East Bengaluru buyer answers

What should I check before taking possession of a new flat in Bengaluru?

By Gaurav Mongia, acre&key · Published 17 Oct 2026 · Updated 17 Oct 2026

Direct answer: Before you take keys, walk the flat room by room, match carpet area to your agreement, photograph defects, and collect the possession letter, occupancy certificate status, keys, meter readings and NOCs. Under RERA, structural and workmanship defects reported within five years of handover must be fixed free within 30 days. Do not skip a written snag list.

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 guidance from the RERA Act and related public sources, not legal advice. Have your own property lawyer review the documents for your specific flat before you sign or pay.

Buyers often treat possession day as a celebration. Treat it as an inspection. Once you sign a possession letter without noting defects, arguing later gets harder. The Act still protects you on structural defects for five years after handover (s.14(3)), but a clean written record on day one makes every later claim easier.

Which documents should I collect on possession day?

Ask for these in writing, not as WhatsApp photos alone:

1. Possession letter with the date and unit number clearly stated.
2. Occupancy certificate (OC) status for your tower or unit. If the builder says "applied" or "expected soon", write that down. See why OC and CC matter.
3. Allotment letter, agreement for sale and draft sale deed (or the registered sale deed if conveyance is happening now). Our page on checking the sale agreement covers what to look for before you ever reach this day.
4. Keys, access cards, parking allotment matching your agreement.
5. Electricity and water meter numbers and closing readings on the day you take charge (for power, ask for the BESCOM R.R. number; see when a new flat gets a permanent BESCOM connection).
6. NOCs or clearances the builder claims to have: fire NOC, pollution consent where applicable, lift licence copies if already issued to the association.
7. Statement of dues — maintenance, corpus, property tax, any unpaid instalments — with a zero-balance confirmation if you've paid everything.

Section 11(4)(a) of the Act keeps the promoter responsible for obligations under the Act, the rules and the agreement until conveyance to you or the association (s.11(4)(a)). That is your hook when documents are incomplete. Many of the same papers belong on the documents-before-token list; possession day is when you confirm they still match the flat you're taking.

How should I inspect the flat itself?

Walk slowly. Take photos and a short video of every room, balcony, shaft door and external wall you can reach. Bring a measuring tape and a spirit level if you can.

• Doors and windows: open, close, lock. Check seals and glass.
• Flooring and tiles: hollow sounds, uneven joints, cracks.
• Kitchen and bathrooms: taps, drainage, waterproofing stains, WC flush, geyser point, exhaust.
• Electrical: every switch and socket; MCB labelling; fan and AC points.
• Walls and ceilings: seepage marks, hollow plaster, beam cracks.
• Balcony and railing: height, rust, drainage slope.
• Parking bay: number matches the agreement; access isn't blocked.

Compare what you see with the specifications in your agreement for sale. Section 14(1) says the project must be completed as per sanctioned plans and specifications (s.14(1)). A mismatch that isn't a "minor" change under s.14(2) deserves a written query before you accept possession quietly.

How do I check carpet area at handover?

Bring the agreement's carpet-area figure. Measure room by room using the RERA definition in s.2(k): net usable floor area including internal walls, excluding external walls, service shafts, exclusive balconies and exclusive open terraces. If your measured carpet is short of the agreement, put the shortfall in the snag list with your numbers. Don't rely on a sales brochure's "super built-up" figure at this stage.

What belongs in the snag list?

Write a dated list the builder's site engineer signs or acknowledges by email the same day. Include:

• Each defect with room and photo reference
• Missing fittings named in the agreement specifications
• Meter readings and key counts
• Any verbal promise about fixes and the date promised

Section 14(3) requires the promoter to rectify structural defects or other defects in workmanship, quality or services, or other agreement obligations, within 30 days of being notified within five years of handing over possession, without further charge (s.14(3)). The clock and the proof both start with your notice.

What about common areas and the association?

Ask when the association of allottees will take over common areas and which documents will be handed over. Section 17 requires a registered conveyance of your apartment plus undivided proportionate title in common areas to the association, and handover of documents and plans after OC (s.17). If possession of your flat is offered but the association has no plan for lifts, STP, DG or parking inventory, note that too.

What should East Bengaluru buyers watch for specifically?

On Sarjapur Road, Whitefield, ORR Marathahalli–Bellandur and Old Madras Road corridors, ask about:

• Water source and tanker reliance for the first year after handover (BWSSB connection status)
• Power backup load that actually covers your flat's lights and fans, not only lifts
• Approach roads still under construction and who maintains them
• Drainage history after heavy rain near low-lying pockets

None of those replace the Act. They stop you discovering a daily living problem after you've signed the possession letter. Dues you pay at handover (maintenance, corpus, deposits) also sit on the hidden-costs list, so match the demand letter to what you already agreed.

What if the builder pushes me to take possession without an OC?

Some buyers are offered keys with an undertaking that the OC is "in process". That can create problems for khata, bank formalities and later resale. Ask your lawyer before you sign anything that treats OC-less handover as final. Our note on OC and CC covers why the certificate matters.

Who should be with me on possession day?

Ideally: you, your co-owner, and someone who has done a snagging walk before. Your consultant can help coordinate. Your lawyer should already have reviewed title and the draft sale deed; possession day is for physical and document checks, not for first reading the deed.

What do I do after the walkthrough?

1. Send the signed snag list to the builder by email the same day.
2. Keep the possession letter and meter photos in one folder with the agreement.
3. Diary the 30-day rectification window for each notified defect under s.14(3).
4. Ask for a written schedule for remaining common-area handover items.
5. If defects aren't fixed, a complaint route under Section 31 exists (K-RERA FAQ). You can also re-check the project on the Karnataka RERA website for status updates before you escalate.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to take possession on the date the builder sends?

No. Check the agreement for sale for the possession date and any notice period. If the flat is unfinished or documents are missing, write back listing what is incomplete before you accept keys.

Is a possession letter the same as an occupancy certificate?

No. A possession letter records that keys were handed over. An occupancy certificate is issued by the planning authority. One does not replace the other.

How long does the builder have to fix defects after possession?

Under section 14(3) of the RERA Act, defects notified within five years of handover must be rectified without further charge within 30 days of notice.

Should I hire a professional snagging firm?

Optional. Many Bengaluru buyers do for larger flats. Whether you hire one or not, keep your own dated photos and a signed list.

What if carpet area is short at possession?

Measure using the RERA carpet definition, put the shortfall in writing, and take advice from your lawyer on remedies under the agreement and the Act.

References

1. Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, ss. 2(k), 11(4), 14, 17, 31 (hosted by K-RERA). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 16 Oct 2026.
2. Karnataka RERA FAQs. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/KARNATKA_FAQs.pdf, accessed 16 Oct 2026.
3. Karnataka RERA portal. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 16 Oct 2026.