Arrears and clearance before sale

What does clearance look like in practical terms?

It is not one universal certificate. For a particular transaction, it is a list of open points: tax and records, utility account data, management payments, repairs, deposits, agreements and access. Each line has its own source and responsible party.

The short answer

First build a line-item register, then request records and record the date through which they are current. Do not look for one perfect ‘no debt’ sheet. Where a certificate does not exist or does not cover the period after its date, retain the point as open and agree how it will be resolved in settlement or handover.

1. Separate payments before calling them arrears

One working sheet should separate taxes and related records, utilities, management, repairs, rent/deposits where relevant, and payments created by the transaction itself. Not every line exists for every asset — which is why one universal ‘debt’ figure misleads.

For every line, record source, period, document, the person explaining it and its closure method. A blank cell is not zero; it is a request.

2. Every confirmation has a date

Ask through which date a statement, receipt or manager letter is current. A new period may arise between that date and settlement. This is not an accusation of the seller; it is the ordinary boundary of a document.

Agree separately what happens with costs that arise before handover but become known later. Do not invent a universal rule: the parties record it for their transaction.

3. An official process is a reason to retain evidence

Badung publishes a procedure for BPHTB document-file verification: the list includes transaction-payment evidence and statements from the parties. It does not confirm a particular asset is clear of every obligation. It does show that documents and payment evidence matter to part of the process.

PLN publishes customer-data and service-channel information. For an asset, this does not mean ‘all electricity is cleared’; it means requesting current customer-account data, period and provider procedure for transfer or data update.

4. Closing a line and transferring access are different events

A receipt can support payment but not transfer access to an account, instructions, contacts or maintenance history. Make a separate handover list: keys, customer-account data, manager contacts, equipment, unresolved reports and response date.

If the asset is in a scheme, request separately what relates to the common part. Do not transfer a seller's responsibility to a manager or vice versa — name the boundary first.

Decision steps

1. Build the register

   Separate tax, utility data, management, repairs, agreements and handover.

2. Request evidence

   For each line, record source, period, document and responsible party.

3. Set a cut-off date

   Do not treat confirmation as permanent; mark which period it covers.

4. Agree open points

   Define how an open line will be resolved before settlement or after handover.

5. Transfer access

   Record separately the keys, data and contacts required by the new owner.

What to check

FAQ

Sources

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