Buying a luxury apartment in San Isidro, Miraflores or Barranco can run between US$ 350,000 and US$ 1.5 million, and signing with the wrong developer is a quiet tax: you only notice it after the down payment is gone. Peru’s Indecopi runs a free public portal called Mira a Quién le Compras (“Watch who you buy from”) that works as a developer accountability database, similar in spirit to the CFPB consumer complaint database in the US. This guide shows how to verify developer Peru Indecopi records together with SUNARP, MVCS and trade associations before you sign anything.
Table of contents
- How to use the Mira a Quién le Compras portal step by step
- SUNARP: project land record and corporate filings
- RENI, real estate agents and MVCS registries
- ASEI, CAPECO and other industry signals
- Red flags in Lima Top almost no one checks
- Frequently asked questions
How to use the Mira a Quién le Compras portal step by step
The portal at miraaquienlecompras.gob.pe is Indecopi’s official tool for any consumer to review the record of administrative sanction proceedings against a company. Go to the website, enter the developer’s name or RUC (Peruvian tax ID) and click. The search is free, you do not need to register, and results are updated periodically with final resolutions from the most recent four-year window.
Developers sanctioned by final resolution since 2011 are automatically listed for four years from the resolution date, per Indecopi’s official information. Important: if a company changed its corporate name two years ago, also search the previous RUC and the names of the shareholders. It is a common practice to clean up the record before approaching unaware buyers.
What exactly should you look for? Five data points: number of open proceedings, final sanctions, fine amounts in UIT (Peru’s tax reference unit), reason for each case (contract breach, failure to refund the deposit, defects in the unit, late delivery) and the date. One isolated case from five years ago is not necessarily alarming; twenty cases in two years is. According to Gestión, the real estate sector is the second most sanctioned by Indecopi, behind only the banking system, which makes this verification mandatory before signing.
What if you find three cases of late delivery against the same project? That is the classic signal to stop. Cross the information with the Indecopi institutional website to read the detail of each resolution. Each file has a number, date, facts and amount. If the company appealed, the Sala (appeal panel) resolution also appears. That reading gives you context the summary portal does not show, and it separates a serious developer verification from a quick glance.
SUNARP: project land record and corporate filings
The second step, equally important, is to enter the SUNARP website and review two land records (partidas registrales): the lot where the project is being built and the developer corporate file. Online searches via the SPRL platform cost S/ 7.00 per record (about US$ 1.85), per SUNARP’s published fees, using the partida number or registered owner’s name. If your reservation deposit is around US$ 5,000, those seven soles are the highest-yield investment in your whole purchase.
On the land partida you must check three things: that it is registered under the developer’s name (not a third party), that there are no undisclosed mortgages or attachment orders annotated, and that there are no liens or other encumbrances the seller forgot to mention. If the lot is mortgaged to a bank to finance construction, that is normal, but ask for the schedule to lift the mortgage before you sign the minuta (purchase agreement) for your unit.
On the corporate partida you review the date of incorporation, paid-in capital, current attorneys-in-fact, capital increases, bylaw changes and, above all, the powers to sell. A company two years old with paid-in capital of S/ 1,000 selling US$ 800,000 projects is an orange flag. Not illegal, but it deserves further questions about who funds the project and how the development is structured.
For a deeper Indecopi-SUNARP cross-check, see our guide SUNARP search for luxury properties in Lima, where we walk through liens and encumbrances step by step. With those documents in hand —the Indecopi portal report and the two SUNARP records— you are already one step above the 90% of buyers who rely only on the brochure and the sales gallery.
RENI, real estate agents and MVCS registries
The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation (MVCS) runs the Real Estate Agent Registry, created by Law 29080. The query is online and free, and lets you check whether the person or company assisting you is formally accredited to perform real estate brokerage. Go to the official MVCS list and search by name, registry number or DNI (national ID).
An agent being registered does not guarantee that the developer is serious, but the absence of a registration is a yellow flag. For tickets above US$ 500,000 you should require the sales executive and the broker to hold an active code, and keep a screenshot of the search. It is also worth confirming the company’s listing in the National Registry of Real Estate Companies and the National Registry of Construction Companies (RENI/RENC), which apply mostly to formal operations involving Mi Vivienda financing.
If you plan to use subsidized mortgage credit or the Mivivienda Verde green bond, the Fondo Mivivienda publishes a list of eligible projects. Being on that list means the project met minimum technical and legal requirements for the bond to apply. Not absolute proof of compliance, but it filters out brand-new developers or those with incomplete files. The bond does not apply to high-end tickets, but the list is still useful as a formality benchmark.
Law 29080 and its regulations require training, an exam and a code of ethics. Ask your broker for the code and verify it online, do not accept “it is in process”. In Lima Top a real broker can negotiate two percentage points off the price or a free premium upgrade; an unregistered broker disappears the moment the first complaint surfaces.
ASEI, CAPECO and other industry signals
The Asociación de Empresas Inmobiliarias del Perú (ASEI) and the Cámara Peruana de la Construcción (CAPECO) are the most recognized private trade associations. They do not issue licenses to sell, but membership implies codes of conduct and commitment to good practices. ASEI publishes monthly market reports and CAPECO concentrates the construction industry data and runs Excon, the largest sector trade fair.
Membership in ASEI or CAPECO does not exempt a developer from breaches, but it indicates a level of public visibility and adherence to sector agreements. According to ASEI data cited by El Comercio, the real estate market in Metropolitan Lima and Callao grew 20.5% in the first half of 2024 versus the same period the prior year, which also attracted opportunistic firms with no track record. Filtering by trade association membership helps separate the serious players.
Other positive signals: LEED, EDGE or Mivivienda Verde Level 1 or 2 certifications. These seals require external audit, which lowers the risk of improvised construction. In the US$ 1 million-and-up segment, the developer also tends to use a fiduciary trust with a tier-one bank: ask for the trustee name, the depository bank and the disbursement schedule. That structure protects your money while the project is under construction.
If you buy from abroad, all of this becomes critical because you do not have anyone walking the site every month. We also recommend our guide Buying a luxury apartment in Lima from abroad, which grounds developer verification with a power of attorney and a local representative. Cross-checking Indecopi, SUNARP, MVCS, ASEI and CAPECO into a single file takes one afternoon; signing with the wrong company takes years of litigation.
Red flags in Lima Top almost no one checks
In districts like San Isidro, Miraflores, Barranco, La Molina or Surco there are three repeated patterns that drive complaints in Indecopi and that you should review before signing. First: asymmetric penalty clause. The developer charges you 10% if you walk away, but only refunds your deposit without interest if it is eight months late on delivery. That language fails at Indecopi but requires a process, lawyer and time. Better to demand a symmetric clause from the start.
Second: unilateral changes to plans and finishes. The minuta says “finishes may vary for similar or superior”, broad wording that lets the developer swap a European kitchen for a domestic one with no leverage on your side. Demand an addendum with brands, models and technical sheets, signed and sealed, before paying the down payment. Third: forced delivery with observations. The handover protocol they have you sign reads “the buyer accepts in full satisfaction” even if there are leaks or detached floors. Do not sign that protocol without an addendum listing observations to be fixed with concrete deadlines.
For tickets above US$ 600,000, hire an independent real estate attorney —not the one the developer recommends— to review the minuta. Fees range from US$ 600 to US$ 1,500 and can save you tens of thousands in disputes. Read also our guide What a purchase agreement is and what it does to understand which clauses are negotiable and which are not.
Finally, do not forget the real total cost: price, alcabala (transfer tax), notary fees, registry fees, broker commission and IGV (VAT) where applicable. We cover the tax details in Alcabala tax for high-value properties. A developer who refuses to deliver a signed consolidated cost breakdown deserves, at minimum, a second pass through the Indecopi portal.
Frequently asked questions
Legal disclaimer
This content is informational and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Every case must be reviewed by a licensed Peruvian attorney or accountant. Peruvian regulations may have changed since publication; always verify the latest version with SUNAT, SUNARP or the relevant official source.
Conclusion
To verify developer Peru Indecopi records takes one afternoon and saves you years of litigation. Cross the Indecopi portal with the SUNARP partida for the land, the corporate partida, the MVCS real estate agent registry and, if possible, ASEI or CAPECO membership. For tickets above US$ 500,000, add an independent attorney to review the minuta. That routine, done calmly and in writing, is the difference between buying a luxury apartment and buying yourself a problem.
Are you about to verify a Lima Top developer and want a second opinion on the file? Write to hola@penthouse.pe and we will help you map next steps before signing.
Penthouse.pe Editorial Team. Specialized coverage of luxury real estate in Lima’s premium districts. Inquiries: hola@penthouse.pe
