Checking a project's legal status before you buy

1. Land use right documents. The project must have a land use right certificate (or a land allocation or land lease decision) in the developer's name, for the exact plot being offered for sale.

2. 1/500 detailed plan and investment policy approval. The planning approval decision states the number of floors, the number of units and the function of each zone — compare it with the sales information.

3. Construction permit. The permit (or the design appraisal document and construction commencement notice, as required by regulations) states what the project is allowed to build.

4. Confirmation of eligibility for sale. For off-plan housing, the Department of Construction issues a document confirming that the housing is eligible for sale or lease-purchase. This is the most important document before signing a sale and purchase agreement.

5. Bank guarantee. The developer must have a bank guaranteeing its financial obligations to buyers of off-plan housing. Ask for the bank's name and the guarantee contract number.

Points to note

• Check the document number, issue date and issuing authority — don't rely on photos alone.
• For any money collected before the project is eligible for sale, read carefully what it actually is (reservation, agreement) and the refund conditions.
• Each project page on the HPR website has a "Legal" block publishing the available documents with their reference numbers and issue dates.

This article is for reference only and does not replace legal advice for specific cases.