Buying a flat in Bangalore today comes with a whole different set of challenges. It is not the usual suspects of registrations, service tax or legal compliances by the builder. A buyer of a house or flat in Bangalore has to now be ready to pay betterment charges for the Khata Guide. Flats for sale in Bangalore have to now ensure that they get a Khata A certificate if they want to avail all civic amenities. If your property happens to be on Khata B certificate site then you have be ready to pay the charges that are due to convert it to a Khata A property.

The BBMP has started the system of paying betterment charges to convert Khata B sites to Khata A since 2014. This allows for regularisation of sites and thus allows residents to avail civic services without hassle. Each ward has a list of sites that are listed as Khata B with a standard applicable charge per square yard to be paid as fee to legalize the site and convert it to Khata A. You can avail this service without having to approach touts and agents and directly get your Khata certificate. Here is a series of steps to follow for flat buyers in Bangalore to get their Khata certificate

• Fill out form 22 and get your Encumbrance Certificate (EC). The certificate should be valid for a minimum of one year. This can be done at a sub-registrar office and you will receive the certificate in 2 – 3 days time.
• With the Khata application ensure you have the following five forms - betterment charges receipt, building sanction letters, title certificate and plan of layout.
• You will also have to submit notarised copied of the Sale deed and Possession Certificate. If you have then Form III and GPA might be applicable but not in all cases
• Ensure that your property tax is paid up to date. A copy of this receipt will also need to be submitted
• Submit all documents together at the local ARO Office. You will get a stamped acknowledgement slip in pink with a submission number. Ensure that the officer who issues it also signs it.
• You can check back every 15 days till you get the notification for Khata convertion.
• You will receive a demand note which will have the details of the amount that needs to be paid. Generally it is a two percent of the sale deed value.
• Take a DD for the amount and submit it to the ARO office and get a stamped and signed acknowledgement.
• Check back every 15 days to see if the certificate has come through
• When you get the notification you will need to check for the following: a) Name spelt correctly and b) Details of property are correct
• With this notification you can visit the ARO office and request for the issue of Khata certificate and extract.
• The ARO office will give you a time to come and collect the two documents. Ensure that you make it back and collect the same

The entire process is done as per guidelines so you need not worry about having missing information at any stage. In case you are doing it along with all the residents in your apartment then ensure that all documents are submitted at one time to avoid any delays.

With a Khata A certificate you can apply for bank loans against your property and also ensure that you receive proper civic services.