ANYTHING BUILT ON A LAND BELONGS TO THE OWNER OF THE LAND

ANYTHING BUILT ON A LAND BELONGS TO THE OWNER OF THE LAND

When it comes to land, whatever you build on it, whether it is a bungalow, mansion or skyscraper, automatically belongs to the owner of the land.

Many Nigerians do not realise that land law operates on a simple rule: land swallows the structure.

Lawyers call it quic quid plantatur solo, solo cedit meaning whatever is affixed to land becomes part of the land.

If you build on land that is not yours, you have simply upgraded someone else’s property.

This is why buying land or agreeing to develop land without proper ownership documents is one of the riskiest things you can do.

You may pour your money into building construction, but legally, the moment those blocks touch the ground, the improvements belong to the landowner.

It does not matter who bought the cement or paid the contractor. The law looks only at who owns the land.

This is also why every serious property buyer (living in Nigeria or overseas) should first engage an experienced Property Lawyer early enough to conduct due diligence (investigations), verify ownership and all facts about the property and draft/prepare proper land purchase documents.

This is the kind of legal protection you need when acquiring property.

So before you lay foundation, raise a fence or dream of building a house, secure the land legally, because in property law whatever is on the land belongs to the owner of the land.

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APEX CHAMBERS, Law Firm of Property/Real Estate and Business/Corporate/Commercial Lawyers, Attorneys, Barristers, Solicitors Advocates, Legal Practitioners rendering legal services, Legal Consultants and Notary Public with Law Office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Phone: +234(0)7030868694 (Calls & Whatsapp)
Email: info@apexchambersglobal.com
Website: www.apexchambersglobal.com