Documents to Check Before Buying a Plot in Mysore

Most bad property purchases in and around Mysore are not the result of overpaying. They are the result of buying a site whose paperwork did not support what the buyer thought they were getting. This checklist is what we go through before we are comfortable recommending a site to anyone.

Give the whole set to an advocate. Reading them yourself is useful; it is not a substitute.

1. Title deed and the chain of ownership

The current registered sale deed shows how the present owner acquired the property. Behind it should be a continuous chain — the "mother deed" and every transfer since — establishing that each owner in turn had the right to sell. Ask for at least thirty years of chain. Gaps, unregistered transfers, or a property that has passed through inheritance without a clear partition deed all need explaining before you proceed.

2. Encumbrance certificate (30 years)

Obtained from the sub-registrar, the EC lists every registered transaction against the property over the period requested. You are looking for two things: that the chain matches the deeds you have been shown, and that there is no subsisting mortgage, lien, court attachment or third-party claim. If the property was mortgaged and the loan repaid, you also want the release deed or discharge certificate from the lender.

3. Khata certificate and khata extract

The khata is the municipal record identifying who is responsible for property tax. The certificate confirms the property is on the register in the owner's name; the extract gives the details — dimensions, built-up area where applicable, and assessed value.

Check which type of khata the property holds. The distinction between A and B khata affects building licences, loan eligibility and resale, and the rules around it have changed over time — see our khata guide and confirm the current position with the local body.

4. Property tax paid receipts

Get the receipts for the most recent years, in the seller's name, with no arrears. Unpaid property tax follows the property, not the previous owner.

5. Land conversion (DC conversion) order

A great deal of land around Mysore was agricultural. To be used for residential purposes it must be converted to non-agricultural use by order of the competent authority. Without that order the site cannot lawfully be built on for residential use, you will have difficulty obtaining a building licence, and most lenders will not finance it.

If the land was never agricultural, this does not apply — but confirm that rather than assume it.

6. Approved layout plan and release order

For a site inside a layout, ask for the layout plan approved by the planning authority, and the release order covering the specific site number you are buying. Then verify the approval directly with the authority. A layout plan shown to you on a phone is not verification.

Our MUDA guide explains what approval does and does not guarantee.

7. Survey documents

• Survey sketch / tippani — the official sketch of the survey number.
• RTC (Pahani) — for land that is or was agricultural, showing the record of rights, tenancy and crops.
• Mutation records — showing that ownership changes have been recorded in the revenue records.

Measure the site yourself against the sketch. Discrepancies between recorded and actual dimensions are common and must be resolved before purchase, not after.

8. Situation-specific documents

9. What to check on the ground

Documents describe the property. A visit tells you whether the description is true.

• Do the physical boundaries match the schedule in the deed?
• Is the access road the one shown on the layout plan, and is it the width stated?
• Is there any encroachment — a compound wall, a shed, a path in use?
• Is anyone in possession of the site?
• Does the site drain, or does water stand on it?
• What is the water source in that street, and what is the power situation?

Red flags

• The seller will only show photocopies, or is "getting the originals from the bank".
• Urgency framed as a favour — a price valid only if you pay an advance today.
• A price meaningfully below comparable sites, with no explanation you can verify.
• Any request to record a lower value in the deed than the amount actually paid.
• Reluctance to let your advocate see the file.

Getting a second pair of eyes

We go through this list on every site we recommend, and we will tell you when something does not add up. Send us your requirement or ask us about a specific site — there is no charge to customers.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Engage an advocate to examine the actual documents for the property you intend to buy.