Warning signs and scams: securing your property purchase in Djerba

Buying a house or a plot of land in Djerba is an exciting project. It is also a major purchase, often prepared from abroad, in a country whose rules you may not know well. The vast majority of sales go smoothly. Problems rarely come from a spectacular scam: they usually stem from a forgotten check, a deposit paid too quickly or a missing document. Here are the warning signs we see on the ground, and the simple habits that will help you secure your purchase.

What are the most common warning signs?

Some behaviour should make you slow down, without necessarily walking away:

• A seller in a great hurry who pushes you to "reserve" the property today, at a price supposedly valid for only a few days.
• A request for cash payment, or for payment into an account that is not in the owner's name.
• A deposit requested without a written document, or against a simple handwritten receipt.
• Papers you are not allowed to see: the title deed is "with a cousin", the copy is illegible, you will be shown it "later".
• A price well below comparable properties, with no clear explanation.
• An intermediary who objects to you using your own notary or lawyer, or imposes theirs without giving you a choice.
• The claim that "no authorisation is needed" for a foreign buyer.

None of these signs proves fraud on its own. But each one deserves a question, and a written answer.

How can you check that the seller really is the owner?

This is the first and most important check. In Djerba, as elsewhere in Tunisia, favour a registered property, meaning one with a title deed recorded at the Land Registry (Conservation de la propriété foncière). Your notary or lawyer can obtain a recent extract and check:

• the registered owner or owners and their exact identity;
• any mortgages or other entries against the property;
• the surface area and boundaries;
• any easements (rights of way, utility networks…).

Undivided inheritances are common on the island: a family house may belong to several brothers, sisters or cousins, some of whom live abroad. All the heirs must sign. A seller who "represents the family" without a proper power of attorney is not enough.

For an unregistered property, sold on the basis of an "acte arabe", the risks are higher: the ownership history is harder to trace. It is not necessarily ruled out, but you must have the file checked by a lawyer before committing to anything.

Why can a cheap plot of land hide a problem?

A plot advertised for much less than its neighbours should catch your attention. The first question is its designated use: is it in a building zone under the development plan, or classified as agricultural? Agricultural land cannot be bought by foreigners, and in any case you cannot build on it freely.

Ask for the applicable urban development plan and a land-use certificate. Also check access (a proper road, not a path merely tolerated by a neighbour) and how close the water and electricity networks are. Our guide buying land in Djerba covers these points in detail.

Should you pay a deposit before signing?

Wanting to reserve a property is normal, but never in just any way. The rules of caution are simple:

• No deposit without a written preliminary agreement (promesse de vente) drafted by a professional, setting out the property, the price, the conditions and what happens to the deposit if the sale falls through.
• Never pay cash without a deed. Every payment must leave a trace.
• Go through the bank. For a non-resident foreign buyer, the price is paid with imported foreign currency converted into dinars by a Tunisian bank, which issues the exchange documents. Keep all of them: you will need them when you sell and request the transfer of the proceeds abroad. See our article paying for your property from abroad.

Why be wary of a "quick" sale when you are a foreigner?

A foreigner buying property in Tunisia must in principle obtain the prior authorisation of the governor of the governorate where the property is located; for Djerba, that is the governorate of Medenine. The deed of sale can only be signed and registered with this authorisation; without it, the sale is exposed to being declared void. The process can take several months, and the timeframe is not guaranteed.

So be wary of anyone offering to "get around" this step, for example by buying through a nominee, or asking you to pay the full price before the authorisation is granted. Special regimes exist: your notary will check your situation. Tunisians living abroad buy just like Tunisians. Everything is explained in our article buying in Djerba as a foreigner.

What should you check on a finished house or one still being completed?

Beyond the ownership papers, a house must be compliant. Ask for the building permit and check that what exists matches what was authorised (an added storey, a pool, an annexe…). For a house still being completed, establish what remains to be done and who will do it: taking over a building site should be costed by a professional, not on a verbal estimate.

If possible, visit at different times of day and bring someone to assess the real condition: damp, cracks, roof-terrace waterproofing, electrical installation, the state of the pool and its plant room. Our construction management service can help you assess finishing or renovation work.

What is the role of each party?

A secure purchase relies on several complementary checks:

• The notary or lawyer drafting the deed checks the title, the sellers' capacity and the authorisations, calculates the duties and drafts the deed. You can choose your own.
• The bank handles the payment and issues the exchange documents.
• The estate agency presents properties, organises viewings, gathers the available documents and points you to the right professionals. It does not replace the notary or lawyer.

Finally, think about the overall budget: registration duties, land registry fee, professional fees, stamp duty. Our article on purchase costs in Tunisia helps you anticipate them; have your notary calculate the exact amount before you sign.

This information is general and dated November 2026; rules change, so have your own case checked by a Tunisian notary or lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Is a handwritten receipt enough for a deposit?

No. Insist on a written preliminary agreement drafted by a professional, and pay through a bank.

Can I buy a property without a title deed?

It can happen, but the risk is higher. Have the file checked by a lawyer before committing to anything.

What if only one heir wants to sell?

All the heirs must sign, in person or through a representative holding a valid power of attorney. Until then, do not pay anything.

Can a Tunisian relative buy on my behalf?

Such an arrangement would expose you to significant legal risk. Do not commit without advice from a notary or lawyer.

How do I know whether a plot is buildable?

Ask for the urban development plan and a land-use certificate, and have your notary examine them.

Sources: Legal Doctrine, "The acquisition of property by foreigners in Tunisia" (April 2024, in French); Idaraty, the official portal for administrative procedures; text of Central Bank of Tunisia circular no. 2018-14 (foreign-currency investment by non-residents).

A question about your project? Contact the MY VILLA RISE front desk on +216 99 573 082 (phone and WhatsApp) or at contact@myvillarise.com, or through our contact page.