Documents to check before buying a resale flat in the Tricity

Buying a resale flat is quicker than waiting for a new project, but the paperwork is where most problems hide. Use this list before you pay a token amount.

Ownership and title

• The chain of title: the registered sale deeds from the first allottee to the current seller, with no gaps.
• The allotment letter from the developer, society or authority (GMADA, HSVP, CHB), and any transfer letters.
• Encumbrance: check for loans or charges against the property. If the seller has a home loan, the bank must issue a no-objection and release the original documents at registration.
• Identity: the seller named in the documents must be the person signing. For property held jointly, all owners must sign.

Approvals

• Occupation or completion certificate for the building. Without it, utility connections, loans and resale can be harder.
• RERA registration for flats in projects registered under the RERA Act.
• For flats in authority schemes, the transfer process and NOC requirements of GMADA, HSVP, CHB or the Chandigarh Estate Office.

Dues

• No-dues certificates from the society or maintenance agency and, where relevant, the developer.
• Property tax, water, electricity and maintenance receipts up to date.
• Any unpaid enhancement or extension fees with the development authority.

At registration

• Check the stamp duty on the higher of the agreed price and the collector-rate value. See What is a collector rate?
• Pay through banking channels and keep receipts. Cash payments are hard to prove later.

A property lawyer can run these checks for a modest fee, and it is usually worth it.

This explainer is general information, not legal or financial advice. Requirements differ by authority and property type; check before you act.