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Estate planning involves preparing for the management of an individual’s assets in the event of their incapacitation or death. This process includes the inheritance of assets by heirs and the settlement of any estate dues. Most estate plans are created with the assistance of an attorney experienced in estate law.
From the ground-up construction project to the sophisticated financing transaction, our real estate attorneys provide clients with a broad range of skills and experience vital to the business of the real estate industry. A significant practice area at Zafar & Associates, our real estate group assists all who are involved in the dynamic real estate field from purchasers, sellers, and developers to borrowers and lenders. The strength of our attorneys' knowledge in complex transactions ensures efficient and timely attention to those clients engaged in major real estate investment, development, and lending activities across the country. Tapping into the firm's corporate, tax, and litigation practice areas, our attorneys can create teams designed for every type of real estate-related situation like Commercial and Residential Lawsuits, Buyer-Seller Disputes and Property Development Issues that might arise.
We deal with all kinds of Property cases including Transfer of Property by Act of Parties, Transfer of Property (Moveable or Immoveable, Tangible or Intangible), Sale, Mortgage, Lease, Charge of Immovable Property and Exchange, Gifts and all kinds of Claims regarding Property, Accession, Occupancy Rights, Vested Interests, Contingent Interest and Conditional Transfer etc.
Property refers to anything that belongs exclusively to an individual, protected by the government, and guarantees certain rights. In legal terms, property encompasses an aggregate of rights, including the right to possess, use, and dispose of something freely, while excluding others from interfering. It is the highest right one can have to anything, such as land, goods, or tenements, independent of another person’s permission.
Under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, property is defined as either the physical thing itself or some or all the rights in that thing.
Real property includes land and anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, fences, and fixtures like plumbing, lighting, or heating systems. This term is generally synonymous with immovable property.
Property can be transferred to other persons with or without conditions. Transfer of Property Act defines certain modes where transfer takes place by act of the parties that are enlisted as follows:
Property can be transferred to the other persons with or without certain conditions. Transfer of Property Act defines certain modes where transfer takes place by act of the parties that are enlisted as follows:
The transferor must be:
Unless a different intention is expressed or implied, a transferor of property passes to the transferee all the interest in the property which the transferor is, at the time of the transfer, capable of passing and the accessories or legal incidents which follow the said property shall also be passed on along with the principal property. For instance, if a house is sold, the easements annexed thereto shall also stand transferred.
Unless expressly required by law to be in writing, a transfer may be made orally.
Real property includes land and anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, fences, and fixtures like plumbing, lighting, or heating systems. This term is generally synonymous with immovable property.
A transfer can be made in favor of an unborn person by creation of prior interest in favor of living person subject to the condition that the transferor transfers his entire property to the said unborn person. The interest created in favor of the unborn person shall take effect and rest in the said person on birth only if he comes into existence before the termination of the last prior estate.
According to Transfer of Property Act 1882, "Sale is a transfer of ownership in exchange for a price paid or promised". Transfer by sale is effected by the following methods:
The seller is bound:
The buyer is bound to:
Buyer's liabilities after completion:
Section 58 of the Transfer of Property Act says that "A mortgage is the transfer of an interest in specific immovable property for the purpose of securing the payment of money advanced or to be advanced by way of loan, an existing or future debt, or the performance of an engagement which may give rise to a pecuniary liability."
The transfer of Property Act deals with mortgages of immovable property only, while the Contract Act, 1872 embodies the law as to pledges of movables. But a mortgage of movables is also recognized in Pakistan.
It is the right of the mortgagor, on tender at a proper time and place of the mortgage money, to require the mortgagee to deliver the mortgage deed to him, to deliver possession if it is given and to transfer the property to him.
According to Section 67 of the Transfer of Property Act foreclosure is the right of the mortgagee. By this remedy the mortgagor is directed by court to pay up the mortgage money within a certain period and it is decreed that if he fails to pay up the amount, the mortgagor would be absolutely debarred of his right to redeem the property. The result of such a foreclosure decree is that the mortgagor cannot claim back the property from the mortgagee, who becomes the owner of it. This doctrine is not applicable to the simple mortgage; it applies only in case of mortgage with conditional sale.
If the owner of two or more properties mortgages them to one person and then mortgages one or more of the properties to another person, the subsequent mortgagee is, in the absence of the contract to the contrary, entitled to have the prior mortgage-debt satisfied out of the property or properties not mortgaged to him, so far as the same will extend, but not so as to prejudice the rights of the prior mortgagee or of any other person who has for consideration acquired an interest in any of the properties.
Subrogation is the right to step into the shoes of another, to acquire all his rights and to enforce them in his own names. It means substitution. When a subsequent mortgagee pays off a prior mortgagee he is subrogated to the rights of the prior mortgagee.
In a charge there is no transfer of property but the creation of a right of payment out of property specified. In a mortgage there is a transfer of an interest. A mortgage therefore good against subsequent transferee while a charge is only good against subsequent transferee with notice.
Section 105 of the Transfer of Property Act defines lease. A lease is a transfer of a right to enjoy such property, made for a certain time, or in perpetuity, in consideration of a price paid or promised, or of money, a share of crops, service or any other thing of value, to be rendered periodically or on specified occasions to the transferor by the transferee, who accepts the transfer on such terms.
Periodic Lease
Perpetual Lease
Bemiadi Lease (without any term and period)
There are also other forms of leases but the important ones are mentioned above.
Distinguishing factor between "tenancy" and "lease"is not the mode of payment of rent but the period for which land is rented out by landlord. In case of "lease" fixed period is stipulated while in case of "tenancy" occupier holds land till the same is terminated expressly or by implication.
According to Section 107 of TPA a lease of immovable property from year to year, or for any term exceeding one year can be made only by a registered instrument. All other leases of immovable property may be made either by a registered instrument or by oral agreement accompanied by delivery of possession. (See details in the article named as "Leasing").
To put it briefly the liabilities of the lessor are:
The rights of lessee are:
A lease may be determined by:
After the determination of the lease:
When two persons mutually transfer the ownership of one thing for the ownership of another, neither thing or both things being money only, the transaction is called an "exchange".
On an exchange of money, each party thereby warrants the genuineness of the money given by him.
Section 122 of TPA defined the property as a transfer of certain existing movable or immovable property made voluntarily and without consideration, by one person, called the donor, to another, called the donee, and accepted by or on behalf of the donee.
Acceptance of the gift must be made during the life time of the donor and while he is still capable of giving. If the donee dies before acceptance, the gift is void.
For the purposes of making a gift of immovable property, the transfer must be effected by a registered instrument signed by or on behalf of the donor, and attested by at least two witnesses. For the purposes of making a gift of movable property, the transfer may be effected either by a registered instrument signed as aforesaid or by delivery. Such delivery may be made in the same way as goods sold may be delivered.
A gift comprising both existing and future property is void as to the latter.
Section 125 says that a gift of a thing to two or more donees, of whom one does not accept it, the gift is void to the extent of the share of the person who refuses it and the share reverts to the donor.
Where, with the consent, express or implied, of the persons interested in immovable property, a person is the ostensible owner of such property and transfers the same for consideration, the transfer shall not be voidable on the ground that the transferor was not authorized to make it.
Every transfer of immovable property made with intent to defeat or delay the creditors of the transferor shall be voidable at the option of any creditor so defeated or delayed. This rule does not impair the rights of a transferee in good faith and for consideration Every transfer of immovable property made without consideration with intent to defraud a subsequent transferee shall be voidable at the option of such transferee.
Where any person contracts to transfer for consideration any immovable property by writing signed by him or on his behalf from which the terms necessary to constitute the transfer can be ascertained with reasonable certainty, and the transferee has, in part performance of the contract, taken possession of the property or any part thereof, or the transferee, being already in possession, continues in possession in part performance of the contract and has done some act in furtherance of the contract, and the transferee has performed or is willing to perform his part of the contract, the transferor or any person claiming under him any right in respect of the property of which the transferee has taken or continued in possession, other than a right expressly provided by the terms of the contract.
The registration of transactions i.e. mortgage, sale, exchange, lease, gift etc. shall be made under Section 17 of the Registration Act 1908 if the value of the transaction is up to or more than Rs. 100. The documents have to be submitted to the Registrar after complying with all requirements of the Registration Act along with the prescribed registration fee. In the case of an assignment of a Mortgage the consideration for the deed of assignment shall be deemed to be the value for Registration.
Schedule I of Stamp Act 1899 prescribes stamp fee / duty which is to be charged on the documents.
Article 23 of the First Schedule of the Stamp Act prescribes the fixed stamp duty on conyances which also includes sale of movable and immovable property according to Section 2 (10) of the Stamp Act 1899.
Article 31 of the first schedule prescribes the stamp duty on the documents of exchanges.
Article 32 describes the further charge on mortgaged property and the duty imposed on such instruments.
Article 33 prescribes the stamp duty on the instruments of gifts.
Article 35 describes the stamp duty on the documents of lease.
Article 40 talks about the duty on mortgage deeds.