How to buy property in Sierra Leone from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Land fraud in Sierra Leone often targets buyers in the diaspora, using fake powers of attorney, survey numbers that do not match the land, back-dated site plans and forged signatures. A conveyance document is evidence of a transaction, not proof of ownership.

The steps

  1. Hire your own lawyer in Sierra Leone.
  2. Trace the chain of conveyances back to the original owner, and have your lawyer search them at the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General.
  3. Have a licensed surveyor confirm the survey plan at the Ministry of Lands and check the land on the ground matches it.
  4. Check the land is not state land or under a government claim.
  5. Sign the conveyance, have it surveyed and registered, and keep certified copies.

Warning signs

  • A power of attorney you cannot verify with the person who supposedly signed it.
  • A survey number or site plan the Ministry of Lands cannot match to the location.
  • Pressure to pay before your lawyer and surveyor have finished.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in Sierra Leone: a house they built, family land, or a home they inherited. You can usually sell it or let it out without travelling, but owners who live abroad are also a common target for fraud. These are the general steps. The rules, taxes and forms in Sierra Leone are for a lawyer there to confirm.

Selling from abroad

  1. Confirm the property is registered in your name. If it belonged to a relative who has died, the estate usually has to be settled and the title transferred to the heirs before anyone can sell it.
  2. Hire your own lawyer in Sierra Leone, not one introduced by the buyer or an agent.
  3. Get a current official search of the title, so you know what the buyer's lawyer will see.
  4. If someone will sign for you, give them a power of attorney limited to this one property and this one sale, with an end date. Ask your lawyer how it must be signed and authenticated (before a notary, by apostille or through the embassy) and whether it must be registered.
  5. Ask your lawyer which taxes and fees fall on the seller, such as tax on the gain and transfer or stamp duties, and whether any tax clearance is needed before the transfer.
  6. Have the buyer pay into your lawyer's client account or your own bank account, never to a relative or agent personally.
  7. Ask your bank and lawyer how to move the money abroad, and keep the paperwork that shows where it came from.

Letting it out from abroad

  • Use a written tenancy agreement and keep a copy yourself.
  • Choose a manager or agent you can check up on, and agree in writing what they collect, what they charge and when they pay you.
  • Ask about tax on rent. Many countries tax rent earned there even when the owner lives abroad, and some make tenants withhold tax from rent paid to owners abroad.
  • Have someone you trust visit regularly, and check the title register now and then. Forged sales of absent owners' property are common.

Warning signs for owners abroad

  • An agent or relative asking for a general power of attorney over everything you own.
  • A buyer who wants to pay in cash, or to pay someone other than you or your lawyer.
  • Pressure to sign before your own lawyer has seen the documents.
  • Someone else listing or showing your property without your knowledge.

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Common questions

Is a conveyance proof of ownership in Sierra Leone?

No. A conveyance is evidence of a transaction. Your lawyer needs to trace the chain of conveyances and check the survey plan before you rely on it.

How do land scams in Sierra Leone work?

Common schemes use fake powers of attorney, survey numbers that do not match the land, back-dated site plans and forged signatures of survey officials.

How can I protect myself buying from abroad?

Use your own lawyer and an independent licensed surveyor, verify the survey plan at the Ministry of Lands, and do not pay until both are satisfied.

Can I sell my property in Sierra Leone while living abroad?

Usually, yes. Most sales from abroad go through a local lawyer and a representative holding a power of attorney limited to the one sale. Ask a lawyer in Sierra Leone how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in Sierra Leone?

Often. Many countries tax the gain on a property sale and charge transfer or stamp duties, including for owners who live abroad. Ask a lawyer or tax adviser in Sierra Leone what applies before you agree a price.

Can I list my own property on ResidentFinder?

Yes. Owners can list a home for sale or for rent themselves, without an agent, and listing is free. Buyers and renters contact you directly through ResidentFinder.

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Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is not definitive. Laws, fees and procedures change; confirm every step with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.