Bali property advisory. On your side of the table.
Land due diligence, contracts, notary coordination, and post-purchase permits. We are not brokers. We take no commission from any sale.
Three legal ways in.
Foreigners cannot hold freehold (Hak Milik) in Indonesia. Nominee arrangements are illegal under Article 33 of the Basic Agrarian Law and unenforceable in court. That leaves three legal routes, each fitting a different intent.
Leasehold (Hak Sewa)
A long-term lease with an Indonesian landowner, typically 25 to 30 years with extension options negotiated at the start. Held personally by the foreigner, no company required.
No PT PMA needed to hold the lease
Land continues to be owned by the Indonesian landowner
Extension mechanics need to be locked in the original agreement
Sublease or transfer rights vary by the contract you sign
Best for
Personal residences, buy-and-hold where a finite horizon is acceptable, and buyers who do not want the ongoing overhead of a PT PMA.
Hak Pakai (Right of Use)
A registered title held personally by a foreigner who holds a valid KITAS or KITAP. Initial 30 years, extendable to 20 more, and renewable to a further 30. Meaningful long-term certainty for personal use.
Registered title at the National Land Office (BPN)
Requires the foreigner to hold KITAS or KITAP throughout
Intended for the foreigner own use, not commercial letting
Ends if residency status lapses without transfer arranged
HGB via PT PMA
The commercial route: a PT PMA holds Hak Guna Bangunan (Right to Build) on the land. Initial 30 years, extendable to 20 more, renewable to a further 30. Owned by the company, which is owned by the foreign shareholders.
Requires an operational PT PMA with the right KBLI
Registered HGB title in the company name at BPN
Company pays ongoing compliance: LKPM, tax, filings
Cleanest structure for renting the property commercially
Best for
Developments, mixed-use projects, and any activity where the property will operate as a commercial asset.
Due Diligence, contracts, notary, transfer, permits.
01 Land due diligence
Full due diligence across title chain, current certificate (SHM, HGB, HP, Girik), zoning under RDTR, PBG and SLF status, land tax position, encumbrances (mortgages, liens), disputes and pending litigation, physical boundary against certificate, and environmental factors. Delivered as a written report you keep on file.
02 Contract drafting and review
Leasehold agreements, sale-purchase agreements (PPJB), cooperation agreements between landowner and developer, powers of attorney, addendums. Drafted bilingual Indonesian and English side by side as standard, not on request.
03 Notary and PPAT coordination
Working relationship with notaries and PPATs (Land Deed Officials) across Bali. We prepare notarial deed drafts, coordinate the signing, and attend where the transaction warrants it. We are not the notary, we work alongside them on your behalf.
04 Transfer execution
PPJB (preliminary sale agreement) drafted and signed, AJB (final deed of sale) executed at the PPAT, transfer of title recorded at the National Land Office (BPN). Transfer taxes calculated and paid, receipts filed.
05 Post-transfer permits
PBG (building approval) for any construction or repurposing, SLF (safety certificate) confirming compliance, land tax registration (SPPT PBB), and any sector-specific permits the intended use requires.
06 Sale-side representation
Exit-side work: preparing property for sale, responding to buyer due diligence, drafting sale-side contracts, transfer taxes, notary coordination, clean handover documentation. Same rigor as we bring to the buy side.
07 Dispute and defect handling
Post-purchase problems: undisclosed encumbrances discovered later, boundary disputes, defective construction, tenant issues, breach of leasehold covenants. We assess, negotiate, and litigate through partner counsel where necessary.
What our Due Diligence actually checks.
Every due diligence file we deliver covers these four areas at minimum. Findings are colour-coded (clear, caution, deal-blocker) so decisions can be made without reading forty pages first.
Title & certificate
Chain of title tracked back through prior owners, current certificate authenticated at the National Land Office (BPN), certificate class confirmed against intended use (SHM, HGB, HP, or unregistered Girik), boundary consistency between certificate and physical land.
Zoning & spatial plan
Land use classification under the RDTR spatial plan, KKPR conformity for the intended activity, restrictions specific to Bali including provincial and regency directives, and tourism zone status where the intended use requires it.
Permits & tax position
PBG status (issued, pending, absent), SLF status where the building exists, outstanding land tax (PBB), unpaid utility charges, sector-specific permit gaps that would block operation.
Encumbrances & disputes
Registered mortgages and liens, active litigation involving the land, informal claims and boundary disputes, prior charges that were paid off but not cleared from the certificate, disputes over inheritance in the ownership chain.
Three sides of the same table.
Buying in your own name
First-time Bali buyers picking between leasehold and Hak Pakai. Retirees, remote workers with residency, families relocating. Full due diligence, clean contracts, notary coordination, and no pressure to structure for something you are not planning to do.
PMA-held HGB
PMA-held HGB acquisitions for developments, mixed-use projects and land banks. Cooperation agreements between landowner and developer, off-plan structures, phased land assembly, and the full permit sequence from KKPR through PBG to SLF.
The other side of the deal
Exit-side representation: preparing property for sale, responding to buyer due diligence, drafting sale-side contracts, transfer taxes handled, notary coordination, clean handover documentation. Same rigor as the buy side.
Four steps from scope to signed.
Initial scope
Understand your intent (own use, buy-to-let, develop), the target property, the route (leasehold, Hak Pakai, HGB via PMA), and what specifically needs verifying. A scope note comes back with what our due diligence will cover.
Due diligence
Full due diligence file: title chain, zoning, permits, taxes, encumbrances, physical inspection where feasible. Delivered as a written report with colour-coded findings so decisions do not require reading forty pages first.
Contract and signing
Draft or review the leasehold, PPJB, or sale-purchase agreement bilingual as standard. Coordinate with the notary and PPAT. Attend the signing, execute AJB, record the transfer at BPN.
Post-transfer
Register the transfer, secure PBG and SLF where the property will be developed, register for tourism licences if the property will operate commercially, and hand you a closed file with everything in one place.
Advisor, not agent. On your side, only.
Advisor, not agent
We are not brokers. We take no commission from any sale, developer, or landowner. Not on the seller side, not on the developer side. On your side, only. Fixed fee, disclosed upfront.
Bilingual documentation
Indonesian and English side by side on every contract, POA, and deed we draft. Not translations after the fact; drafted in parallel from the start so you always see both languages of what you are signing.
Notary and BPN network
Working relationships with notaries, PPATs, and Land Office contacts across Bali. We know which desk to go to for which registration, and we know how long each step actually takes.
Practitioner-led Due Diligence
Every due diligence file is personally handled or supervised by Reda. Not delegated to a junior runner who calls the notary and copies what they said. This is the technical work that carries the risk, so the senior person does it.
What buyers ask before they sign.
What is the difference between Leasehold, Hak Pakai, and HGB?
Leasehold (Hak Sewa) is a contractual right, a long-term lease from the Indonesian landowner. Hak Pakai is a registered title held personally by a foreigner with KITAS or KITAP, intended for personal use. HGB (Hak Guna Bangunan) is a registered title held by a company (typically a PT PMA), intended for commercial use. Each has different holders, different terms, and fits different intents.
Can I use a nominee to own freehold land in Bali?
No. Article 33 of the Basic Agrarian Law prohibits foreign ownership of Hak Milik and voids any arrangement where an Indonesian holds land on behalf of a foreigner. Nominee agreements are unenforceable in court and expose both parties to serious downside. This is not a grey area. Do not do it.
What does a proper land due diligence actually cover?
Title chain traced back through prior owners, current certificate authenticated at BPN, zoning and RDTR conformity, PBG and SLF status, land tax position, registered encumbrances, active disputes, physical boundary against certificate, and environmental factors. Findings colour-coded (clear, caution, deal-blocker) so decisions can be made without reading the full report first.
Do you help me find a property?
No. We are not brokers, we do not have listings, and we take no commission from any sale. Once you have identified a property yourself, or through an agent you have chosen, we handle the due diligence, contracts, and transfer. That separation is what keeps our advice honest.
How long does a leasehold due diligence typically take?
For a straightforward leasehold in a well-titled area, two to three weeks from the moment we receive the target property documents. More complex situations (unregistered Girik land, inheritance chain gaps, disputed boundaries) take longer because the due diligence is the point at which those issues surface.
Can you handle the notary side too?
We coordinate with the notary or PPAT throughout, but the notary is a separate independent role that we do not replace. We prepare the deed drafts, arrange the signing, and attend where the transaction warrants it. If you do not have a notary, we introduce one from our working network.
What happens if the due diligence uncovers problems?
Depends on the problem. Some things are fixable before signing (unpaid land tax, missing SLF), some things require renegotiation of the price or terms, and some things are deal-blockers that end the transaction. The due diligence report tells you which of the three, and what to do next in each case.
Can you represent me if I am buying remotely?
Yes. This is a large share of our work. Bilingual POAs prepared for the buyer to sign at their home consulate or notary, due diligence delivered by video walkthrough where the buyer wants it, signing attended on your behalf under the POA, transfer recorded, and a complete file delivered by end. You never need to fly in unless you want to.
The conversation happens in the language you think in.
Talk to us before you commit.
A first conversation costs nothing and usually saves more than it costs. Tell us what you are planning; we will tell you straight what it takes.