What to do when documents of the houses or land are lost is an important question that property owners in West Bengal and Kolkata have to be prepared about.

Documents of the Houses or Land

Documents of the houses or land are important property documents that should always be secured. There are instances when you may lose your property deeds, agreements or other essential house and land papers. If you are missing property documents, you must consult one of the best property lawyer in West Bengal and Kolkata to guide you to obtain duplicate or certified copies of such documents.

The original sale documents, lease papers and title deeds are essential documents required during the registration of a property and no one can buy or sell real estate property without these legal documents in West Bengal. Sometimes people accidentally misplace or lose their property-related documents. It is important to keep regular checks on such documents to ensure the safe possession of these documents. If you have lost the original sale document or your property deed, such as a lease, you can obtain a duplicate document. If you are missing your property documents, then you must consult a property lawyer in West Bengal who can guide you by following specific steps.

Obtain Duplicate Documents of the Houses or Land

Missing documents play an important role, especially in the case of sale and purchase of property transactions. With missing paper, it is not so easy task to sell a property. In the case of a lost document you need to get a duplicate and you have to apply for certified copies of the same. Here are the steps you need to follow to get duplicate documents for your property:

• File a police complaint immediately:

You should file a police complaint as soon as possible after realising you have lost your property documents. Only the home or landowner has to file an FIR for the stolen or lost property papers, and he or she has to mention the complete details about the loss. Take a copy of the FIR or General Diary (GD) and keep it in a safe place as buyers may ask for it when you try to sell the property without the property documents. It is also recommended to consult a property lawyer in West Bengal when you are trying to sell such properties without original title deeds. 

Publish an Advertisement:

Once you have filed an FIR, you need to publish an advertisement in the English daily journal as well as in the local regional language newspaper about the loss of property documents. Then you have to wait for the next fifteen to twenty days to see if anyone finds it and returns it within that time frame. 

Apply for the Share Certificate:

By showing your FIR, you can apply for a share certificate from the Housing Society or Co-operative Housing Society in West Bengal. The authorized Resident Welfare Association (RWA) may also arrange for a society meeting and examine your proof of legal documents such as FIR or GD and other Identity documents that prove you have lost the property documents. After getting the approval, the housing society will charge a fee and give you a share certificate in exchange. Also, you can request the society members for a no-objection certificate as it plays an important role in further property selling.

Register an Affidavit with the Notary or First Class Magistrate:

The next step is to prepare a stamp paper document/affidavit about the loss of certain property documents, including the advertisement text published in the journal and the police complaint number. Documents will be verified and registered with a notary to make them legal. You may also consult a property lawyer in West Bengal to get such an affidavit signed by a First Class Magistrate.

The final step is to obtain a duplicate copy of the property sale document. This is why you will have to submit copies of police complaints, advertisement text, share certificates and the notary. All records relating to property transactions will be kept in a particular office. So, you have to pay the fee and they will provide you a duplicate copy of the property document.

Apply for Certified Copies of the Documents of the Houses or Land:

Apart from the above, you can also apply to obtain a certified copy of the lost sale deed. To receive the missing property documents, consult one of the best property lawyer in West Bengal and Kolkata who is conversant in such matters and can help you retrieve these documents.

Veracity of the Duplicate Documents

Although the entire procedure for retrieving documents of the houses or land may seem a little expensive, however, you will eventually receive legal duplicate copies of your property. Bank loans are not easily allowed for properties without original property documents, but after verifying all documents such as FIR copies, certified copies and others, loans can be easily approved. Lastly, we can say that if you have lost the property documents, then you are advised to follow the above steps to get a certified copy easily in West Bengal. For help with retrieving your missing property documents, consult a property lawyer in West Bengal here.