Buying land can mean heavy expenses and legal complications. Here are the details to be looked into before plunging in. [Part One of a two-part article.]
When we buy land, we may feel that a major life-time project has been achieved. But this euphoria can evaporate quickly, if we end up facing legal problems. Experience shows that Church-related organizations are infamous for having some land documents without the land or a land without its documents. There are also situations where we have both the land and its related documents, and yet end up fighting legal battles. There are court cases going on for over sixty years. Recently I celebrated the diamond jubilee of one such case!
To buy a piece of land, one needs to have real knowledge and experience. Sadly, many of us are ignorant in this area. In seminars on Temporal Administration, some groups ask me, “What all things should be considered before buying a piece of land?” In response to that query, I am shortlisting the requirements which every Trust has to look into before buying a piece of land.
- Purpose:
Be clear about the purpose for which you want to buy the land. The choice of the land and its location will depend on the purpose for which land is to be bought. For example, we cannot buy a piece of land with loam soil for an institution or a rocky barren land for agricultural purpose or a lonely place out of reach for a school or hospital. We have Societies that have invested their money on such wrong selection of land and deeply regret the decision.
- Tribal Land?
Check if the land you plan to buy is a Tribal Land: In most parts of the country, tribal land…
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Fr Alex Gnanapragasam SJ
