Residents holding housing agreements issued by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) have been urged to understand that these documents are not title deeds and do not confer the same level of legal ownership as property registered through the Deeds Office.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the Government’s title deeds validation, securitisation and digitisation programme, which has sparked widespread discussion among homeowners, legal practitioners and property owners across Zimbabwe.
The programme, being implemented under Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025, requires holders of existing title deeds to have them validated and converted into a digitised and securitised format within a specified period.
Government says the initiative is aimed at reducing fraud, preventing duplication of title deeds and modernising the country’s land administration system. According to the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the exercise seeks to strengthen the integrity of the Deeds Registry by ensuring that all property records are verified and securely digitised.
Speaking during a community engagement meeting, Mpopoma Housing Officer Mpofu said many residents, particularly elderly homeowners, mistakenly believe that the agreements issued by council are title deeds.
“I want the elderly to understand that the house certificates we received from council are not title deeds. They are agreements between you and the council confirming that a house was built for you on a particular stand and piece of land at an agreed value,” said Mpofu.
“The agreement indicates details such as the size of the land on which your house is situated, but it is not a title deed.”
Mpofu explained that title deeds offer a higher level of ownership because they are registered with the Government’s Deeds Registry.
“When we talk about title deeds, we are referring to property that has been registered with the Government to confirm ownership of both the land and the house. It is registered at the Deeds Office and the owner is issued with a certificate that carries more legal weight than a council agreement,” she said.
She said council agreements become obsolete once title deeds have been issued because title deeds are the superior legal document.
“The council agreement is cancelled because it is less powerful than a title deed,” she said.
Mpofu said the Government’s ongoing digitisation programme would also affect title deeds as authorities move away from paper-based records.
“The Government issued a directive last year stating that everything needs to be digitised, just as has happened with passports. Even those who already have title deeds will have them digitised to reduce theft and fraud,” she said.
“If information is captured in the system, it will immediately show who owns a property without the need to produce paper documents. The intention is to eliminate reliance on paper records.”
Mpofu encouraged residents interested in obtaining title deeds to approach the Housing Office to begin the application process.
“For those without title deeds who would like to obtain them, they can write to the Housing Office expressing their intention to be registered. We can then check whether the property has any outstanding debt,” she said.
She explained that applicants whose properties have no outstanding debts are required to submit detailed applications outlining the condition of their homes and any improvements made over the years.
“You need to indicate how many rooms the house originally had, whether you have installed tiles, extended the structure or made any other improvements. All of that information is required,” said Mpofu.
Applicants are currently required to pay a processing fee of US$24.50 before their applications can be considered.
Residents must also surrender their council agreements once title deeds have been issued.
“You surrender your agreement because, as I have indicated, it becomes inferior to the title deed. If you wish to keep a copy for your records, you may photocopy it, but it will no longer be valid once title deeds have been issued,” she said.
Mpofu explained that after the Housing Office processes an application, the documents are referred to council lawyers and subsequently to legal practitioners responsible for registering the title deeds with the Deeds Office.
“After paying the required fees and completing the registration process, residents will be called to collect their title deeds. Some may choose to keep them at home, while others may store them with their lawyers for safekeeping,” she said.
She reiterated the importance of residents understanding the distinction between council housing agreements and title deeds.
“What I want residents to understand is that the agreements they entered into with council are not title deeds. Title deeds represent a higher level of ownership and are the superior legal document,” said Mpofu.
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