Most buyers lose money not because a paper is missing, but because they pay first and check later. This plan puts the checks in the order that saves the most time and money. Follow it from step 1; stop and rethink the moment a step turns up a serious problem.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Have the final documents reviewed by a qualified advocate before you pay or sign.
Step 1 — Pin down exactly which land it is
Before anything else, write down the mouza, dag number(s), khatian number(s), area and the sheet/JL number as the seller states them. Everything you check later must be about this same plot. Ask for the deed, the latest khatian and the mouza map, and ask the seller to show you the land on the ground with the neighbours’ names.
- Do the dag and area in the deed match the khatian?
- Does the mouza map place that dag where the seller is pointing?
- Are the boundaries (north, south, east, west) the same in every paper?
If the land you are shown and the land in the papers are not clearly the same, stop here.
Step 2 — Check who is selling, and whether they can sell
- Ask for the NID or passport of every seller and every signatory.
- If someone signs for the owner, ask for the power of attorney and check that it is registered, still in force and actually covers sale of this land.
- If the land was inherited, ask for the heirship certificate and, if the heirs divided the land, the partition deed. Every heir with a share must be accounted for.
Step 3 — Trace the deeds
Collect the current deed and the chain of earlier deeds as far back as the seller can show. Each deed should pass the land from the person named in the one before. Write the chain as a simple timeline: who, to whom, when, which area, which dag.
Red flags: a gap in the chain, a seller who got the land from someone who never owned it, or an area that grows from one deed to the next.
Step 4 — Compare the survey records and the latest khatian
Ask for the khatians that apply to the plot (CS, SA, RS, BS or city survey, depending on the area) and the latest record. Check names, dag numbers and area from one survey to the next. Does the latest record carry the seller’s name? If not, find out why before going further.
Step 5 — Mutation and land tax
Look for the mutation khatian and order and the recent land-tax receipts. They should be for the same plot and the same holding. A tax receipt only shows that tax was paid against a holding — it does not prove title.
Step 6 — Search beyond the seller’s papers
This is the step most buyers skip, and where the expensive surprises hide.
- Sub-registry search for earlier or competing registered deeds.
- Mortgage and loan signs — ask where the original deeds are. If a bank holds them, you need a written release.
- Court and record-correction cases involving the seller, earlier owners or the plot.
- Government interest — whether the land is vested, waqf, khas or settled by the government.
- Acquisition history — whether the land was ever in an acquisition or requisition case, and exactly how it ended.
Step 7 — Planning and what you can build
If you intend to build, check what the applicable plan says about land use, any proposed road, flood or water zone, and whether the plot has legal access. This is an observation, not a permit — approvals come from the authority.
Step 8 — Visit the site and ask the neighbours
Go in person, with a person who knows the area. Who is living on or using the land? Is the boundary clear? Does anyone claim a share or a right of way? Take dated photographs.
Step 9 — Decide, with conditions
Write down every open question. For each, decide whether it can be fixed before you pay (a bank release, a missing heir’s signature, a corrected record) or is a reason to walk away. Only then agree on the price and the bayna terms in writing.
Questions people ask
Can I just trust a registered deed? Registration shows a document was registered; it does not prove the seller owned the land. That is why the chain and the records matter.
How long does it take? It depends on how complete the papers are and how quickly the offices respond. Plan for days, not hours.
How BEST ABASHON helps
A Basic Check screens the seller’s papers for consistency. A Standard Check adds the deed chain and the main official searches. A Full Check adds mortgage, government-interest, acquisition history, planning and a site visit. You get one report with every finding graded and the evidence attached. Choose a package and start your request.
