Caveats, covenants and easements

A caveat is a document that any person with a legal interest in a property can lodge with Land Victoria. After registration, a caveat note appears on the title giving prospective buyers notice that a third party might have rights over the property.

Free online guides to lodging and withdrawing caveats in person are available.

Caveats can also be lodged and withdrawn online through Electronic Conveyancing (EC). To lodge a caveat online you will need to engage a lawyer or licensed conveyancer who is an EC subscriber.

To find a lawyer or conveyancer who is an EC subscriber, visit the Electronic Conveyancing website and go to EC Registered Users.

To keep track of activity on a land title you can subscribe to the Property Transaction Alert Service. As a subscriber you receive an email alert of any activity on the title or plan you are interested in without having to do frequent title searches. This service may be a useful alternative to a purchaser's caveat on the title. Choose the title or plan you want and opt to subscribe for three, six or 12 months.

A covenant is a written agreement between the seller and purchaser of a piece of land restricting what the land can be used for. For example, restricting the type of building material the purchaser can use.

An easement is a right held by someone to use land belonging to someone else for a specific purpose. Common examples of easements are drainage, water pipe and carriageway easements.