AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Land Certificates Required On All Property Now?

Are there any areas in the northern part of the island that are still outside of the registered area and do not require a land certificate?


Even though these areas may not require a land certificate, can a person get one anyway to secure title to the property?

Many portions of the island are still not under the declared compulsory re-registration sections. This means you cannot first register them and you cannot obtain a land certificate in the new land titles system yet. Ask your attorney if you can convert your deed of conveyance or other title instrument into a First Certificate of Title.

Last receipt I got from the agent who paid tax for my property displayed this wording at the top of the receipt: Government of Belize and a few lines down said Belmopan.

On the line where the receipt gives the parcel number over to the right it says: "Unknown / Unspecified Belize District"

I still have my Deed of Conveyance and I have had no communication with the govt. of Belize and only with the agent who does the paying of tax for me.

My property had a parcel number on the receipt the last time I paid through my agent who owns a great deal of the properties in the development that my lot is in. I believe I used to have a lot # on the receipt, and not a parcel number. My Deed of Conveyance has the lot number on it, so the agent who pays for me must have done the re-registration to convert into a parcel from a lot designation?

I would think the owner of the property would have to get a parcel number for a land certificate registration and no one else would have the authority to do that unless the people who did it blew smoke into the face of the people working in the property re-registration dept.? Why would someone register someone else's property unless they were trying to make a land grab for that property?

Unfortunately it is not unusual to say unknown/unspecified on the Belmopan file. The parcel number designation for unregistered property (not in the new title system yet) is different from the registered lands that are in the new title system. The property tax bills are public knowledge so anyone can go in and check the tax rolls. When you register your land into the new title systems there is a whole lot of paperwork to be signed and lodged, you will know when you have applied. No one can register your land into the new system without your written authorization and you need to fill out forms.
If you do not trust the person you are using to handle these things for you, please do as was suggested to you back in 2019 - hire an attorney to ensure you are properly registered and taxes are paid up to date.

Amanda:

My concern is that I also
have a situation that seems
very similar to Problem
Solver's puzzle.

Are you saying that what
used to be called "lot" in
the unregistered property
division is now called "parcel"?

How do I know that the
parcel number that they give
to me is really the old lot
that I own?

Can I ask the payment
agent I am dealing with,
to prove that what they
call "parcel XYZ" is
actually "lot XYZ"
so that I know for sure
my taxes are going toward
the property that is mine?

What kind of statement
would you get from the
payment agent so you
have something legal if
I do not have time to
deal with an attorney?

Thanks

To answer your questions. Whenever a subdivision is made it has lots numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. So as you can imagine, when you have 500 subdivisions there are 500 lot #1s. To ensure that every lot has a specific designation number the lots in subdivisions are systematically undergoing the reregistration process where they are given a specific designation number these are referred to as parcels. Not all subdivisions have yet been integrated into the national grid (parcel) system but they will be over time.

In order to ensure you lot number and parcel number are correctly matched you would hire a title investigator who will pull up the necessary survey maps and other paperwork to ensure that the info meshes correctly.

No, I doubt that whoever you hired to pay your property taxes is qualified and capable of providing you with the quantifiable evidence you are requesting - hire a lawyer.

If you don't trust your payment agent and you are unsure, as I have said before, hire a lawyer. That is what lawyers do and they are qualified to provide you with the correct advise.

I have been in the real estate business for 4 decades I hire attorneys to handle such matters as there is the confidence that they are qualified to correctly advise you and can ensure that searches are thorough etc. You have time to deal with a lawyer - because it is important and valuable.

Someone said that tax payments on land are now publicly available to look up?

That could be erroneous information, but if it is not, does anyone have the website URL?

If so, please post it here.

Thank you.

It is not currently available and not all titles are land certificates.