Property Document Verification

When you need a property verification

• Before paying a token or signing an agreement to sell, especially for resale flats, plots and builder floors.
• When the seller holds the property through a GPA, agreement to sell or will rather than a registered sale deed, because such a chain does not by itself give clear title.
• When the property is leasehold, such as from DDA or a development authority, and conversion to freehold or authority permission needs to be checked.
• When buying a new flat in a project registered under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, to match the RERA registration, approvals and the builder's title.
• When the property is inherited by several heirs, to confirm that all legal heirs are joining the sale.
• When a bank has approved a loan, since the bank's legal check protects the bank and may not cover every risk that matters to you.

What affects the total cost

• The number of documents in the title chain and how far back the search needs to go. Reports commonly look back 30 years where records allow.
• Government fees for encumbrance searches, certified copies of registered deeds and inspection of records at the Sub-Registrar office.
• Whether revenue records, municipal records, court case searches or development authority records also need to be checked.
• Travel to registration and revenue offices if records are not available online.
• The type of property, as a plot with agricultural history or a commercial unit usually needs more checks than a recent flat in a society.

How long it takes

Once you share clear copies of the documents, the advocate first reads the title chain to see who owned the property and how it passed to the seller. Where needed, searches are then done at the Sub-Registrar office and other records, which is the step that usually decides the timeline. A written report follows, and a call is arranged to explain it. Delays usually come from missing older deeds, illegible copies, records not being available online, or the seller taking time to share approvals and receipts.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying a large token amount before any document is checked, which makes it hard to walk away if a problem is found.
• Relying only on photocopies sent on WhatsApp without seeing the original deeds at least once before payment.
• Assuming that a home loan approval means the title is clear in every respect.
• Not checking whether the building has an approved plan, completion or occupancy certificate, and whether the floor being bought is within the sanction.
• Ignoring unpaid property tax, maintenance dues or electricity arrears, which often become the buyer's problem after purchase.

What you get at the end

You receive a written report that lists the documents examined, traces the title chain, notes any encumbrances, gaps or risks found, and suggests documents or clauses needed before purchase. The report is an opinion based on the documents and records available. Use it to ask the seller for missing papers, add protective clauses in the agreement to sell and sale deed, and share it with your bank if it helps the loan process.

In Delhi NCR

• Delhi has many property types with different risks, including freehold colonies, DDA leasehold flats, unauthorised colonies, lal dora and extended lal dora land and cooperative group housing societies. Each needs different documents.
• For properties in Delhi's unauthorised colonies, conveyance deed or authorisation slip status under the PM-UDAY scheme can be relevant to the title.
• Registered deeds in Delhi are searched at the Sub-Registrar office of the area, and some registration records can be checked online through the Delhi revenue department's systems.
• In Noida and Greater Noida, most land is leased by the development authority, so the authority's transfer records and dues matter. In Gurugram, the HRERA registration and DTCP licence of the project are relevant for new projects.
• Outside Delhi NCR, the advocate can review documents shared online, and the team can guide you on the local record searches that may be needed where possible.