What should I actually verify before buying a flat or site in Bangalore?

Nearly every property dispute I see could have been avoided at the due diligence stage, usually for a fraction of what the litigation later costs. Here is the checklist, in the order it should be done.

1. Title flow

Trace the ownership back, ideally thirty years, through the mother deed and every subsequent conveyance. You are looking for gaps, unexplained transfers, partitions without all parties, and inherited property where every legal heir has not signed. A single missing heir can unsettle the whole chain.

2. Encumbrance Certificate

The EC from the sub-registrar, for at least the last thirty years, shows registered transactions and charges. It reveals mortgages and prior sales. It does not reveal unregistered agreements or oral arrangements, which is why it is a starting point, not a clearance.

3. Khata and tax

Check the khata and its type, and property tax paid receipts up to date. A khata means the property is on the municipal record for a lawful, approved property; B khata indicates a property recorded outside the regular register, which affects loans, plan approvals and resale.

4. Approvals

• Approved building plan and sanction from the competent authority
• Commencement certificate, and for a completed building, the occupancy certificate
• Conversion order, where the land was originally agricultural. This is the one people skip
• Where applicable, the layout approval and release of sites

5. RERA

For an under-construction project, check the RERA registration and read what the promoter has declared: completion timeline, approvals uploaded, litigation disclosed, quarterly progress. It is public and frequently more candid than the brochure.

6. Physical and possession checks

Match the survey number and boundaries on the ground against the documents, confirm who is in physical possession, check for tenancy, and look for pending litigation affecting the property or the project.