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Buying a home involves more than checking its price, location and interiors. Buyers should also verify documents, structural safety, fire protection and how the property is being used.
Verify the sanctioned building plan, occupancy certificate and required permissions. For PGs, hostels or converted properties, confirm whether their present use is officially authorised.
Ask about the building’s age, structural inspections, renovations and alterations. Watch for dampness, seepage, major cracks, exposed reinforcement or repeated structural repairs.
Ensure staircases and exits remain accessible, while alarms, extinguishers and firefighting systems are functional. Also check applicable fire clearances and understand the building’s evacuation routes.
Ask how many people occupy the building and whether rooms, basements, terraces, corridors or parking spaces are being used differently from their approved purpose.
A cheaper property may become expensive because of unresolved legal issues, poor construction, inadequate safety measures, or high maintenance costs that emerge after purchase.
India needs more affordable, student and rental housing. But new housing must also be verifiable, compliant, structurally sound and safe for the people living there.