Do you contemplate to buy a flat? Are you confused about buying which flat in which area? The following information is published for the prospective buyers of flats. They should go through the following checklist before buying flats.
- One should check the number of lifts in the project; consider the step and their width, the width of the midlanding of the steps, width of the corridors, height of the floor to floor and check the brochure for such other details. On many occasions, the builders collect huge sums from the prospective buyers for the common areas. The buyers should beware of such practices
- The next comes checking the power connection. What is the nature of the power connection? What is its capacity? Before buying flats, the intending purchasers should check this
- The number of bore wells sunk in the project? What is their current status? Whether the inmates of the project should depend on the tap water provided by the HMWSSB? Are the flat mates required to buy water during summer? The buyers should crosscheck this crucial aspect
- The UDS of each flat should be clearly demarcated
- Club house, swimming pool and other amenities are provided with contributions from flat owners. The builder should hand the facilities over to the owners’ association for their proper maintenance. In case the builder or developer were to maintaining them, he or she is not supposed to impose additional charges on flat owners
- The electrical, plumbing and sanitary fittings and lifts should be as per the specifications given by the builder. The prospective buyers should identify three brands, if given a choice by the builder
- It is mandatory to have quality Plaster of Paris designs on the ceiling and inside walls
- The builder is required to collect uniform rate for car parking slots if the flat owner wants one slot or many. The builder should specify the parking area size. To arrive at the quantum of the price, the parking slots should be charged per square feet. The car parking number should be mentioned in the agreement
- One should verify the building plan whether there is a provision for fire –fighting equipment, helipad on the roof, forced ventilation for the fire escape steps or not
- One should check the bedrooms adjacent to lifts are separated from ducts or not
- In case booking of a flat has been cancelled, one should ascertain the quantum of refund and when the amount is returned. They should also find out the amount to be retained by the builder out of the advance
- In case of obtaining home loan, the period of repayment or the schedule of payment should be included without fail in the sale agreement
- Amidst stiff competition, the prospective buyers will book flats. In case the builder delays the execution, it should be ascertained how much interest the builder would pay for the period delayed
- nother important aspect here is that the builder should accommodate the buyers’ choice of changing the floor design or having a modular kitchen. The builder should allow change of the place for installation of doors, shelves, AC installations under minor customization
- The shifting of furniture in all bed rooms should be easy. The drawing room-cum-dining hall should be in “L-shaped” to conceal the dining room. Balconies should have at least four-foot width. There should be one balcony for kitchen and another for drawing room. The number of doors and windows should be in tune with the vastu. The kitchen should have adequate ventilation. The prospective buyers should verify the plan. There should not be unnecessary walls causing waste of place
- The builder should show the land purchase documents or development agreement at the time of booking the flat. The land owner and builder should sign the flat sale agreement. In case the builder resorts to construction of flat without having any agreement with the land owner, the builder should show the agreement at the time of the booking of the flat by the customer. Otherwise, the customer would be at a loss. For example, the housing board of the state government bought the flats about 45 years ago near Sankar Math in Hyderabad. The flat purchasers from the board thought that they were entitled to the UDS of the land on which the structure was situated. But, the housing board told the customers that it only sold the building but not the land. The customers have no option except moving the court. What more choice do they have? The buyers should realize the market value of the UDS would be higher compared to the market price of the flat after its life time (60 years)
