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Can a housing developer collect a booking fee before the SPA?
For developer housing sales governed by the HDA statutory contracts, such as Schedule G or H, KPKT states that payment must not be collected before the SPA is signed; authorised payments follow the contract and its schedule. This is different from a subsale earnest deposit. If asked to pay early, verify the sale category and seek KPKT or legal guidance first.
What to do next
Confirm whether the sale uses an HDA statutory SPA.
Check the contract payment schedule with your lawyer.
Refer pre-SPA collection concerns to KPKT.
Do not apply this answer to every completed unit, commercial project, subsale or auction; the applicable legal regime must be checked.
Is the booking deposit refundable if the commercial loan is rejected or insufficient?
Not automatically. The signed offer, booking terms and SPA must be checked for a financing condition, required margin, deadlines, evidence and refund or forfeiture terms. Seller-deposit refunds and bank cancellation costs are separate issues. Do not assume residential developer SPA protections apply unchanged to a shop lot or factory.
What to do next
Have your lawyer agree clear financing and refund terms before payment.
Apply honestly and keep bank decisions and submission records.
Notify the relevant party in writing within the contractual deadline.
Two rejection letters do not guarantee a refund unless the applicable terms support it; seek advice before missing a deadline.
After choosing a subsale home, how do I formally make an offer and booking?
Verify the actual property, owner and representative's authority, then make a written offer stating the price and conditions. Before any earnest payment, ask your solicitor to review the accepted terms, authorised stakeholder arrangements and receipt process. An informal message or payment alone does not settle every term of the purchase.
What to do next
Confirm the specific unit/title, owner and representative's authority, and set out your price, inclusions and conditions in writing.
Have your solicitor review acceptance, signing/payment deadlines, financing conditions and refund/forfeiture provisions before you commit.
Verify the authorised stakeholder account and payment instructions independently; obtain a receipt and keep the accepted offer and records.
This is a subsale preparation process, not permission for a regulated housing developer to collect pre-SPA payments. Refund entitlement depends on applicable law and the reviewed conditions; it is not automatic.
What happens after choosing a subsale home, what documents are needed and how long is the whole process?
The stages generally cover title and financing checks, legal review of the SPA, required consents/redemption and loan documentation, payment completion and agreed handover. Some stages overlap. The actual contract, title position, parties and bank determine the dependencies and dates—not a universal number of months.
What to do next
Ask your solicitor and bank for case-specific checklists: identity, title/prior SPA, ownership, existing charge and required financial records.
Have the solicitor explain each SPA condition, completion trigger, consent, payment deadline and delay consequence before signing.
Track who supplies each missing document, redemption/consent and funding step; agree handover only when the contractual requirements are met.
Signing the SPA does not itself guarantee consent, ownership registration or loan release. A solicitor must confirm the current requirements and your actual contractual dates.
Booking, loan approval or SPA signing alone does not establish the key-handover date. For subsale, follow the SPA's completion and possession terms. A regulated developer handover has its own completion/CCC and contractual requirements; rental possession follows the tenancy agreement.
What to do next
Have your solicitor confirm the possession clause, completion status and any conditions still outstanding.
Agree a written handover appointment and check the property, inventory, access cards, keys and meter readings.
Record defects, missing items or remaining occupants and agree responsibility before acknowledging receipt or moving in.
Do not arrange irreversible moving or renovation work on an assumed date. Early access needs express written agreement and is not automatically legal completion.
What is the buying process for a shop or factory, and when do I get the keys?
Start with intended use and funds, then investigate title, condition and occupation. Put the offer and financing conditions in writing; progress through SPA, valuation, bank offer, legal documentation, required consents, redemption and completion. Handover follows the contract. Loan approval alone does not mean legal conditions or disbursement are complete.
What to do next
Agree the due-diligence and financing checklist before booking.
Track SPA, bank and consent milestones with your lawyer.
Inspect and reconcile possession, accounts and keys at contractual completion.
No universal approval or key-handover deadline applies; title, state consent, tenants and construction can change timing.