Reading the title deed and approved plan before you buy

A title deed is not paperwork — it is the legal definition of the property. Four numbers on it define exactly what you are buying.

The four numbers

Plan number

Identifies the municipality-approved plan the land sits within. From it you learn the permitted building code, setbacks, and authorised use.

Parcel number

The position of the land inside that plan. Parcel number plus plan number identify the land beyond any ambiguity.

Deed number

The identity of the document itself. With it you verify the deed is genuine and confirm the current owner.

Area and boundaries

The four lengths and the neighbouring limits. Match them against reality — a difference between written and built means construction on someone elses land, or less than you are paying for.

How to verify

The **Najiz** platform allows electronic deed verification. The **Balady** platform publishes approved plan data. Do not settle for a photo of the deed — verify it at source.

On this platform: the **registry details** shown on a property page are entered by the advertiser from their deed and are not automatically matched against a cadastral registry. Verify them yourself before committing.

Signs to stop at

• A deed without a clear plan or parcel number
• Owner name differing from seller name without a notarised power of attorney
• Deed area contradicting what you see on the ground
• Construction exceeding the setbacks permitted in the plan
• Property inside an expropriation zone or a development scheme

The national address

Alongside the deed, every building has a national address: building number, postal code, and additional number. Ask for it — it matters for delivery, utilities, and contract documentation.

Do not sign and do not pay a deposit before matching the four numbers against their official source. A site visit does not replace this, and this does not replace a site visit.