Buying a Phuket condo: checks before paying a deposit
You have chosen an apartment. The seller sends payment details and asks for a deposit to hold the price. Before transferring it, get the draft reservation agreement, the exact unit description, evidence of the seller's authority and clear refund terms. If documents will follow later, agree first whether an adverse review lets you withdraw and who must return the money. Do not leave that question for the main sale contract.
This checklist is for a condominium purchase, not a villa with land. It helps you prepare a file for an independent Thai lawyer. It is not a legal clearance, and the questions below are buyer recommendations rather than a universal list of legally mandatory documents.
Read the deposit agreement first
A short reservation agreement can still create obligations. The word 'reservation' does not, by itself, make the payment refundable.
- Which unit is reserved: building, floor, number, area, price and included fit-out?
- Who receives the payment, and under what authority? If the recipient differs from the seller, request the supporting authority and have your lawyer review the arrangement.
- When must the seller supply documents, and how much time do you have to review them?
- Which findings allow you to withdraw, how quickly is money returned and what deductions apply?
- What happens if foreign quota is unavailable, documents arrive late or agreed terms change? Put those scenarios in the agreement, not just a chat.
Identify the seller and the right being sold
The brand on a brochure may not be the company signing the contract. Request its legal name and registration number. The official DBD service lets you look up company information, but registration alone does not establish a right to sell this unit or receive your deposit. Your lawyer also needs current evidence of the signatory's authority.
For a completed unit, request a copy of its title document and encumbrance information. Have your lawyer check the current record at the Land Office: a seller's scan cannot show that nothing changed after it was issued. For an off-plan purchase, an individual unit title may not yet exist. The review instead includes land rights, project documents and the seller's contractual obligations.
An advertisement describing 'apartments' does not establish that the building is a registered condominium. Confirm whether you are buying ownership or lease rights. Foreign freehold ownership in a condominium is capped at 49% of total unit floor area. Ask what will establish eligibility for your particular transfer; a bank certificate does not create available quota.
For an off-plan unit, check the correct building and phase
Request the land-rights documents and applicable building permissions. The address, building and phase must match what your lawyer is reviewing against the contract. An approval for the neighbouring phase does not answer that question.
If the project requires an environmental impact assessment (EIA), ask for the report number and decision. The official ONEP Smart EIA database supports searches by project, owner and other fields. Read the record's status and scope; a matching name is not enough. No search result is not proof of a violation either: legal names can differ, and whether EIA is required must be established separately.
For a completed building, look beyond the monthly fee
A service-charge rate tells you little about upcoming expenditure. Request unit-specific information from management and building documents the seller can make available for review.
| Request | Question it helps answer |
|---|---|
| Unit arrears statement and settlement arrangements | Who pays outstanding charges, and which confirmations are needed for transfer? |
| Building budget and latest available financial reports | Where do the contributions go, and are further costs planned? |
| Meeting decisions on repairs and additional collections | Has an extra payment already been approved? |
| Building rules and any proposed rental-management contract | What limits apply to use, letting and leaving the programme? |
An operator's promise to let the unit does not establish that the proposed rental use is permitted. If your income model relies on daily guests, ask your lawyer to check that basis separately. This checklist does not certify any building's right to operate tourist accommodation.
Agree bank instructions before sending funds
Ask the receiving bank for the transfer purpose, buyer details and evidence it will issue for purchase registration. For the usual foreign-currency route this may be an FET form or another applicable certificate. Do not reuse payment details or wording from someone else's purchase. Reconcile them with your own contract and retain the payment evidence.
A request you can send to the seller
“Before I pay the deposit, please send the draft reservation agreement with refund terms, seller and signatory details, documents for the chosen unit and a breakdown of additional payments. For an off-plan purchase, please also provide land-rights and approval documents for our building. Please identify any documents not yet available, when you will supply them and the time allowed for legal review. Please confirm the payment recipient and their authority to receive the deposit in writing.”
A reply about the discount deadline does not answer a request for documents. Get the missing answers first. Paying before review is complete means accepting an identifiable risk; a small deposit does not make that risk disappear.
Where to check
Phuket apartments in the catalogue: 418 listings
FAQ
Can I pay the deposit and check documents later?
That sequence leaves risk with the buyer. Before paying, agree the review period, withdrawal grounds and refund procedure in the contract. If the seller will not accept those terms, do not assume the deposit is refundable.
Does a DBD entry mean a developer is safe to buy from?
No. It helps establish company information. Authority to sell the unit, signatory powers, encumbrances and deposit terms require separate checks.
Are the documents the same for a completed and off-plan condo?
No. A completed unit can have its own registered title. An off-plan unit may not yet have one, so the review includes land rights, project documents and the seller's obligations.
Does this checklist also cover a villa?
Not fully. A villa requires separate review of building and land rights, access and the contractual structure. A condominium checklist does not establish those rights.
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