East Bengaluru buyer answers
Does a consultant replace your own property lawyer for title verification?
Direct answer: No. A real estate consultancy firm can gather documents and spot obvious gaps, but a title opinion should come from your own property lawyer you appoint. The lawyer reads the ownership chain, checks for encumbrances and disputes, confirms land conversion and approvals are valid, and reviews the agreement. They work only for you.
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.
Verify with your lawyer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Title, khata and encumbrance questions turn on your specific documents, so get a written title opinion from your own property lawyer before you pay any token or sign.
Why isn’t a consultancy enough for title?
Three reasons:
Skill. Reading a title chain going back decades, spotting a missing link or a defective power of attorney, and understanding land-conversion history takes legal training.
Whose side they're on. A consultant who's paid when you buy has a reason, even unconsciously, to see documents as "fine." A lawyer paid by you to find problems doesn't.
Responsibility. A lawyer's written opinion is professional advice you can rely on. A consultant's "everything's in order" isn't the same.
Who does what?
The consultancy firm: - collects title documents from the developer or seller; - checks the Karnataka RERA page; - pulls basic records like the EC from Kaveri; - organises it all for your lawyer; - follows up on the lawyer's questions.
Your lawyer: - reads the full ownership chain; - checks Encumbrance Certificates over the period they consider necessary; - checks land records (RTC, mutation) on Bhoomi where relevant; - checks conversion orders and plan approvals; - checks khata and tax; - searches for litigation; - reviews the agreement for sale; - gives you a written opinion.
How do you brief a property lawyer?
Send them:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sale deeds in the chain | As far back as available |
| Encumbrance Certificates | Your lawyer will say how many years |
| Khata extract and tax receipts | Seller's or promoter's name |
| RTC and mutation records | For land history |
| Conversion order | If the land was agricultural |
| Approved plans and licences | Including the commencement certificate |
| RERA registration pages | For new projects |
| Draft agreement for sale | For review |
| OC | For ready or resale flats |
Ask for a written opinion and a list of anything still missing. If some documents are only available as photocopies, tell the lawyer; they may want to see originals before giving a final view. And give them enough time. A rushed title check, squeezed in because a developer says the offer ends on Sunday, is how problems get missed.
Choosing a lawyer
- Pick one who handles property work in Bangalore regularly.
- Make sure they don't act for the builder on this project.
- Agree the fee and scope upfront.
- Ask how long the opinion will take.
If your consultant suggests a lawyer, that's fine, but ask whether the lawyer has any link to the developer, and remember you can pick your own.
What the bank's legal check is (and isn't)
If you take a home loan, the bank will have its own lawyer check the property. That protects the bank's security. It's useful but not a substitute for your own advice.
What should a consultancy spot before your lawyer does?
Even without a law degree, a good consultant should catch:
- A project missing from the RERA portal, or a registration that's lapsed.
- Approvals on the portal that don't match the brochure (floors, units, phases).
- A seller whose name doesn't match the khata or sale deed.
- Unpaid property tax.
- A B-khata or panchayat khata where you expected A-khata.
- Missing occupancy certificate on a "ready" flat.
If they don't mention any of these, ask why.
It also helps to ask a consultancy firm what it found wrong the last time it checked a project. A firm that does real groundwork will have examples of gaps it caught, without naming clients: a plan approval that didn't cover a later phase, a seller whose khata hadn't been transferred, or an EC that showed an old mortgage still open.
Which records can you look up yourself?
- Karnataka RERA portal: project registration, approvals, proforma agreement, promoter's declarations.
- Kaveri (IGR Karnataka): Encumbrance Certificate and registration details.
- Bhoomi: RTC and land records for agricultural and converted land.
- GBA's e-Aasthi: e-Khata for properties in the city corporation area.
- e-Swathu: property records in gram panchayat areas.
What should a consultant never do?
Take your money for the property. All payments for a new flat go to the promoter's account, against receipts. Not to the consultant. See red flags.
Sign for you. Unless you've given a carefully limited Power of Attorney, drafted by your lawyer, nobody signs on your behalf.
Promise what the developer hasn't. A possession date, a specification or a price that isn't in writing from the developer doesn't count. Section 10 of the RERA Act bars registered agents from making false or misleading statements.
Sell an unregistered project. Section 10(a) bars agents from facilitating the sale of units in projects that need registration but aren't registered.
Hide who pays them. It's not a legal requirement in every case, but it's basic fairness.
What can’t a consultant control?
- Construction delays.
- Changes in government charges or rules.
- Market prices.
- What the bank decides.
- How the building's society is run after handover.
A consultant can help you choose a project and builder with a better record, which reduces some risks. They can't remove them.
Your next steps
- Appoint a lawyer before you pay a token.
- Ask your consultancy firm to send the documents above.
- Get the written opinion.
- Clear every issue before paying.
- Keep the opinion with your property papers.
- Use our list of documents to verify before paying a token advance as the brief for your lawyer.
- If the land is outside city limits, see how to check whether a project is under BBMP or a gram panchayat.
Frequently asked questions
Is a lawyer needed for a new flat in a RERA project?
Yes. RERA registration helps, but title and agreement terms still need review by your own lawyer.
Can I use the builder's lawyer?
They act for the builder. Use your own.
How much does a property lawyer cost?
It varies. Get a quote for the specific job.
What if the lawyer finds a problem?
Ask the seller or promoter to fix it before you pay. If it can't be fixed, walk away.
Is the bank's approval enough?
No. The bank checks for its own purposes.
Will a consultant handle registration for me?
They can coordinate. You or your PoA holder sign at the Sub-Registrar's office.
References
- Kaveri Online Services (registration, Encumbrance Certificate, guidance value). https://kaveri.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
- Bhoomi / Karnataka land records portal (RTC, mutation). https://landrecords.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority, official portal (project status, agent status, complaints). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, full text PDF (PRS Legislative Research). https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/acts_parliament/2016/the-real-estate-%28regulation-and-development%29-act,-2016.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Greater Bengaluru Authority (successor to BBMP), official site. https://bbmp.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
- GBA e-Aasthi 2.0 e-Khata portal. https://gbaeaasthi.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- e-Swathu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj property records (gram panchayat properties). https://eswathu.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, official text hosted by Karnataka RERA. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.