Which documents to ask a property seller for in Egypt — and in what order
Documents before money: about the property, the seller and the debts. Why copies are not enough, in what order to ask, what changes when a representative signs, how it works in the Property Passport and which answers from a seller are a red flag.
The main principle of buying in Sharm El Sheikh is simple: before you hand over money, you must see what the seller uses to prove their right to sell, and be sure it is the same person in front of you. Everything else — price, furniture, view — is discussed afterwards. This article is about which documents to ask the seller and the developer for, in what order, why copies are not enough, what changes when a representative signs, and how this works in the Property Passport at Dommare. The exact list depends on how the property is titled, and the wording of this section is checked by a lawyer; until their sign-off the article is hidden from search engines and describes a procedure, not an opinion.
Three groups of documents
About the property
What the right to the flat is based on and what exactly it includes. Several forms of title documentation exist in Egypt and they are not equivalent: a registered title, a court-validated contract, a registered sale contract, a developer's contract for a property under construction — different positions with different consequences. Which of these the seller holds, what they will pass to you and in which form you will end up owning is a question decided before signing, not after. The same group includes the documents for the building itself and the land under it, and the description of the property — area, floor, number, terrace, garden, parking — which must match what you viewed.
About the seller
Who they are and whether they may sign. Identity matching the name on the property documents; all owners if there are several; company documents and the signatory's authority if a company sells; the developer's documents and its right to dispose of this unit if the developer sells. The seller's marital status may also matter for the transaction — in what way, a lawyer will say.
About debts and encumbrances
Service charge, utilities, any encumbrances, disputes and third-party rights. A clearance letter from the management company, dated and signed; electricity and water receipts; written confirmation that the property is not mortgaged, seized or in dispute, in the form that applies to this type of documentation. Under most compound rules service-charge arrears travel with the flat — a line checked before the deposit, not at handover.
Why copies are not enough
A copy shows the content but not whether the original exists or whether it has changed since. So the order is: copies first for the lawyer — to understand the form of title and draw up a list of questions; then originals for inspection — by you or your representative, together with the lawyer; then, where applicable, a check at the source — the registry, the developer, the management company. Photographs of documents in a messenger are a first step, not the last. If the seller will not show originals before the deposit, that is an answer, not a delay.
In what order to ask
- The seller's identity and the property document — together, to match the names. Without this, no conversation about price begins.
- The property description in the documents against the flat: area, floor, number, terrace, garden, parking.
- The management's clearance letter and utility receipts — for the last year.
- For a property under construction: the developer's contract with the seller, the schedule and confirmations of payments made, the developer's consent to assignment if required.
- For a resale: the chain of previous transfers, as far as available — the lawyer says how deep to go.
- If a representative signs — the power of attorney: scope, term, issuer and certification.
- Everything to the lawyer before the deposit, with their written list of what is missing.
If a representative acts
When the contract is signed not by the owner — an agent, a relative, a developer's employee — the scope of their authority is set by the power of attorney, and its content is a separate subject of checking: what exactly is permitted, for which property, for how long, who issued it and how it is certified, whether it has been revoked. This is the case where we do not replace the lawyer but bring one in. Payments then go where the document says, not where the representative says verbally.
How it works in the Property Passport
On a property card at Dommare every check has its own state: not provided, received, under review, verified, requires clarification, expired, not applicable. We record which documents were received from the seller and the state of each check — and show the state rather than issue a score. A tick on the card appears only when the active set of criteria is fully met; no set — no tick, and the place stays empty. The seller's documents themselves are never shown publicly: you and your lawyer get access to them in the transaction, not on the site.
The check states and the procedure come from how the Dommare Property Passport is built. The list of documents and their legal meaning depend on how the property is titled; the wording of this section is checked by a lawyer.
Red flags
- The name on the property document does not match the seller's, and the explanation is verbal.
- Originals are 'in another city' or 'with the lawyer, we will show them after the deposit'.
- Area and description in the documents do not match the flat, and the seller says 'it is like that for everyone'.
- Service-charge arrears are 'small, we will sort it out' without a letter.
- A power of attorney without a property or a term, or certified in a way the lawyer cannot verify.
- A request to pay the reservation to a personal account before the documents are shown.
Najczęstsze pytania
Which documents should I ask a seller for in Egypt?
Three groups: about the property (the basis of title and the description), about the seller (identity, authority, all owners) and about debts (management clearance letter, receipts, no encumbrances). The exact list for your property is drawn up by a lawyer.
Are copies enough for checking?
No. Copies are for the lawyer's first reading; then originals for inspection and, where applicable, a check at the source. Refusal to show originals before the deposit is an answer, not a delay.
What do I check if someone other than the owner signs?
The power of attorney: what is permitted, for which property, for how long, who issued and certified it, whether it is revoked. A lawyer's task. Money goes where the document says, not where the representative says verbally.
Do service-charge arrears pass to the buyer?
Under most compound rules, yes. A dated and signed clearance letter from the management before the deposit.
What are the check states in the Dommare Property Passport?
Every check has a state: not provided, received, under review, verified, requires clarification, expired, not applicable. We show the state, not a score; the seller's documents are never public.
When do I go to a lawyer — before or after choosing a flat?
Before the deposit and before talking price: the lawyer reads the copies, lists what is missing and inspects the originals. Cheaper than leaving the deal later.
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