A Hong Kong home seller should keep copies—or reliable references—of the registered deeds and other documents affecting the property that were lodged for registration. The Hong Kong Land Registry records particulars of these documents on the land register, while imaged copies of registered documents are open to public search.
Which documents should be in the seller’s file?
The verified starting point is:
- Copies of registered deeds affecting the property.
- Copies of other documents affecting the property that were lodged for registration.
- A clear reference to the relevant imaged copy when the original document is not held by the seller.
- A note linking each retained document to the corresponding entry for that property.
These records allow the seller and the buyer to identify later which documents appear in the property’s registration history.
How can the seller check the documents?
The seller can:
- Search the land register for the property.
- Identify the registered documents listed there.
- Use the public search service to locate imaged copies of those documents.
- Compare the register entries and imaged copies with the documents already held.
- Flag any missing, unclear or unmatched document for further verification.
A public search can confirm whether a document appears in the register and provide access to its imaged copy. It does not, by itself, establish the legal sufficiency of that document for a particular property or transaction.
What must the seller confirm separately?
The cited Registry information does not establish a complete statutory list that every seller must retain after completion, and it does not specify a retention period. The appropriate file may also depend on the sale contract, the property’s documents and any applicable legal requirements.
Before treating the file as complete, the seller should confirm which documents apply to the specific transaction, whether any contractual or legal retention obligation applies, and how long each relevant record should be kept. If the register and the seller’s documents do not match, independent legal advice may be needed rather than assuming that a missing item was never registered.