QUESTION: Dear Legal Wiz,
I have two properties.
For the one that we don’t have a title, it was land given to my mom from the Government in the sixties. She lived there till the seventies, and then migrated to US where she dies two years ago. My cousin has been living there ever since my mom migrated from the property.

When I went to pay the taxes for the first one, I was asked to pay taxes on the second, but I had no money at the time. I called to find out the sum I owed on the property with no title and they gave me a bunch of numbers to pay up the taxes. I can’t get any confirmation of a title though. Can you help me to get information on the title, if any?

Joan Stimpson

RESPONSE: Dear Joan Stimpson

The bunch of numbers you got from the tax office is referred to as the valuation number. It can be used to trace the title. The title search can be done online, or through our legal legwork team for a fee, either way.
The system is still a work-in-progress and as such persons usually opt to have someone, such as someone from our team, located in Jamaica, do it physically for them.
Where no title exists, you may consider registering for a title. First Stage:
Visit to title office for research, processing and print of title

Legal Wiz