Is a 30+30+30-Year Property Lease in Thailand Guaranteed?

Concise answer

No. A 30+30+30-year property lease in Thailand does not ordinarily provide a guaranteed 90-year registered lease.

Under Section 540 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, an ordinary lease of immovable property may generally be registered for a maximum of 30 years per term. When Phuket property is marketed as “30+30+30,” the structure normally consists of:

1. An initial lease registered for up to 30 years.
2. A contractual promise, option or obligation concerning a second term.
3. A similar arrangement concerning a possible third term.

Only the first registered term is normally secured at the outset. Each later term would generally require a new lease and registration at the relevant Land Office.

Renewal provisions may still have contractual value, but their enforceability and practical reliability depend on factors including:

• Identity of the landowner
• Wording of the agreement
• Ownership of the land at renewal
• Transfer of renewal rights
• Cooperation of successors or future landowners
• Renewal price
• Compliance with Thai law
• Registration at the appropriate time

A foreign buyer should therefore distinguish between a registered property right and a future contractual promise.

The safer description is usually: a registered lease of up to 30 years, together with contractual renewal provisions. Buyers should not value or purchase the property as though all 90 years have already been registered and guaranteed.

Detailed explanation

1. The “30+30+30” description can be misleading

The expression suggests that the buyer receives one continuous 90-year property right.

That is generally not what is registered.

A typical arrangement contains:

• One registered 30-year lease
• An agreement to provide a second 30-year term
• An agreement to provide a third 30-year term

The distinction is critical because the initial term exists as a presently registered lease, while the additional terms depend on future events.

A buyer should ask the developer or seller:

How many years will actually be registered at the Land Office when I complete the purchase?

If the answer is 30 years, the property should not be evaluated as though an unconditional 90-year lease has already been obtained.

2. Thai law generally limits an ordinary property lease to 30 years

Section 540 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code provides that the duration of a lease of immovable property cannot generally exceed 30 years.

If a longer initial period is stated, the lease is ordinarily reduced to the lawful maximum.

The law permits the parties to renew a lease, but this does not mean that several future 30-year terms can automatically be registered as one 90-year interest at the beginning.

The practical structure is normally:

The later terms are potential future leases—not presently registered extensions of the first lease.

3. A long-term lease should be registered

Under Section 538 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, a lease of immovable property exceeding three years generally requires written evidence and registration to be enforceable beyond three years.

For a Phuket villa, condominium or residence intended to be leased for 30 years, the buyer should confirm that the lease will be registered against the correct title.

The registered information should identify:

• Legal landowner or unit owner
• Lessee
• Property being leased
• Title number
• Lease commencement date
• Lease expiry date
• Registered consideration
• Permitted use
• Material registered conditions

A private contract describing a 30-year lease does not provide the same protection if the lease is not properly registered.

4. Registration makes the first term fundamentally different

The initial registered lease is recorded against the relevant land or condominium title.

This provides the lessee with a legally recognisable right to occupy and use the property for the registered term, subject to the agreement and Thai law.

The second and third terms usually do not yet appear as completed leases on the title because they have not commenced or been registered.

They may exist only as:

• Renewal promises
• Options to renew
• Obligations to grant another lease
• Clauses in the sale agreement
• Provisions in a memorandum
• Developer assurances
• Side agreements
• Rights subject to conditions

The buyer should never assume that an unregistered future promise offers exactly the same protection as the presently registered lease.

5. A renewal clause is not necessarily worthless

A carefully prepared renewal provision can create meaningful contractual rights.

It may require the original landowner to:

• Offer a further lease
• Cooperate with registration
• Sign the required documents
• Maintain the agreed renewal price
• Recognise the buyer’s permitted successor
• Recognise an approved purchaser
• Avoid conduct that deliberately prevents renewal

If the contracting landowner refuses to comply, the lessee may have contractual remedies.

However, enforcing a contract can involve legal proceedings, delay, expense and uncertainty. That is different from already possessing a registered second term.

The strength of a renewal clause depends on who made the promise, what the clause requires and whether that party can perform the obligation when renewal becomes due.

6. The party promising renewal should own the property

A renewal promise is only as useful as the promisor’s authority and ability to provide the new lease.

The buyer should establish:

• Who currently owns the land or condominium
• Who signs the renewal agreement
• Whether the developer and landowner are the same entity
• Whether the signatory can legally bind the landowner
• Whether corporate approvals are required
• Whether the landowner will remain in existence
• Whether the land could be transferred before renewal

A promise from a marketing company, sales agent or developer that does not legally own the property may not be sufficient.

The true registered owner should be a party to the relevant agreement.

7. A future landowner may not be bound by every promise

Section 569 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code generally provides that a lease of immovable property is not extinguished merely because ownership of the property is transferred.

This can protect the existing registered lease term if the owner sells the land.

It does not necessarily mean that every separate promise made by the original landowner or developer will automatically bind the purchaser.

Potentially separate obligations include:

• Future lease renewals
• Fixed renewal prices
• Purchase options
• Guaranteed returns
• Rental-management commitments
• Maintenance obligations
• Transfer-fee waivers
• Developer buybacks
• Promised upgrades
• Complimentary services

The buyer’s lawyer should determine whether renewal rights are part of the lease, separately contractual, registered where possible and intended to bind lawful successors.

8. The landowner’s death can complicate renewal

A properly registered lease does not simply disappear because the original individual landowner dies.

However, the future renewal obligation may require cooperation from:

• The landowner’s estate
• Estate administrator
• Beneficiaries
• New registered owner
• Court-appointed representative

The buyer should investigate whether:

• The renewal obligation binds the landowner’s estate
• The agreement expressly addresses successors
• Beneficiaries must honour the renewal promise
• The lease can be renewed before estate administration is completed
• Multiple heirs might acquire interests in the land
• All required parties must sign the replacement lease

A renewal due during a complicated succession process may be difficult to register promptly, even where the buyer believes a contractual entitlement exists.

9. A company landowner presents different continuity risks

Many Phuket villa developments use a Thai company to own the land and grant leases to foreign buyers.

A company may provide continuity beyond the life of an individual shareholder, but it creates its own due-diligence requirements.

The buyer should review:

• Company registration
• Shareholding
• Director authority
• Signing powers
• Articles of association
• Financial standing
• Tax compliance
• Existing debts
• Land mortgages
• Share pledges
• Pending litigation
• Planned ownership changes
• Ability to grant future leases

If the company is dissolved, insolvent, sold or reorganised, its ability to perform future renewal obligations may be affected.

Corporate ownership should not be treated as an automatic guarantee.

10. The renewal price must be stated clearly

A renewal clause may promise another term without clearly determining the price.

Possible renewal arrangements include:

• Nominal rent
• Same rent as the original term
• Predetermined fixed amount
• Market rent at renewal
• Inflation-adjusted rent
• Percentage of land value
• Independent valuation
• New price negotiated by the parties
• Renewal fee plus Land Office expenses

A renewal “at a price to be agreed” creates significant uncertainty.

After 30 years, Phuket land values may be substantially different. A landowner may demand a large payment if the contract does not provide an enforceable calculation method.

The clause should explain:

• Renewal premium
• Annual rent, if applicable
• Valuation method
• Appointed valuer
• Reference date
• Treatment of improvements
• Registration fee allocation
• Taxes and stamp duty
• Payment schedule
• Dispute-resolution process

A renewal right without an ascertainable price may be commercially weaker than it first appears.

11. Conditions can prevent renewal

Renewal provisions may depend on the lessee satisfying specified conditions.

Common conditions include:

• No material lease default
• All estate fees paid
• Property properly maintained
• No unauthorised alterations
• Compliance with permitted use
• Timely renewal notice
• Payment of renewal consideration
• No unlawful rental activity
• Compliance with estate regulations
• Required insurance maintained

The buyer should distinguish between reasonable protective conditions and provisions that give the landowner excessive discretion.

A minor or technical breach should not automatically destroy a valuable renewal right without:

• Written notice
• Reasonable remedy period
• Clear evidence of default
• Proportionate consequences
• Appropriate dispute resolution

12. Renewal notice deadlines matter

The lessee may be required to exercise a renewal option within a specified period.

For example, the contract might require notice:

• 12 months before expiry
• 18 months before expiry
• Two years before expiry
• Within a designated renewal window

Failure to provide notice correctly could jeopardise the contractual right.

The agreement should state:

• Earliest permitted notice date
• Final notice deadline
• Required delivery method
• Approved recipient
• Required documents
• Whether email notice is sufficient
• Consequences of late notice
• Time allowed for registration

The owner and beneficiaries should retain a reliable record of these dates rather than expecting the landowner or developer to provide a reminder decades later.

13. Renewal rights should transfer to a purchaser

A foreign buyer may sell the property before the first 30-year term ends.

The resale value may depend heavily on whether the incoming buyer receives:

• Remaining registered lease term
• Right to request the second term
• Right to request the third term
• Same renewal price
• Same transfer rights
• Building ownership
• Estate and common-area rights

The documents should confirm whether renewal rights:

• Are transferable
• Pass automatically with an assignment
• Require landowner consent
• Require a replacement agreement
• Carry an assignment fee
• Are available only to the original lessee
• Pass to companies as well as individuals
• Continue following a resale

A renewal promise personal to the first purchaser may provide little assistance to a future buyer.

14. Assignment of the existing lease must also be permitted

Renewal rights are only part of resale planning.

Section 544 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code generally restricts a lessee from transferring lease rights or subletting unless the lease permits it.

The agreement should therefore address:

• Assignment of the registered lease
• Subleasing
• Landowner consent
• Conditions for consent
• Assignment fee
• Incoming buyer qualifications
• Registration cooperation
• Transfer of renewal rights
• Transfer of the villa building
• Transfer of furniture and equipment
• Estate-management membership
• Rental-management obligations

A lease that cannot be transferred freely may become difficult to sell regardless of its advertised renewal period.

15. The new buyer may receive only the remaining term

If an owner sells after ten years, the purchaser may acquire only approximately 20 years of the existing registered term.

A fresh 30-year lease is not automatic.

The resale could involve:

• Assignment of the remaining term
• Termination of the existing lease and grant of a new lease
• New 30-year registration
• New lease premium
• Landowner consent
• Developer administration fee
• Replacement renewal agreements

The buyer should not assume that every resale restarts the 30-year clock.

Before purchasing, the transaction documents should explain precisely what happens upon resale.

16. The original lease commencement date affects value

The commercial value of a leasehold property depends more on the remaining registered term than on the original marketing description.

For example:

Renewal promises may influence the price, but they should be evaluated separately.

A resale listing should disclose:

• Original registration date
• Current expiry date
• Remaining registered years
• Renewal wording
• Renewal price
• Assignment procedure
• Landowner consent requirements

Advertising the property only as “30+30+30 leasehold” does not provide enough information for a purchaser to assess its value.

17. A new lease may involve new costs

Even where renewal is available, it may not be free.

Potential expenses include:

• Renewal premium
• Registered rent
• Lease-registration fee
• Stamp duty
• Legal fees
• Translation expenses
• Landowner administration fee
• Estate transfer fee
• Valuation fee
• Outstanding common expenses
• Taxes arising from the structure

The agreement should determine who pays each cost.

The current government charges applicable at the time of renewal cannot necessarily be predicted decades in advance, but responsibility between the parties can still be addressed contractually.

18. The renewal must be registered against the correct title

A future lease should be registered by the legal owner against the correct land or condominium title.

Potential complications include:

• Land subdivision
• Title consolidation
• New title numbers
• Boundary adjustments
• Transfer of common roads
• Estate restructuring
• Condominium-title changes
• Mortgages registered after the original lease
• Partial land sales
• Replacement of the development company

The lease and renewal documents should contain accurate property descriptions and procedures for dealing with later title changes.

A promise applying vaguely to “the villa” may be insufficient if the underlying land is later divided or reorganised.

19. Mortgage priority can affect long-term security

The buyer should obtain a current title search and determine whether the land is mortgaged.

Important questions include:

• Was the mortgage registered before the lease?
• Does the lender acknowledge the lease?
• Is the lease subordinate to the mortgage?
• Can the landowner refinance?
• Is lender consent required?
• What happens if the mortgage is enforced?
• Does the renewal promise bind a purchaser following enforcement?
• Will the title be released from a project loan before registration?

A contract promising multiple future lease terms cannot eliminate the risk created by an earlier or superior registered security interest.

Mortgage position should be reviewed before the first substantial payment.

20. Building ownership should be protected separately

For a Phuket villa, the land lease and villa building may represent different legal interests.

A foreign buyer may lease the land while separately owning the villa structure.

The supporting documents may include:

• Registered land lease
• Villa sale agreement
• Construction agreement
• Building permit documentation
• Construction invoices
• Handover documents
• Registered superficies
• House registration records
• Access and utility agreements
• Estate-management agreement

A superficies can help protect the buyer’s right to own buildings, structures or plantations situated on land belonging to another person.

The superficies should be coordinated with the lease so that:

• Both cover the correct land
• Both commence appropriately
• Duration is compatible
• Transfer rights are coordinated
• Inheritance rights are addressed
• Expiry consequences are consistent

A promise to renew the land lease does not, by itself, resolve every issue concerning villa ownership.

21. Access and estate rights must continue during a renewed term

A replacement land lease is of limited value if essential supporting rights expire after the first term.

The buyer should confirm continued rights to:

• Estate roads
• Public-road access
• Electricity
• Water
• Drainage
• Internet
• Waste collection
• Security
• Parking
• Common facilities
• Landscaping
• Emergency access
• Utility maintenance

The duration and renewal provisions in the estate-management and access documents should support the intended lease period.

If the land lease is renewed but the access agreement is not, the property may become difficult to use or resell.

22. Rental-management agreements may not last as long as the lease

A 30+30+30 lease should not be confused with a guaranteed rental or management arrangement lasting for the same period.

Rental-management contracts may have much shorter terms, such as:

• Three years
• Five years
• Ten years
• Renewable operating periods
• Terminable management appointments

The buyer should separately investigate:

• Legal ability to rent the property
• Hotel licensing, where relevant
• Minimum-stay restrictions
• Management fees
• Owner-use limitations
• Guaranteed-return period
• Operator termination rights
• Replacement-operator procedure

A long contractual property structure does not guarantee uninterrupted rental operation or income.

23. A lease renewal is different from a lease extension

The words “renewal” and “extension” are frequently used interchangeably in property marketing, but they may have different practical implications.

A renewal usually contemplates a new lease term beginning after the previous term ends.

An extension may imply continuation of an existing arrangement, but it cannot be assumed that contractual terminology overrides the statutory maximum applicable to an ordinary registered lease.

The lawyer should determine:

• Whether a new agreement is required
• Whether new registration is required
• Whether new consideration is payable
• Whether existing conditions continue
• Whether rights have to be recreated
• Whether third-party consent is needed

The label used in a brochure does not determine the legal result.

24. “Automatic renewal” should not be taken literally

A contract may state that renewal is automatic.

The buyer should still determine:

• Who signs the future Land Office documents
• Who owns the property at that time
• Whether new registration is required
• Whether conditions must be satisfied
• Whether notice must be given
• Whether additional consideration is payable
• What happens if the owner refuses to attend
• Whether heirs and successors are bound
• Whether the property remains legally available for lease

A clause cannot physically register a new lease decades later without the required legal process and cooperation.

The word “automatic” should therefore be tested against the actual registration procedure.

25. “Guaranteed renewal” is a commercial claim, not the legal analysis

A developer may confidently describe renewals as guaranteed.

The buyer should ask what legally supports that statement.

Potential supporting measures may include:

• Landowner as direct contracting party
• Clear renewal obligation
• Defined renewal price
• Successor-binding language
• Transferable renewal rights
• Advance corporate approvals
• Registered supporting rights
• Restrictions on disposal of the land
• Remedies for refusal
• Security supporting performance

Even with strong documents, a future promise is not identical to a presently registered property interest.

The correct question is not simply whether the developer uses the word “guaranteed.” It is whether the buyer has an enforceable, transferable and commercially realistic path to registration of the next term.

26. Marketing materials should match the legal documents

Buyers should compare statements made in:

• Website listings
• Brochures
• Price lists
• Reservation agreements
• Sales presentations
• Email correspondence
• Purchase agreements
• Registered lease
• Renewal memorandum
• Estate rules

Warning signs include:

• Brochure promises 90 years but contract registers only 30
• Renewal price is omitted
• Developer promises renewal but does not own the land
• Renewal is described as automatic but requires discretionary consent
• Rights apply only to the original purchaser
• Transfer fees are not disclosed
• Building ownership is unclear
• Lease expiry consequences are missing

The signed and registered legal structure matters more than the marketing description.

27. Leasehold value should reflect legal certainty

A leasehold property can still be an attractive purchase when it is well located, properly documented and appropriately priced.

Potential advantages include:

• Access to villas foreigners cannot otherwise acquire with direct land ownership
• Prime beachfront or resort locations
• Lower entry cost than comparable freehold property
• Professional estate management
• Defined medium- or long-term lifestyle use
• Rental potential during the registered term
• Separate ownership of the villa building

However, price should reflect:

• Remaining registered term
• Quality of renewal provisions
• Renewal cost
• Transferability
• Resale restrictions
• Building ownership
• Mortgage priority
• Landowner strength
• Expiry outcome
• Market demand for ageing leasehold interests

A 30-year registered lease with two future promises should not automatically be valued as a completed 90-year property right.

28. Buyers should calculate their likely holding period

A buyer’s age, family objectives and intended holding period can influence whether the structure is commercially suitable.

For example:

• A buyer seeking a ten-year holiday home may place greater emphasis on current enjoyment and resale within the first term.
• A younger buyer planning multi-generational ownership may require stronger renewal and inheritance provisions.
• An investor may focus on remaining term at the expected resale date.
• A retiree may prioritise secure lifetime occupation and succession arrangements.
• A family may require coordinated rights for a spouse and children.

The legal structure should match the buyer’s realistic objective rather than a theoretical maximum duration.

29. Inheritance provisions require special attention

The buyer should not assume that the registered lease and all renewal rights will automatically pass to beneficiaries.

The documents and estate plan should address:

• Effect of the lessee’s death
• Continuation of the registered term
• Identity of permitted beneficiaries
• Transfer of renewal rights
• Landowner consent
• Ownership of the villa building
• Estate administrator authority
• Sale during estate administration
• Estate fees
• Responsibility for common expenses
• Exercise of renewal options during probate

A coordinated Thai will should identify:

• Registered lease
• Villa building
• Superficies
• Furniture and equipment
• Renewal rights
• Estate-management rights
• Beneficiary
• Estate administrator

The lease, building ownership and contractual renewal rights should ideally pass to compatible beneficiaries.

30. Independent legal review should occur before payment

The buyer’s independent Thai property lawyer should review the proposed lease structure before a substantial reservation payment, deposit or construction payment becomes non-refundable.

The review should confirm:

• Legal landowner
• Validity of title
• Existing encumbrances
• Authority of each contracting party
• Registered initial lease term
• Lease commencement date
• Renewal wording
• Renewal price
• Renewal conditions
• Transferability
• Assignment fee
• Inheritance provisions
• Successor obligations
• Building ownership
• Superficies
• Access and utility rights
• Estate-management obligations
• Mortgage priority
• Default remedies
• Expiry consequences
• Registration expenses
• Resale procedure

The lawyer should explain separately which rights are:

• Registered now
• Contractual now
• Conditional
• Renewable
• Transferable
• Inheritable
• Dependent on future cooperation
• Dependent on Land Office registration

30+30+30 lease comparison

Practical buyer checklist

A foreign buyer considering a 30+30+30-year Phuket property lease should:

1. Confirm how many years will be registered immediately.
2. Obtain a current copy of the land or condominium title.
3. Verify the true legal owner.
4. Confirm that the landowner signs the renewal agreement.
5. Review existing mortgages and encumbrances.
6. Check the initial lease commencement and expiry dates.
7. Separate registered rights from contractual promises.
8. Confirm the renewal price or calculation method.
9. Identify all conditions affecting renewal.
10. Record the renewal-notice deadline.
11. Confirm that renewal rights bind appropriate successors where legally possible.
12. Confirm that renewal rights transfer upon resale.
13. Confirm that the existing lease can be assigned.
14. Identify landowner consent requirements.
15. Calculate transfer and assignment fees.
16. Verify whether a purchaser receives a new term or only the remaining term.
17. Establish ownership of the villa building.
18. Coordinate the lease with a registered superficies where appropriate.
19. Protect access, utilities and estate services.
20. Review mortgage priority.
21. Confirm inheritance provisions.
22. Prepare a coordinated Thai will.
23. Establish what happens when the final registered term expires.
24. Preserve signed, registered and payment documents.
25. Obtain independent Thai legal advice before signing or transferring substantial funds.

Greg’s professional perspective

A 30+30+30 lease is one of the most misunderstood structures in Phuket property.

It can provide a practical route for a foreign buyer to acquire and enjoy a private pool villa, but it should be explained honestly: the buyer normally receives one registered lease of up to 30 years, supported by contractual provisions concerning later renewals.

That does not make every leasehold property unsafe. It means the quality of the documentation, landowner and commercial terms genuinely matters.

Before recommending a leasehold property, I want six questions answered:

1. Who owns the land?
2. What term will be registered now?
3. Who is legally promising the renewals?
4. What will each renewal cost?
5. Can the lease and renewal rights be transferred or inherited?
6. What happens if the next term cannot be registered?

A buyer should also consider how long they realistically intend to own the property. A secure, transferable and properly priced 30-year interest may meet a buyer’s objectives very well. A vaguely drafted “90-year guarantee” may not.

The right approach is to value the property according to the rights the buyer can prove—not simply the years printed in the brochure.

Phuket Realtor helps international buyers examine the complete structure before they commit. That is how buyers Invest with Confidence.

Applicable date

Current as reviewed on: 27 July 2026

Thai property law, Land Office procedures, lease-registration practices and judicial interpretations may change. This entry should be reviewed following relevant legislation, new Department of Lands guidance or significant Thai court decisions concerning long-term leases and renewal arrangements.

Location and property types

Location: Phuket, Thailand
Primary property types: Private pool villas, houses, leasehold condominiums, apartments, branded residences and resort properties
Ownership type: Registered leasehold with contractual renewal provisions
Buyer type: Foreign property buyers, investors, retirees, holiday-home purchasers, beneficiaries and resale buyers

Verified legal and authoritative sources

• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Section 1299 — registration principles affecting immovable property and real rights created through legal transactions.
• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Section 538 — leases exceeding three years generally require written evidence and registration to be enforceable beyond three years.
• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Section 540 — an ordinary lease of immovable property generally cannot exceed 30 years; renewal is permitted subject to the applicable law.
• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Section 544 — addresses restrictions on subletting and transferring lease rights unless permitted by the lease.
• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Section 569 — provides that a lease of immovable property is not extinguished merely because ownership of the property is transferred.
• Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Sections 1410–1416 — govern superficies and are relevant where a foreign villa buyer owns a building situated on leased land.
• FAOLEX reproduction of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code — legal reference containing Thailand’s statutory lease and superficies provisions.
• Department of Lands: official Land Code publication — official publication of Thailand’s principal land legislation.
• Department of Lands: information concerning land ownership by foreigners — official information concerning foreign land restrictions.
• Department of Lands: public guide concerning registration of encumbrances over immovable property — official registration guidance relevant to property rights and encumbrances.
• Phuket Provincial Land Office — responsible for registering qualifying Phuket leases, superficies and related property transactions.
• Courts of Justice — responsible for determining disputed contractual, property, succession and registration claims.

Related questions

• What is the difference between leasehold and freehold property in Phuket?
• How long can a property lease last in Thailand?
• Can a foreigner lease land in Thailand?
• Is a 90-year lease legal in Thailand?
• Can a Phuket land lease be renewed?
• Can a leasehold villa be resold?
• Does a resale buyer receive a new 30-year lease?
• Can a property lease be inherited in Thailand?
• What happens if the landowner dies?
• What happens if leased land is sold?
• What happens when a Thai property lease expires?
• Can a foreigner own the villa building on leased land?
• What is a superficies?
• Can a landowner mortgage leased land?
• What is the safest villa ownership structure for a foreign buyer?
• Should a foreign villa owner prepare a Thai will?

Knowledge-catalog administration

Disclaimer

This entry provides general educational information and does not constitute legal, property, succession, tax, investment or financial advice. The enforceability and value of a lease or renewal provision depend on the title, registration, contracting parties, wording, consideration, encumbrances, assignment rights, succession arrangements and facts of the transaction. Buyers should obtain case-specific advice from a qualified independent Thai property lawyer before signing agreements or transferring funds.