The resale flat checklist nobody gives you

Most resale disputes start with a document nobody asked for. The seller is friendly, the flat looks right and the broker wants a token amount by Sunday. Slow down. This list takes a week to work through and can save you years.

Ownership first

Ask for the chain of title going back at least thirty years. Every sale in that chain should be registered, stamped and in the name of the person who sold to the next owner. Gaps are not always fatal, but they need an explanation from a lawyer, not from the broker.

Dues and encumbrances

• Encumbrance certificate for the same period as the title chain
• Latest property tax receipt and society maintenance receipt
• A no dues letter from the society, dated this month
• Loan closure letter if the seller had a mortgage

The building itself

Ask for the occupancy certificate and the approved plan. Then walk the flat with the plan in hand. Enclosed balconies and merged rooms are common, and they can become your problem at resale time.

If a seller refuses to share a document before the token, treat that as the answer.

Before you pay

Put every promise in the token receipt: the agreed price, what stays in the flat, the date for the sale agreement and what happens to the token if the paperwork fails. A one page receipt with these points is worth more than a long conversation.