Land registry certificate
The land registry certificate describes the property and lists every encumbrance and right entered over it — the single most important document to read before bidding.
What it is, why it matters when bidding, and a worked example.
The permanent certificate shows the description of the property (location, composition, boundaries, area) and, above all, the historical sequence of entries: acquisitions, mortgages, seizures, attachments, registered leases, usufructs, easements, pending actions. Each entry carries a date, and the order of those dates decides what survives the sale.
It is therefore the document that separates an informed decision from a bet. An auction notice summarises; the certificate is where the complete history lives, including whatever the summary omitted. Reading it backwards — newest entry to oldest — quickly reveals which security is being enforced and what predates it.
The certificate also exposes discrepancies that cost money: a registered area different from the real one, a unit described without the storage room the notice mentions, a building with no use licence entered. None of these is a deal-breaker; all of them change the value and the cost of what is being bought.
Example
The certificate for a house advertised at 180 m² describes 142 m² of gross area plus an unregistered extension. A buyer who did not read it priced the €/m² over 180 m² and unknowingly took on the cost and risk of legalising the extension — the first point any future buyer will raise.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the registry certificate for a property at auction?
The permanent certificate can be requested online from the land registry portal using the description number and registry office, which appear in the notice or terms of sale. Some cases provide it directly.
Is the registry certificate the same as the tax property record?
No. The certificate comes from the land registry and deals with ownership and encumbrances; the tax record comes from the tax authority and deals with the tax identification and figures. They are complementary and both should be read.
Related terms
Go deeper
Encumbrances, occupancy, debts and missing paperwork: what to check before bidding.
Read the full guide