Buying a house is a very big deal, and you must check the legal papers to make sure the seller really owns it. If you miss even one small paper, you could lose your money or have a judge tell you that the house is not yours.
I have been looking at buildings and land for over 50 years now. I have seen people lose their life savings because they did not check a simple stamp on a page. It breaks my heart every time. You have to be like a detective. Don’t just trust what the man in the fancy suit tells you. Here is exactly what you need to look for so you can sleep well at night in your new home.
The Most Important Ownership Papers
- Sale Deed: This is the main paper. It is like a receipt that shows the house was sold to the person now selling it to you. You must check the Sale Deed at the registrar office to see if it is real.+1
- Mother Deed: This is the history book of the land. It shows who owned the ground 30 years ago, then 20 years ago, and so on. If there is a gap in the years, it means something is fishy.
- Encumbrance Certificate: We call this the EC. It is a paper from the government that says nobody else has a loan on the house. You don’t want to buy a house and find out later that the seller owes the bank a lot of money for it.
Checking if the Building is Legal
- Approvals and Sanctioned Plans: You need to see the map the city office signed. Sometimes builders say they can build five floors but the city only said yes to three. If you buy the fourth floor, the government might come and knock it down one day.
- Occupancy Certificate: This is the OC. It is a letter from the city saying the building is safe and has water and lights. Never move into a house without an Occupancy Certificate or you might get a big fine.+1
- RERA Registration: Nowadays, every big project must be on a special government website called RERA. If the project is not there, do not give them your money. It is a giant red flag.
Money and Tax Papers
- Property Tax Receipts: Ask the seller for the latest bill they paid for taxes. If they haven’t paid their taxes for three years, the city might come to you to ask for that money later.
- NOC Papers: This stands for No Objection Certificate. You need these from the fire department, the electric board, and the water board. It shows they are happy with the building.+1
- Possession Letter: This is the paper the builder gives you when they finally hand over the keys. It should have the right date on it.
I remember a young couple back in the 90s who bought a beautiful flat near the lake. They were so happy. But they forgot to check the Mutation Office records. It turned out the land was actually owned by a cousin who lived far away. They spent ten years in court trying to keep their home. I don’t want that for you. Please, take your time and look at every single page.
