Documents To Check, To Avoid Property Fraud

With our lifetime savings, we all plan to buy our dream home. While the cost of the property and the means to fund it are important, it is equally critical that you don't end up becoming the victim of a fraud. Hence, it is essential to know which documents need to be checked when you buy a property.

Sale deed

This is the core legal document, a proof of sale as well as the transfer of ownership from the seller to you. A sale deed should be registered, apart from ensuring that the property has a clear title.

Also Read: How Sale Deed Is Executed

Mother deed

This is the parent legal document which helps trace the antecedent ownership of the property. You will need this document to sell your property in future. One has to ensure that the mother deed has recorded the references to previous ownerships in a continuing sequence until the current owner.

Approval plan of your building

A property owner must obtain an approval plan either from the jurisdictional commissioner or any other officer authorised by the commissioner. To obtain a building approval plan, one has to submit the following documents. These include:

Title deed

City/panchayat survey sketch

Latest tax receipts

Foundation certificate

Land-use certificate

Property assessment extract

Property PID number

Earlier sanctioned plans

Drawings of the property

Conversion certificate

As a large part of the land in India is still farmland. This is why revenue authorities issue a conversion certificate, stating the change in land use from agricultural to housing. A no-objection certificate should be obtained from the tehsildar's office for this conversion.

Encumbrance certificate

This means a change in the ownership on property that has been held against a home loan. In other words, this document will give you proof of mortgages, title transfers or any legally registered transaction against your property.

Power of attorney

A power of attorney is a document that legally given authority to an individual to rent or mortgage the property on his behalf. But, this document, too, should be registered.

Also Read: Property Sale Through GPA Is Illegal

Tax receipts

Take a detailed look at all the receipts to ensure that taxes have been paid until the date of sale. Ask for the latest original receipts in order to establish the credentials of the owner. If your seller does not have the tax receipts, you can contact the municipal body by using survey number of the property in order to confirm the ownership. Other regular bills such as water and electricity bills should also be checked.

Completion certificate

A completion certificate by municipal authorities states that a building is in compliance with the rules and is built according to approved plans.

Occupancy certificate

To ensure that the building is meeting all the required norms, an inspection will be performed by the authorities when the developer applies for this certificate. In a nutshell, the certificate certifies that the project is ready for occupancy.

It is important to hire a lawyer who will vet all these documents and guide you through the process.

Also Read: Must Know Facts About Possession Letter And Occupancy Certificate