Property conveyancing services are the legal steps required to transfer property ownership from seller to buyer, including title verification, document scrutiny, drafting the sale deed, and registering it with the sub-registrar. According to the Transfer of Property Act 1882 and the Registration Act 1908, a sale deed must be registered to legally transfer ownership, and any gap in these steps can void the transaction. In 20 years of practice, I've seen buyers lose crores because they skipped one check.
What is property conveyancing and why does it matter before you buy?
Property conveyancing is the entire legal process of transferring ownership. It starts when you sign the sale agreement and ends when your name is on the title. In Bangalore, this involves verifying the seller's title, checking encumbrances, obtaining a khata, paying stamp duty, and registering the deed. If you miss any step, you could end up owning nothing or inheriting someone else's debts.
Last year, a client came to me after buying a flat in Whitefield. The seller said the property was free of loans. One encumbrance certificate (EC) search showed an unreleased bank mortgage from 2018. The bank still had a claim on the property. My client had already paid 80% of the price. We had to negotiate a refund, and it took six months. That's why conveyancing isn't optional.
How do you verify property title in Bangalore?
Title verification is the backbone of any property conveyancing service. You need to trace the chain of ownership from the original grant or sale to the current seller. This means examining every sale deed, gift deed, inheritance document, and partition deed going back at least 30 years.
For agricultural land converted to residential use, you also need the conversion order from the deputy commissioner. If a property was inherited by a Hindu family, the Hindu Succession Act 1956 governs how shares pass. Women have equal rights under the 2005 amendment, so a seller must get consent from all legal heirs.
I usually tell clients: don't trust the sales brochure. Trust the records. Visit the sub-registrar office and pull the EC for the last 13 to 30 years. Then check the khata and mutation entries in the BBMP or gram panchayat records. If the name on the khata doesn't match the seller's name, stop and find out why.
What documents do you need for title verification?
- Mother deed (the oldest deed in the chain)
- All subsequent sale deeds
- Encumbrance certificate (EC) for the last 13-30 years
- Khata certificate and khata extract
- Tax paid receipts for the last 5 years
- Mutation register extract (RTC for agricultural land)
- Property card or survey map
- Approved building plan (for apartments)
- Occupancy certificate (for new buildings)
- No-objection certificate from the housing society or apartment association
If any document is missing, the property may have a hidden defect. For example, a missing occupancy certificate means the building may be illegal, and BBMP can demolish it.
What is an encumbrance certificate and how do you check it?
An encumbrance certificate (EC) is a record of all financial and legal transactions affecting a property. It shows loans, mortgages, liens, attachments, and sales. If the seller had a loan against the property and didn't repay it, the bank's charge remains on the EC. That charge doesn't vanish just because the seller sold the property to you.
You can get an EC from the sub-registrar office or online through the Kaveri portal (for urban properties) or the Bhoomi portal (for rural properties). In Karnataka, you typically check the last 13 years of EC history. But if the property is older, I recommend checking 30 years to be safe.
One client bought a plot in Electronic City. The EC showed a mortgage from 2005 that was supposedly closed. But the bank never issued a formal release deed. So the charge was still live. We had to track down the bank manager and get a release deed signed. That took three months and cost extra legal fees. Had we caught it before payment, we could have insisted on the release deed as a condition.
What red flags should you look for in an EC?
- Any pending mortgage or loan without a release deed
- Court attachments (shown as 'attachment orders')
- Multiple sale deeds by different sellers in a short period (possible fraud)
- Gaps in transactions (years with no entries, could mean unregistered agreements)
- Inconsistent property descriptions across deeds
If you see any of these, do not proceed without a lawyer's opinion.
What is khata and why does it matter in Bangalore?
Khata is a revenue record that identifies you as the property owner for tax purposes. In Bangalore, properties usually have either A khata or B khata. A khata means the building conforms to BBMP bylaws and is fully legal. B khata is issued for properties with violations like unauthorized construction or deviation from the approved plan.
| Type | What it means | Bank loan eligibility | Resale value |
|---|---|---|---|
| A khata | Property is legal and compliant | Easily qualifies | Higher resale value |
| B khata | Property has violations | Difficult or no loan | Lower resale, may not fetch bank finance |
Takeaway: Always insist on A khata. If the seller offers a B khata property at a discount, factor in the difficulty of getting a loan and selling later.
I've had clients who bought apartments with B khata assuming they could convert it later. BBMP rarely regularizes B khata properties. After years of waiting, they still can't get a loan or sell at market price.
How do you conduct due diligence for an apartment vs. a plot?
For an apartment, the builder must have a valid RERA registration under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016. Check the RERA website for the project's registration number. If the builder hasn't registered, the apartment is illegal. Also verify the occupancy certificate (OC). Without OC, the building is not fit for habitation, and you can't get a loan or a khata.
For a plot, check the land use. Agricultural land cannot be used for construction without conversion. Check the zoning under the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) master plan. If the plot is in a green belt or a restricted zone, you can't build. Also check the layout approval from the BDA or the local panchayat.
A client once bought a plot in a so-called 'approved layout' near Sarjapur Road. We discovered the layout was never approved by BDA. The seller had merely carved up agricultural land and sold plots. The buyers couldn't get loans, and the BBMP refused to issue khata. They had to file a case and wait years for relief.
What are the steps to register a property in Karnataka?
- Complete due diligence and get a clean title opinion from a lawyer.
- Agree on the sale consideration and draft the sale deed.
- Pay stamp duty (5% for properties above Rs 45 lakh, 3% for below, plus 1% registration fee under Karnataka Stamp Act 1957 and Registration Act 1908).
- Present the deed before the sub-registrar along with witnesses and all original documents.
- Pay registration fee (1% of consideration).
- Submit the deed for scanning and return.
- Apply for mutation of khata in your name at BBMP or panchayat.
Registration must happen within 4 months of the sale agreement date, or you pay a penalty. The sub-registrar will verify the stamp duty paid and check for any pending government dues. If everything is in order, the deed is registered and a copy is returned to you within a few days.
How long does property conveyancing take in Bangalore?
A full due-diligence check, including title verification and EC search, usually takes 2 to 4 weeks if you do it yourself. But if you hire a professional firm like Legal Brigade, we turn it around in 48 to 72 hours. Why the difference? Because we know which sub-registrar offices have faster online systems, and we have relationships with the staff to get records quickly. Plus, we read deeds all day, so we spot issues fast.
Registration itself takes one day if you have all documents ready. Mutation of khata takes another 30 to 60 days after registration. So the entire conveyancing process can be completed in 2 to 3 months from start to finish.
What happens if you skip property conveyancing checks?
You could lose the property entirely. Here are real cases from my files:
- A buyer skipped title verification and later found out the seller had sold the same property to three different people. The first registered buyer got the title; the others lost their money.
- Another buyer didn't check the EC. The property had a court attachment for the seller's debt. When the buyer tried to sell, the buyer's lawyer found the attachment. The property couldn't be sold until the debt was cleared.
- A third buyer relied on the builder's word that the property had A khata. After registration, BBMP refused to transfer khata because the building violated setback norms. The buyer couldn't get a loan to renovate or sell.
In every case, a proper conveyancing check would have caught the problem before money changed hands.
How much does property conveyancing cost in Bangalore in 2026?
Stamp duty and registration are the biggest costs: 5% stamp duty plus 1% registration fee for properties above Rs 45 lakh. For a property worth Rs 1 crore, that's Rs 6 lakh. For properties below Rs 45 lakh, stamp duty is 3% (Karnataka Stamp Act schedule, 2025).
Legal fees for due diligence vary. A standalone title verification by a lawyer costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on complexity. At Legal Brigade, we charge a flat fee that is typically one-third of what big law firms quote. We also include a written title opinion and a checklist of any issues found.
Other costs: EC search fee (Rs 100 per year online, more for physical search), khata transfer fee (Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000), and mutation fee (Rs 500 to Rs 2,000). These are minor compared to the risk of buying a defective property.
Can you do property conveyancing yourself?
You can, but I don't recommend it unless you have legal training. The documents are full of legal terms like 'absolute sale', 'covenant of title', 'easementary rights', 'charge', and 'lien'. A missed word can change the meaning. Also, you need to know which sub-registrar has jurisdiction, how to read an EC correctly, and what to do if a document is missing.
Most buyer disputes come from self-verification. People check the EC but miss that the property is a B khata. Or they see a mortgage and assume it's closed without checking for a release deed. A professional conveyancing service ensures nothing is overlooked.
If you have a simple transaction with a trusted builder and a clear title, you might manage. But for most buyers in Bangalore, the money you save on lawyer fees is tiny compared to the potential loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a sale deed and a title deed?
A sale deed is the document that transfers ownership from seller to buyer. A title deed is any deed that shows ownership, including the sale deed, gift deed, or inheritance document. The current owner's title deed is usually the most recent sale deed in their name.
How much does property title verification cost in Bangalore?
Professional title verification by a lawyer costs between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 for a single property. At Legal Brigade, we do it for a flat fee that is transparent and usually lower than market rates. We include a written opinion and a checklist.
How long does a property due-diligence check take?
If you hire a professional, 48 to 72 hours for most properties. If you do it yourself, expect 2 to 4 weeks because you'll need to visit multiple offices and wait for records.
Can I do property verification myself or do I need a lawyer?
You can do it yourself, but you risk missing hidden issues like unreleased mortgages, pending litigation, or khata problems. A lawyer catches these because they know what to look for. If you're spending crores, paying a few thousand for a lawyer is cheap insurance.
What is the penalty for late registration in Karnataka?
If you register the sale deed after 4 months from the agreement date, you pay a penalty of 10% of the stamp duty. After 8 months, the penalty is 25%. After one year, you can't register without a court order. So don't delay.
How do I check if a property has a loan or mortgage?
Get an encumbrance certificate (EC) from the sub-registrar office or online through the Kaveri portal. The EC lists all mortgages and charges. If you see a mortgage entry without a corresponding release deed, the loan may still be active.
What is a mother deed and why is it important?
The mother deed is the oldest deed in the chain of title. It shows the origin of ownership, usually from a government grant, a court decree, or an ancestral partition. Without it, you can't trace the title back 30 years, which is the standard period for a good title in Karnataka.
If you've got a token advance riding on a deadline, don't gamble on it. At Legal Brigade we usually turn a full title check around in two to three days at a flat, upfront fee - send us the documents and we'll tell you exactly where you stand. Check our property document verification in Bangalore page for details, or browse more property buying guides. If you need immediate help, book a free property consultation.
Written by Legal Brigade, a Bangalore-based property lawyer with 20+ years of practice in property title verification, due diligence, registration, and civil litigation across Karnataka courts and sub-registrar offices. For a property title check or due-diligence opinion in Bangalore, contact Legal Brigade at legalbrigade.co.in.