Title:
TITLE DEEDS SURVEY: CASE OF CHEGUTU MUNICIPALITY, ZIMBABWE

Authors:
Doctor Nyarayi Jenipher Makamba, Zimbabwe

Abstract:
The purpose of the survey was to establish whether home owners had title deeds to residential properties that they own. The research was motivated by the observation that in most urban local authorities in Zimbabwe, homeowners are facing challenges in obtaining tenure documents such as title deeds. A survey of four hundred high density houses, two hundred middle density and two hundred low density houses was carried out. Systematic sampling was used to select the target population. A purposive sample was used where two council officials responsible for processing of tenure documents, one town planner, one private developer and an executive of Chegutu Consortium housing cooperative were interviewed. Document analysis was done to compare housing records with findings of the survey. The survey found that 98% of homeowners in old suburbs in Chegutu do not have title deeds to their properties. 76 % of residents in the low density and 100% in the medium density do not have title deeds to their properties. The study recommends that the government compels the surveyor general to carry out an exercise to ensure that all old suburbs are title surveyed. Local Authorities should seriously consider initiating title deeds processing on all paid up properties. Further research can be done on all properties in Chegutu Municipality to verify findings from this survey.