conveyancing delay title registration Jamaica

Delays in completing the registration of property transactions at the National Land Agency are a persistent feature of the Jamaican property market. During the period between completion of a sale and registration of the transfer, the buyer is vulnerable to subsequent dealings by the vendor, the vendor’s creditors, and to registration queue issues. This report examines why registration delays occur, the risks they create, and how buyers can protect themselves.

The combination of due diligence gaps, reliance on attorney assurances, and limited consumer awareness creates the conditions in which property fraud thrives in Jamaica. This report examines the role of title insurance as a risk management tool, the limitations of current due diligence practice, and what a strengthened verification framework would look like for Jamaican property buyers.