What we do
Millions of people living in informal settlements don’t have documented proof of ownership for their
houses.
Some have been living like this for decades.
Restrictive town planning laws and disfunctional local governments prevent them from getting official title deeds. They feel insecure. They worry that someone can take their property away from them at any time.
As a result, they build with cheap materials, like corrugated iron, instead of bricks. Without proof of ownership, banks won’t lend them money to improve their houses either.
We solve this problem by helping property owners to formalize their ownership claims. We gather the necessary documentation and issue a claim certificate:
Each claim is published to the blockchain, creating a permanent, unchangeable record of it. We also list these claims on our web site and on an interactive map:
With a formal claim in hand, residents can sleep easier, knowing they have some legal protection.
Right now, Betterdeed is a private, low-cost deeds registry service. Ultimately we will transition into a decentralized, blockchain-governed organization where validators confirm claims and resolve disputes to earn the fees paid by those trading properties.
The journey has just begun. Join us.