Land Records in India: Property Document Types and Importance

Land records are essential for any individual planning to buy, sell or let out property. They 

provide crucial information about property ownership, legal rights and land usage. Property owners, developers and builders must maintain and preserve land records. Let’s look at what are land records, their types, and their importance.

What are Land Records?

Land records are legal documents that prove the ownership of a person over a property or grant the right to a person to reside or stay on a property. Any person with the land records that prove he/she owns a property has the legal right to develop, demolish, rent, lease, mortgage or sell the property. They are also crucial to establishing and verifying property rights, resolving disputes, assessing land values, and supporting urban planning and infrastructure development initiatives. 

Land records contain comprehensive information about the land, such as the owner's name, property location, boundaries of the property, and historical transactions. These records are maintained by state or local government agencies operating under the Department of Revenue or Land Administration Departments. 

Different Types of Land Records in India

• Sale deed
• Gift deed
• Lease agreement
• Rental agreement
• Mortgage deed
• Encumbrance certificate
• Property tax receipts
• Khata certificate
• Record of Rights
• Mutation register
• Partition deed
• Records establishing land ownership of legal heirs:
  • Will or Probate certificate
  • Succession certificate
  • Legal heir certificate

Where to Get Land Records?

In India, land records can be obtained from the following persons or entities:

Sellers 

The person selling the property, whether an individual seller, developer, or builder, will have the original property records with them. Sometimes, they might have submitted the land records to the bank for loan purposes. In such cases, you can visit the bank and request to view the land records to verify their correctness.

Register office

The sub-register office where the land is registered will maintain the land records relating to that property. People can visit the sub-register office and apply for a certified copy of the land records.

Land record website

States have their own land records websites, such as Bhoomi, Bhulekh, e-Rekha, etc., where anyone can visit and view the land records of a property. Certain land records can also be downloaded from these websites. 

Importance of Land Records

People buying a property must look into the land records or title deeds to ensure that the sellers, developers, or builders have the legal right to sell it. Similarly, people in the real estate sector must maintain land records as they act as proof of ownership of the property. 

Even if an individual is not planning to sell his/her property, it is essential to keep the land records as they prove that he/she is the property owner and safeguard against the claim of ownership over the property by a third party, if any.

Up-to-date land records help the owner to resolve property disputes or boundary conflicts. They provide a legal framework for establishing and verifying property rights and ensuring transparency in land transactions. 

Land records also enable property owners to mortgage, rent or lease their properties and earn money from it. Proper land records encourage investments in real estate by providing confidence among lenders, buyers and developers about the legality and security of property transactions.

Land records facilitate accountability, transparency, and efficiency in land transactions. They are easy to obtain, especially after the digitisation and modernisation of land record management systems in India. Land records are significant for making informed decisions in the real estate sector and ensuring effective land governance.