Woman loses thousands in phony land deal

A woman who leased a plot of land in Clarendon last June said she cannot build on it because the alleged owner will not give her a letter proving she paid for it.

Judith Webb, 33, told The STAR that after she leased the land, she started to dig the foundation and buy materials.

"All me need is some more financial help, so when I went back to him for a letter to be drafted in front of a JP (Justice of the Peace), he denied to do so," she said.

She said that the aim of the letter was to prove that she did indeed lease the land, in order to get a loan.

Webb stated that the agreed lease was $25,000 for only one year which would end this June.

But a friend told her that in order not to lose her home, she had to have an agreement for about a 10-year time period.

"When I asked someone who had more understanding they told me that if I don't get a lease for at least five to 10 years, there was a possibility that I could get notice at the end of the lease and I would have to remove the house or leave it," she said.

Thorough investigation

Webb said that because she does not have the letter, she cannot finish the house. She also said persons in the community told her the land is not owned by the persons she did business with.

Kereon Francis, a representative of the Jamaica Land Agency, cautioned persons against ending up like Webb.

"Anything that you are doing where money is involved, you need to do a thorough investigation before you pay over your money," said.

Francis told The STAR that persons who find themselves in need of a land to lease can go to any land agency and do a check to see if the persons leasing or selling the land are the actual owners.

"Right now to do a check is only $800. It is not hard to do a check," she said.