Property due diligence in Bali is the legal check you run on a villa, house or building before you sign or pay a deposit. Most checklists stop at the land certificate. Ours also follows the building: whether it was approved with an IMB or PBG, whether what stands on the land matches the approved drawings, and whether it holds the SLF it needs for the way you plan to use it. That last part matters most for anyone buying or leasing a villa to rent out.
Cost: quoted per property before work starts. Government search fees are shown separately from our fee.
What we check
The land
- The certificate checked at the BPN land office for authenticity, against the land book
- The registered owner, matched with the seller's KTP or company documents, and a valid power of attorney if someone signs for them
- Mortgages, liens, blocks and disputes in the encumbrance record (SKPT)
- Inherited land, and which heirs must consent
- Boundaries and legal road access
The building
- The IMB or PBG, and whether the building on site matches its drawings
- Extensions, extra floors and enclosed terraces that were never approved
- The SLF, its validity and whether it covers rental use
- The zoning: whether the regency plan allows a villa or tourist accommodation there
The money and the contract
- Unpaid land and building tax (PBB)
- The lease, sale agreement or Hak Pakai contract read clause by clause: term, renewal, what happens to the buildings at the end, sublease and termination
Common findings on Bali villas
- An IMB for a smaller building. The villa grew over the years and the extra rooms were never approved.
- No SLF on a rental villa. Common on older properties and fixable, but it should be priced in.
- A lease from someone who is not the registered owner. A family member signs without the right to do so.
- Zoning that does not match the use. A plot in a protected agricultural zone cannot be turned into a rental business.
Each finding comes with what it means for you, what it costs to fix and who should pay for it. You can use that in the negotiation or walk away.
Before the signing appointment
The notary or PPAT who makes the deed stays neutral and acts for the transaction, not for you. Run due diligence before you book the signing, and have the contract reviewed by someone acting for you. If you are buying bare land rather than a building, see land due diligence.
