Bring the actual ownership and management agreements, with relevant nationality and enterprise records. Distinguish negotiated drafts from signed terms.
Reconcile the documents with the business plan
If the plan describes the applicant as sole decision-maker but the agreement does not, clarify the real arrangement rather than ignoring the difference.
Before an offer becomes binding, request three years of tax returns, payroll registers, the customer list with concentration, the lease, supplier agreements and any franchise or distributor agreements with change-of-control clauses. Several years of financial statements and tax filings, payroll records showing real employees, the equipment list with titles and valuations, the customer contracts, the lease, and any licences the business holds. Collect the draft lease with the guarantee text, the deposit and escrow instructions, proof of amounts already transferred, and records tracing lawful original source and the full path of the funds to the enterprise. An unbroken documentary path from the lawful origin of the money to the enterprise: statements for each account the funds passed through, evidence of how the money was earned or realized, and the closing documents showing it reached the seller. The licence grants rights to the seller on stated terms; the assignment or consent moves them to the buyer; the purchase agreement warrants that the move is effective; the disclosure schedule qualifies that warranty.