Home » Property » LDA’s checklist for buying property in private housing schemes
A big issue for any property buyer is the security of his (or her) investment. This concern becomes even more pressing in the case of the real estate sector. When you buy property, you want to ensure that it is legal, and comes duly approved by the relevant authorities.
Recently, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) published a checklist of the things you should check for before putting your money in any private housing scheme.
This list has been briefly outlined (with explanations) below. By sticking to it, you can keep your investments secure – whenever you chance to go out on your next property hunt.
Scrutinise approvals: Do not let flashy advertisements, beautiful booking offices, and stirring brochures cloud your judgement. Thoroughly scrutinise the housing scheme’s approval certificate, payment plan, and other details before you buy a plot.
Visit the location: Always visit the location of the housing scheme, and conduct an in-person survey. Check with the revenue department if the housing scheme actually has the required land at its disposal.
Confirm development charges: In some real estate advertisements, development charges are not mentioned. Always obtain written details of total development charges before settling on a property.
Check for availability of service utilities: Confirm approvals for electricity, gas, water, telephone and sewerage utilities.
Confirm amenity plots availability: Always confirm the availability of the amenities advertised on maps. Check if appropriate plots have been dedicated for the mosques, schools, and hospitals that may be indicated. Better yet, visit the site yourself. Bear in mind that sometimes, developers sell away the land plots dedicated for these facilities. And in many instances, the distances mentioned on the advertisements are grossly inaccurate.
Development work: Find out when the development work will be completed. Also get a date or timeframe for when property possessions will be granted. Confirm if there would there be any other charges at the time of possession.
Additional charges: Acquire a guarantee that no additional charges, fees and dues will be demanded (at any future point) except the ones explicitly detailed in the project administration’s written form.
Bank Draft: Always make payments through bank drafts, and save the receipt. Also, record the address and phone numbers of the concerned housing scheme and its officials.
Documents to check before buying plots
The LDA checklist also notes certain documents and issues which you should check before buying plots in private housing projects – detailed as follows:
Approval letter from the relevant authority
Approved map for the housing scheme
Total number of plots in the housing scheme (with the number of plots in each category)
Details, including plot number and block, of the 20% mortgaged plots within the project. Twenty-percent of the plots within a housing scheme have to be mortgaged with LDA, in-line with standard procedure.
Whether or not your plot is among those categorized under LDA’s mortgage category
Is your plot listed on the approved map? Does it lie on approved land?
Ensure that your plot is not situated within the area reserved for amenity plots. Also determine if amenities such as mosques, hospital, and schools are available as indicated in the approved map/scheme of the project.
Ensure that there are no cases registered against the housing scheme in any court of law
Contact LDA
For more details, property information, or to register complaints, please contact LDA. You can get in touch with LDA Directors on the following numbers:
LDA Director Metropolitan Planning-I (For Lahore Zone-I: Thokar Niaz Beg, Chung, Mohlanwal, UBD Canal, Jallo Mor, Manawan, Sundar, Manga Road, and Bahria Town etc).
LDA Director Metropolitan Planning-III (For Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib districts)
Phone: 042-99262380
Mobile: 0322-8888074
LDA Director Estate Management (Private Housing Schemes)
Phone: 042-99262328
Mobile: 0322-8888241
You can also visit LDA one-window cell counter 22 between 8 AM and 1 PM for information on private housing schemes.
Are you interested in buying property? Do you have any concerns or questions? You can discuss them with us in the comments section below. Alternatively, you can head to the Zameen Forum to engage in an extensive discussion on the topic.
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Muhammad Farhad
Muhammad Farhad is a Content Developer at Zameen.com.
