He Built Without a Survey and Now He’s in Court: A Costly Real Estate Mistake

When Mr. Adedeji bought a piece of land on the outskirts of Ibadan, he was excited. It felt like a dream come true. A local agent had told him, “This land is hot cake. If you don’t buy it now, someone else will.” Out of excitement — and a little pressure — he paid immediately and started building without doing a proper land survey.

“I Thought I Was Saving Money”

Adedeji believed skipping the ₦150,000 survey fee was no big deal. “The land looked legit, and they even gave me a receipt,” he said. “Besides, I needed to start my house before prices went up.”

So he went ahead, laid foundation, and was halfway through his 3-bedroom bungalow when the drama began.

Then Came the Real Owner…

One Friday morning, a new group of people arrived on-site and halted all construction. “This land belongs to our family,” one of them said. “Your building is sitting on our boundary.”
It turns out, the land agent had sold him land that overlapped another person’s boundary — something a proper land survey would’ve revealed immediately.

He Was Dragged to Court

What followed was a long legal battle. The other party sued him for trespass, and because he had no survey plan, registered documents, or beacon numbers, he had no solid defence. The only thing he had? A vague receipt with no coordinates and no official approval.

Now, his building is on hold — and worse, he might lose it altogether.

LESSON: Always Do a Land Survey First!

A land survey is not just about knowing where your land starts and ends. It helps you:

• Verify true ownership and coordinates

• Avoid boundary disputes

• Detect if it’s government land or under acquisition

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• Ensure it’s not part of someone else’s property

Skipping it can cost you your entire building — and your peace of mind.

Your Action Step:

Before you lay even one block, ask your real estate company or surveyor to give you:

• A Registered Survey Plan

• Proper beacon numbers

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• Official documentation can verify at the Surveyor General’s Office

If you’re buying land in Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, or Imo and want help verifying the documents or survey status, I can assist. Just reach out via WhatsApp or the contact form on this blog.

Don’t build your dream home on uncertainty.
Build on solid ground — with a solid survey.