Market Insights · Buyer checklist

Before you pay a clinic deposit… ask these 5 questions

The down payment fits your budget. Before paying, check the seller, full cost, usable space, handover and the written terms for your money.

Eyadtak Team · Sources reviewed: 5 November 2026 · 5 min read

Before you pay a clinic deposit… ask these 5 questions — Eyadtak editorial illustration: documents, a clinic plan and five checks. Not a photograph of a listed property.

1. Who can sell this unit — and can my specialty operate here?

Ask for documents linking the seller to the exact unit: project, building, floor and number. If someone signs for the owner, have their authority checked. For a resale, ask about remaining developer payments, transfer procedures and any required approvals. In new cities, the authority’s portal links property records with the building-permit process; it is one verification route, not proof that a particular offer has clear title. ^[1] Then separate building permission from permission to operate your clinic. The Medical Syndicate has a registration process for private clinics. ^[2] Before paying, ask the relevant health authority and syndicate branch whether the proposed activity and layout can meet the requirements for your specialty. An advertisement saying “medical” does not settle the question. Have an independent property lawyer review the seller’s documents and draft agreement. Ask for: the seller’s supporting documents, unit identification, permitted use and a list of any outstanding approvals.

2. What is the full cost — beyond the down payment?

Request one written breakdown showing the total selling price, amount payable now, remaining instalments and who receives each payment. Identify maintenance deposits, recurring service charges, parking, transfer or administration fees, fit-out, equipment and any applicable taxes. Confirm which costs are included, which are estimates and who pays them. A low down payment is not the total purchase cost. Illustration only: EGP 1 million now plus EGP 4 million in remaining instalments means an EGP 5 million purchase price, before other costs. If estimated fit-out and fees add EGP 700,000, the planning budget becomes EGP 5.7 million. These are invented figures to explain the calculation, not an Eyadtak listing or a market estimate. Also map payment dates so the instalment schedule fits your cash flow. Ask for: a dated quotation and the full payment schedule, with each extra charge identified.

3. How much space can I use — and can patients reach it?

Ask whether the advertised area is contractual gross area, includes a share of common space, or is measured internal space. Request a dimensioned plan and, where access is possible, an independent measurement. Test a realistic layout for reception, consultation and the rooms your specialty needs; do not invent a net-area percentage from the headline size. Walk the patient journey: building entrance, lift, corridor, clinic door, waiting space and toilets. Check access for people with limited mobility, visitor drop-off and parking at expected appointment times. Inspect water, drainage, electricity and ventilation with a suitable technical professional. For an off-plan unit, compare these needs with the signed specifications rather than relying on a rendering. Ask for: a dimensioned unit plan, the basis of the area figure and a viewing of the actual route patients will take.

4. What will I receive — and when can I actually open?

Replace “ready soon” with a written handover date and a precise specification: shell or finished, air conditioning included or excluded, utilities, meters and the condition of common areas. Ask what happens if delivery is delayed, and have the clause reviewed before paying. A unit handover date, building-services readiness and permission to open a medical practice are separate milestones. ^[2] Request dated images or video of the exact unit and common areas, then arrange an inspection where possible. Project pictures may show renders, another phase or a different unit. For an investment purchase, do not start projected rental income before a realistic handover and fit-out period, and allow for vacancy and running costs. Ask for: the signed delivery specification, target dates, delay terms and a dated record of actual progress.

5. What exactly am I paying — and when can it be returned?

Read the reservation form and proposed contract before transferring money. Ask what the payment means, whether it is deducted from the price, the cancellation deadline and what happens if either party withdraws, documents fail review or required approval is not obtained. Record any agreed refund conditions and timing explicitly. Article 103 of the Egyptian Civil Code sets a default withdrawal rule for a deposit paid when the contract is concluded, unless the agreement provides otherwise. Under that rule, the payer who withdraws loses it; the recipient who withdraws returns double. ^[3] The agreement and the parties’ intention affect whether the payment is a withdrawal deposit or part-payment confirming the contract. Calling it a “deposit” does not automatically establish a right to a refund. ^[4] Have your lawyer assess the actual wording; this guide is general preparation, not a conclusion about your contract. Before paying, obtain a signed agreement and a payment record naming the recipient, amount, date, exact unit and purpose. Retain the quotation and correspondence. If any of the five answers is missing, request the documents and resolve the gap before committing. Start your shortlist with Eyadtak’s published clinic details and comparisons; the listing does not replace document review.

Sources and review method

Sources reviewed: 5 November 2026. General preparation for a purchase; review unit documents and the agreement with relevant professionals. Hypothetical figures explain calculations and are not sale offers.