Buying Land with Power of Attorney (POA) in Sri Lanka

The Diaspora's favorite tool.

If you are in London and want to sell your land in Colombo, you give a Power of Attorney (POA) to a relative here. They sign the deed on your behalf.

---

1. Types of POA

General POA

• "My brother can do anything on my behalf."
• Risk: Dangerous. He could sell your house, empty your bank account, and flee.

Special POA

• "My brother can only sign the deed to sell House No. 5 to Mr. Silva for Rs. 20 Million."
• Risk: Low. Very specific.

---

2. Mandatory Registration

In Sri Lanka, a POA for land transactions MUST be registered with the Registrar General.

• Unregistered POAs are invalid for land deals.

3. The Fraud Check

If you are the Buyer and the Seller is using a POA:

1. Check Original: Ask to see the original registered POA.
2. Verify Life: Is the Grantor (owner) still alive? If the owner dies, the POA expires instantly. If you buy from a POA holder after the owner is dead, your deed is void.
3. Call: Video call the real owner to confirm intent.

---

Trust but verify. Verified Seller Listings