Duplicate Land Deeds

[Kevin17]

I thought that I read here that there is a way to stop a joint land owner obtaining duplicate deeds for land by saying that the deeds were lost.

What do you have to do to stop this from happening?

[Heng]

Duplicate deeds can be obtained, but they'll say the exact same thing (same owners as well) as the original deed, so I'm not sure what you're asking.

There are always two copies of each deed, one kept at the land office and one in the owner's possession. They are identical. There will be more than one copy if their are joint owners, with each owner having the right to have a copy. Again, they are all identical, so it's a non-issue if anyone loses their copy.

When you report a deed lost, you take the subsequent police report to the land department and they'll generate a new deed for you. As with all land department transactions, the time frame will vary, but in my own experience, it's relatively hassle free.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Heng

[Kevin17]

Duplicate deeds can be obtained, but they'll say the exact same thing (same owners as well) as the original deed, so I'm not sure what you're asking.

There are always two copies of each deed, one kept at the land office and one in the owner's possession. They are identical. There will be more than one copy if their are joint owners, with each owner having the right to have a copy. Again, they are all identical, so it's a non-issue if anyone loses their copy.

When you report a deed lost, you take the subsequent police report to the land department and they'll generate a new deed for you. As with all land department transactions, the time frame will vary, but in my own experience, it's relatively hassle free.

No the issue isn't getting a copy if the deeds are lost, the issue is to stop the co-owner of the land selling the land without authorisation. If they can get a copy of the deeds what is to stop them selling the land. The land is owned by a company.

[Heng]

Ach so. I don't know about land held by companies, but if it were several individual joint owners, they'd all have to be present or at least have power of attornery presented for any transfer to take place. As for a company, I not sure if all or only the majority shareholders need be present?

[anthonyu]

This is quite a bit of a problem with title deeds. When I was in Phuket we had a problem with a person claiming they owned the land we were developing and also produced the title deed to prove it. After investigating at the land office some corrupt officer had issued 2 deeds to the same piece of land 20 years earlier so we both technically owned the land....annoying