Before buying a property be a an apartment, an independent house or land - there are certain safeguards you should take to make sure your dream purchase does not into a nightmare. A failure to take basic advice can often result in disastrous financial losses. According to legal experts a buyer has to be thoroughly aware about the pitfalls involved in purchasing an apartment, a plot of land or house.

The pitfalls

Buyers must be aware of properties without title deeds, buildings constructed without obtaining permission from the corporation, buildings with a demolition order hanging over them, bank taxes owed on the property that are inherited by the buyer, structural faults, poor plumbing and wiring, or a new construction on that empty space in front of your house a year after moving in there.

What to look for

Some of the safeguards to be followed while purchasing a property are title-deed for 30 years on the property, the title-deed is necessary for availing a loan from any nationalised bank; encumbrance certificate from the last 13 years till the date of purchase to prove that the apartment dose not have any liability, the certificate shows whether the property has any mortgage or is under litigation; land tax receipt to ensure that the seller or builder has effected mutation and obtained `Patta,' or in other words to find out whether the seller has been conferred the `vested right over the land' with respect to the title-deed of the property, possession certificate issued by the village officer showing the total extent of the land in possession of the landlord, location certificate and sketch of the property, issued by the village officer for the current year, building permit from the Corporation, clearance from Development Authorities where ever required, fire-safety requirements and approval from the State Pollution Control Board. There are also frequent complaints from buyers about lack of service after construction, exorbitant common maintenance rate, quality of construction materials used and non-completion of a project on time.

However, legal experts point out that one of the key areas often overlooked by a purchaser is whether the building is meant for residential or commercial purpose or for both. The commercial rates for electricity and water are quite high. Normally a buyer will realise this only when he receives a hefty amount as bill for the connection provided in his building.