Thailand Property Due Diligence: What to Check Before Buying
Due diligence is the legal check of a property before purchase: land title, encumbrances, building permit, EIA, developer licences and contract terms. In Phuket it costs 30,000–60,000 THB and takes 1–2 weeks.
What the check covers
The standard scope: the land title and chain of ownership transfers; encumbrances — mortgages, leases, servitudes; the building permit and EIA status; the developer’s legal entity, its authority and financial standing; the terms of the SPA and the reservation form. For a resale, add arrears to the management and verification of the seller’s identity.
What it costs and how long it takes
In Phuket a legal check typically costs 30,000–60,000 THB and takes one to two weeks depending on the property’s complexity: a villa with land and a corporate structure takes longer than a condo unit from a well-known developer. It is a small fraction of the deal price that closes off its biggest risks.
How this works with us
We work with independent Phuket law firms: the lawyer is paid by the client and answers to the client, not to the developer. The check runs through a checklist before any large sums are paid, the client receives a written report of the risks found, and we negotiate the reservation terms so the deposit stays refundable until the check is complete.
Frequently asked questions
What is due diligence?
The legal check of a property before purchase: title, encumbrances, building permits, the developer and the contract terms. It is done before any large sums are paid.
How much does due diligence cost in Phuket?
Usually 30,000–60,000 THB depending on the property’s complexity; the check takes one to two weeks.
Is due diligence needed when buying from a well-known developer?
Yes. The scope can be trimmed, but the EIA status, the building permit and the SPA terms are checked in every deal — brand reputation is no substitute for the specific project’s documents.
Phuket due diligence checklist →
See it on a real property
Terms matter when there is an actual deal behind them. We will show how this one works on a project from the catalogue — documents and numbers included.
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