Knowledge base
How it works.
29 answers, grouped by where you are. Tap any question to expand — and read the Certificate section closely; it is the part that keeps you safe.
Section I
Getting started.
What is OwnerTransfer, in one line?
A matched-exchange marketplace: you list what you own and what you want in return, we find the counterparty, and when you both agree we issue a binding Transfer Commitment Certificate that locks the swap. Property, vehicles, businesses, high-value items, commercial assets, partial stakes, and time-limited use can all be exchanged.
How do I create an account?
Sign up with your email, then complete your profile — display name, country, optional photo. Creating an account is free and lets you browse and match immediately. Posting a listing and signing an agreement requires identity verification.
Is OwnerTransfer free to use?
Yes. At launch, listing your asset and receiving your Transfer Commitment Certificate are both free — there is no listing fee and no certificate fee. The only charge that can ever apply is a small commission on a cash differential, and only when one party pays the other to balance a swap.
What does verification involve?
A government ID — passport, driving licence or national ID — plus a selfie liveness check, through our identity provider where it operates, and a manually-reviewed ID upload elsewhere. Most automated checks finish in minutes; manual reviews complete within one business day.
Section II
Listing & matching.
How do I post my first listing?
Choose a category, describe the asset honestly with photos and condition evidence, and state what you want in return — either a specific make and model, or a category and value range. Listing is free; your listing goes live as soon as ownership evidence is uploaded and verified.
What can I list?
Any asset in good condition: residential or commercial property, vehicles, whole businesses, high-value personal items (watches, art, equipment), commercial assets, partial ownership stakes, and time-limited use agreements. List the asset accurately — the Certificate records its category, condition and stated value, so honesty protects you.
How does matching work?
Matches are bidirectional. The engine looks for counterparties whose listed asset overlaps your want, AND whose want overlaps your asset. Category, sub-type and value range all weigh in, and the closest pairs surface first. Geographic proximity matters for property and vehicles.
What makes a strong match?
Category overlap on both sides, value proximity within your stated range, and a similar transfer-type preference (permanent vs time-limited). Geographic alignment lifts property and vehicle matches; condition-rating overlap lifts everything else.
What if I'm not getting matches?
Broaden your want — a wider category range, a wider value band, or accepting time-limited use as well as permanent transfer. Then sharpen your listing — better photos, more condition evidence, a clearer description. The more precise both sides of your listing are, the stronger your matches.
Section III
Talking & agreeing.
Can anyone message me directly?
No — privacy is the default. Another member sends you a contact request; you can view their listing and uploads first, then decide whether to accept. Only once you accept does a private conversation open. Nobody reaches you without your say-so, and no contact detail is shared silently.
Where do conversations live?
In your inbox, on-platform. Once you accept a contact request a message thread is created — message body, attachments, agreement drafts all stay in one place. That thread becomes the record referenced if a dispute is ever filed, so keep your conversation here.
How do I keep messaging safe?
Stay on-platform until you hold a Certificate. Never share bank details, ID documents or settlement instructions in chat — those belong to the agreement and Certificate flow, not the message thread. If a counterparty pressures you off-platform before signing, report them and we will review.
What happens once we agree?
Both parties confirm the terms on the agreement screen. The moment the second person confirms, OwnerTransfer issues the Transfer Commitment Certificate. From that point the Certificate — not the chat — is the binding record, and either party can download it for their solicitor or notary.
Section IV
The Certificate.
Never skip the Certificate
When two people agree on an exchange and both confirm, we issue a binding Certificate that makes the process safe and irreversible. It holds both parties to a consensual agreement — and it is vital while you carry out your country’s legal transfer documentation. Skipping the Certificate is a dangerous step: it can undermine any binding declaration, because the Certificate is what confirms our seal, the date, and the exact terms you agreed.
SafeA neutral, tamper-evident record both parties can trust.
IrreversibleOnce sealed, withdrawal is a breach — that is the protection.
Sealed & datedOur seal and the agreed date anchor every legal step that follows.
Why is the Certificate so important?
Because it is the proof that you both consented, to these exact terms, on this exact date. Your country’s legal transfer documents are completed against it — the Certificate confirms the seal, the date and the agreed terms, so a binding declaration made later stands on solid ground. Proceeding without it leaves your transfer exposed.
What's in the Certificate?
Both parties' verified names and regions, both assets with category and stated value, the agreed cash differential and who pays whom, the certificate number, the agreed date, and a binding declaration — all sealed with a tamper-evident hash and a verification QR.
Do I still need my country’s legal transfer documents?
Yes — and the Certificate is what carries you safely through them. The on-platform agreement is binding once the Certificate issues, but the legal title transfer completes in each party’s own jurisdiction. The Certificate travels with you through that process as the agreed, dated, sealed record of what was committed.
Can either party withdraw after signing?
No — that is the entire point. Withdrawal after the Certificate is sealed is treated as a breach of agreement and is reported to the dispute system. The non-breaching party keeps the Certificate as evidence and may pursue a jurisdiction-specific remedy.
How do I download and verify the Certificate?
Once both parties sign, the Certificate appears in your Agreements tab to download as a PDF. Anyone — your solicitor, the counterparty, a third party — can confirm it is genuine at ownertransfer.com/verify/{certificate number}, or by scanning the seal’s QR, with no account needed.
Section V
Fees & donations.
What does it cost?
Nothing, to start. Listing is free and the Certificate is free. We are keeping it free while the community grows — the only charge that can apply is commission on a cash differential, described below.
What is the commission, and when does it apply?
It applies only when a swap is uneven and one party pays the other a cash differential to balance it. In that single case a small bilateral commission is charged — a share from each side — on the differential alone. A like-for-like swap with no cash changing hands carries no commission at all.
How is a cash differential settled?
Directly between the two parties, by bank transfer or another method you agree. OwnerTransfer does not hold or release differential funds at this phase — the Certificate records the amount and direction so the obligation is documented and clear.
Can I support OwnerTransfer?
Yes, and thank you — keeping the platform free at launch is what lets new members join without friction. If OwnerTransfer has been useful to you, you can make a one-off donation from the Support page. It is entirely optional and never affects your listings, matches or Certificate.
Section VI
Safety & disputes.
How does OwnerTransfer keep me safe?
Identity verification before anyone can list or sign, contact requests you approve before any conversation opens, on-platform messaging as the audit trail, and the sealed Certificate as the binding record. Each layer means you only ever commit to a verified counterparty on documented terms.
How do I spot and avoid a scam?
Be wary of anyone who rushes you off-platform, asks for bank details or ID in chat, or pushes you to skip the Certificate. Genuine counterparties are happy to keep everything on-platform through to the sealed Certificate. When in doubt, slow down and report.
What if the other party breaches after the Certificate?
Report it through the dispute system. Your Certificate is dated, sealed and tamper-evident, and the on-platform thread is the supporting record — together they are your evidence to pursue a remedy in the relevant jurisdiction.
How do I report someone?
Use the report option in the conversation, or email support@ownertransfer.com with the listing or member and what happened. We review reports and act on verified abuse — keeping the marketplace trustworthy protects every honest member.
Section VII
Account & data.
How is my data handled?
Under UK GDPR. We collect what we need to verify identity, run matching and issue Certificates, and nothing we sell on. Full detail — what we hold, why, and your rights — is in our Privacy Policy.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. You can close your account from settings; we remove your personal data subject to the limited records we are legally required to retain (for example, a Certificate that documents a completed commitment to another party). Email support and we will help.
Which countries is OwnerTransfer available in?
OwnerTransfer is built for cross-border, foreign-asset exchange and is expanding the regions it verifies and settles in. If your country is not yet fully supported you can still create an account and browse — and we will let you know as coverage reaches you.