Thailand condo due diligence: check the unit and the building

Match the actual apartment to its registered unit

Compare the title's unit number, building identification, area and registered owner with the apartment shown and the sale contract. Clarify the legal status of parking, storage and exclusive-use areas instead of treating everything in the viewing as owned space. Ask about combined units, enclosed balconies or layout changes. If an alteration crosses into common property or differs from approved plans, the legal and technical implications need review before the contract treats it as part of the sale.

Check eligibility, foreign quota and funding as one file

The foreign-ownership ceiling is measured by the total floor area of condominium units, not their count. Request the condominium juristic person's current quota evidence and confirm that your eligibility and bank documents meet the applicable category at registration. Agree who obtains the evidence and when it will be refreshed. If your reservation depends on foreign freehold registration, have counsel define what happens if that condition cannot be satisfied.

Review the building's financial and management records

Request the available accounts, budgets, meeting minutes, reserve or sinking-fund information, insurance and planned major works. Look for recurring maintenance deferrals, unpaid contractor claims, litigation and special assessments that could affect the real cost of ownership. A debt-free certificate for the seller's unit serves a transfer purpose; it does not replace a review of the building's financial health. Ask who pays charges already approved but not yet invoiced.

Test your intended use and inspect physical condition

Read the condominium rules for letting, alterations, pets and use of common facilities. Do not infer permission for short stays from listings on a booking platform or an agent's rental forecast. Have the applicable legal position assessed for your proposed activity. Separately commission an appropriate condition inspection covering the unit and accessible building systems; an ownership check does not test water leaks, electrical installations, fire systems or structural performance.

Distinguish resale completion from an off-plan promise

For a resale, coordinate a current title check, necessary releases, quota and debt documents, bank evidence and the handover inventory. An off-plan purchase needs additional investigation of the developer, project land, approvals, registration milestones and payment protections. A room number in a sales plan is not the same evidence as an existing registered unit title. Avoid treating projected completion and actual eligibility to transfer as a single guaranteed event.

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