East Bengaluru buyer answers
How do you transfer BESCOM and BWSSB connections to your name after a resale?
Direct answer: For BESCOM name change online inside GBA, finish your e-Khata mutation first. BESCOM then texts you a link. You log in, check the details pulled from GBA, pay ₹100, e-sign the indemnity bond for ₹1,194 and authenticate with Aadhaar. For water, apply on BWSSB's transfer portal for ₹250.
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers.
Verify with your lawyer: This is general information, not legal advice. If ownership is disputed or a connection is in a deceased owner's name, ask a property lawyer about the documents first.
Key takeaways
- Khata first. BESCOM's faceless route works off your updated e-Khata in GBA limits.
- BESCOM cost: ₹100 processing plus ₹1,194 for the e-stamp and e-sign, about ₹1,294 in all (news).
- BWSSB cost: ₹250, online, with a 10-day service guarantee.
- Extra construction changes the route. BWSSB sends you to its new-connection portal instead.
- Clear dues before you pay the seller. Check the last bills for both.
How does BESCOM's online name change work?
In April 2026, BESCOM linked its portal to GBA's e-Khata database (Times of India, 26 Apr 2026, news). As described by BESCOM's managing director:
- Once your e-Khata mutation is done, BESCOM sends an SMS with a request ID and a link.
- Log in with an OTP. Your property details and the previous owner's name are pulled from GBA.
- Pay the ₹100 processing fee.
- Open the e-sign link, read the digital agreement and indemnity bond, and pay ₹1,194.
- Sign with Aadhaar e-KYC and download the signed documents.
- You get a confirmation SMS, and your name appears from the next billing cycle.
The minister said the route covers GBA limits for now and will be extended to municipal councils and panchayats later. Outside GBA, use BESCOM's name change form or your subdivision, follow the portal's document list, and track the request on its name change tracker. If the flat is new rather than resale, see our permanent power guide.
Haven't got your e-Khata in your name yet? Start with our mutation guide and e-Aasthi search.
How do you transfer a BWSSB water connection?
BWSSB's Transfer of Connection/Ownership portal handles name changes against your RR number for a fee of ₹250 (BWSSB Sajala TOC portal). Two things the page says:
- Use it only if there's been no additional construction or reconstruction since the connection was sanctioned. Otherwise, apply through the Online Water Connection portal. For a new apartment's first connection, see how a new apartment gets a BWSSB connection.
- The Public Service Guarantee time limit is 10 days. Its October 2026 dashboard showed a median of 12 days and a maximum of 16.
Keep the registered sale deed, your e-Khata, the latest water bill and tax receipt ready to upload. For flats where the association holds a bulk connection, the transfer may sit with the association rather than BWSSB. Our BWSSB, borewell and tanker questions help you check the source first.
How do the two compare?
| BESCOM (electricity) | BWSSB (water) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Link sent after e-Khata mutation (GBA limits) | Sajala transfer of ownership portal |
| What it's against | Your account ID | RR number |
| Fee | ₹100 + ₹1,194 e-stamp and e-sign | ₹250 |
| Time | Under 10 minutes online, as reported; name from next bill | 10-day guarantee; median 12 days in Oct 2026 |
| Watch for | e-Khata must already be in your name | Extra construction means a different portal |
Worked examples
Worked example 1: what the transfers cost you
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| BESCOM processing fee | ₹100 |
| BESCOM e-stamp and e-sign | ₹1,194 |
| BWSSB transfer fee | ₹250 |
| Total | ₹1,544 |
Before the online route, a BESCOM engineer told the Times of India that touts charged over ₹10,000 for the same transfer. Applying yourself saves at least ₹8,456 against that figure.
Worked example 2: dues you could inherit
Illustrative. Suppose the seller's last three electricity bills were ₹2,800, ₹3,100 and ₹2,950 and unpaid, and two water bills of ₹900 each were unpaid.
| Item | Working | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity arrears | ₹2,800 + ₹3,100 + ₹2,950 | ₹8,850 |
| Water arrears | 2 × ₹900 | ₹1,800 |
| Total to settle before handover | ₹10,650 |
Ask for the latest paid bills and agree in the sale agreement that the seller clears arrears up to handover. Our resale buying process shows where this fits.
The Khata, Account, Dues test (our framework)
| Check | Question | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Khata | Is the e-Khata mutated to your name? | Mutation first, then BESCOM |
| Account | Do you have the BESCOM account ID and BWSSB RR number? | Get them from the seller's bills |
| Dues | Are both connections paid up? | Seller clears before final payment |
Checklist
- Sale deed registered and e-Khata mutated to your name
- BESCOM account ID and BWSSB RR number noted
- Latest paid bills for both collected from the seller
- BESCOM SMS link used, or subdivision route outside GBA
- BWSSB transfer filed, or the new-connection route if extra floors were added
- Next bills checked for your name
- Property tax also moved to you (property tax on a new flat)
- Bulk-connection flats: association records updated
This is general information, not legal advice. If ownership is disputed or a connection is in a deceased owner's name, ask a property lawyer about the documents first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the name on a BESCOM connection online?
Inside GBA, get your e-Khata mutated first. BESCOM then sends an SMS link. Log in with an OTP, check the details pulled from GBA, pay ₹100, e-sign the agreement and indemnity bond for ₹1,194 and authenticate with Aadhaar. Your name shows from the next bill.
How much does BESCOM name change cost?
About ₹1,294 on the online route: ₹100 processing and ₹1,194 for the e-stamp and e-sign, as reported in April 2026. Applying yourself avoids middlemen, who were reported to charge over ₹10,000 before.
How do I transfer a BWSSB water connection to my name?
Apply on BWSSB's Transfer of Connection/Ownership portal with your RR number and pay ₹250. The guarantee is 10 days. If there's been extra construction since the connection was sanctioned, apply through the Online Water Connection portal instead.
Do I need the e-Khata before transferring BESCOM?
For the faceless route inside GBA, yes. It runs off the e-Khata database, and the SMS arrives after mutation. Outside GBA, or if you can't use the link, apply through BESCOM's subdivision and follow its document list.
Who pays unpaid electricity and water bills after a resale?
Agree it in the sale agreement. Ask the seller for the latest paid bills and make clearing arrears up to handover a condition of the final payment. Check the first bill in your name for any carried-over amount.
Can I transfer a connection in a deceased parent's name?
BESCOM's online route also covers transfers from deceased parents to children, per the April 2026 report. Your e-Khata must first be mutated to you, which may need succession documents. Ask a lawyer if heirs disagree.
Talk it through with acre&key
If you're buying a resale home and want the paperwork, from khata to utilities, checked in order, book a consultation with acre&key.
Lawyer note: This is general information, not legal advice. If ownership is disputed or a connection is in a deceased owner's name, ask a property lawyer about the documents first.
References
Checked 19 Oct 2026.
- Times of India, BESCOM transfer in a few clicks, 26 Apr 2026 (news): https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/now-transfer-bangalore-electricity-supply-company-power-connection-in-just-few-clicks/articleshow/130521700.cms
- BWSSB, Transfer of Connection/Ownership portal (fee, guarantee, dashboard): https://bwsajala.karnataka.gov.in/bwssbtoc/
- BWSSB, Online Water Connection portal: https://owc.bwssb.gov.in/
- BESCOM, name change form: https://www.bescom.co.in/bescom/dashboard/consumer-dashboard/janasnehi-vidhyuth-sevagalu/name-change-form
- BESCOM, track name change: https://www.bescom.co.in/bescom/main/track-name-change