correct details like the NRC number of the seller's full name and details of the land purchased with clear amounts and measurements.
You need also the
include the signatures of your witnesses in addition to yours and the seller's.
Title deed
For a leasehold land, the document you need is the title deed issued by the necessary government authority which should be handed over to you by the land seller after sealing the land deal.
In this case, be careful you may
be given a fake document just to make you pay for the land.
Install beacons
after buying land make sure to invite the land surveyor to mark your land and install beacons to prevent invasion by other neighboring plots.
Lands that stay without beacons for a long period tend to reduce
in actual size due to encroachment by others
Who sells plots in Lusaka?
Plot sellers may not be the owners but any other middleman who earns a percentage after the deal is done.
There are companies( real estate) and individuals who sell plots on behalf of owners.
In some cases, selling plots is handled by the owners themselves but not always.
Understand clearly the relationship between the plot and the person you are dealing with.
People pay higher prices when buying land from third parties than directly selling from the owner.
Here is where to buy phones on lay-by in Lusaka
How to report plot scams in Lusaka?
To report plot scams in Lusaka, Zambia, follow these steps:
1. Contact the Zambia Police Service:
- Visit the nearest police station (e.g., Lusaka Central Police Station) and report the scam.
- Provide detailed information about the scam, including the perpetrator's identity, plot details, and any relevant documents.
2. File a complaint with the Lands Ministry:
- Visit the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources office in Lusaka.
- Report the scam and provide supporting documents, such as plot allocation letters or receipts.
3. Reach out to the Lusaka City Council:
- Contact the Lusaka City Council's Planning Department to report the scam.
- Provide information about the plot and the scammer.
4. Contact the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC):
- Visit the ACC office in Lusaka or submit a report online.
- Provide detailed information about the scam and any evidence.
5. Seek assistance from a lawyer:
- Consult a lawyer specializing in property law to help with the reporting process and potential legal action.
Remember to keep detailed records of your reports, including dates, times, and reference numbers.
Summary.
You must first comprehend the sort of land you are buying, make sure you are purchasing from the right owner, and refrain from paying money every time you suspect something is off to prevent losing money and suffering the consequences that come with land fraud.
Given how inventive land fraudsters can be, there isn't a
specific handbook that addresses every issue related to purchasing land at the
moment in Zambia.
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