Hand over a flat only when five things are done: the occupancy certificate is issued, the buyer’s dues are cleared or formally agreed, the snag list is signed off, meter readings and keys are recorded, and the document pack is ready. Then issue the possession letter, with a copy of everything the buyer signed, on the day the keys change hands.
Most handover disputes start weeks later, over a snag nobody wrote down, a charge the buyer did not expect, or a document that was promised but never given. The checklist below is built to prevent those three.
Before you offer possession
- Occupancy certificate issued for the building or part being handed over, and a copy ready for every buyer.
- Final demand raised, covering the last instalment, any interest, and the charges the agreement for sale allows at possession (for example advance maintenance, the maintenance corpus, legal and documentation charges).
- Buyer’s TDS checked: every amount the buyer deducted as TDS is matched to a credit, and missing ones are chased now, while the buyer still has a reason to respond.
- Flat inspected by your own team and its snags fixed before the buyer sees it.
- Utilities ready: electricity and water meters installed, readings taken, common areas working.
The offer of possession
Send each buyer a written offer that states:
- that the occupancy certificate has been issued, with its number and date;
- the final amount due, line by line, and the due date;
- the documents the buyer must bring (identity, the original agreement, proof of payment);
- the window for inspection and handover, and whom to call to book a slot.
On handover day
| Step | What to record |
|---|---|
| Joint inspection | Each snag, room by room, with a photo and a target date to fix |
| Dues | Final statement, receipts, any agreed balance in writing |
| Meters | Electricity, water and gas readings, with photos |
| Keys and access | Number of keys, cards, remotes and parking stickers handed over |
| Fittings and equipment | Make and serial numbers, warranty cards, manuals |
| Signatures | Buyer and builder sign the checklist; each keeps a copy |
The document pack
Give every buyer the same pack, and keep a signed acknowledgement:
- possession letter;
- copy of the occupancy certificate;
- final statement of account and receipts;
- signed handover checklist with the snag list;
- warranties and manuals for fittings and equipment;
- approved floor plan of the flat;
- maintenance details: what has been collected, who runs maintenance until the association takes over, and how to raise a complaint;
- details for the society or association, once formed.
After handover
- Close snags by their target dates and get the buyer’s sign-off on each.
- Track defects reported later: under section 14(3), a structural defect or a defect in workmanship, quality or services reported within five years of handing over possession must be fixed free of charge within thirty days. Log every complaint with its date.
- Run maintenance until the association takes over, with a separate account for the money collected for it.
- Hand over to the association: common areas, documents, and the funds collected for maintenance and the corpus, with a statement of account.
The clocks the RERA Act starts
The occupancy certificate and the handover start several deadlines. For the conveyance and the hand-over of documents, a local law’s deadline applies where there is one; the Act’s applies in its absence.
| Provision | What must happen | By when |
|---|---|---|
| s.19(10) | The buyer takes physical possession | Within two months of the OC |
| s.17(1) | Conveyance deed in favour of the buyer, and of common areas to the association | Within three months of the OC, if no local law |
| s.17(2) | Documents and plans, including of common areas, to the association | Within thirty days after the OC, if no local law |
| s.11(4)(d) | The builder provides and maintains essential services, on reasonable charges | Until the association takes over maintenance |
| s.14(3) | Defects reported by the buyer are fixed free of charge | Reported within five years of possession; fixed within thirty days |
How LoftRay handles handover
LoftRay keeps a handover checklist per unit, with possession dues, snags recorded with photos, possession, and the document pack. After handover, the facility helpdesk takes complaints with escalation, maintenance billing runs with meter readings and AMCs, and the association fund handover is recorded.