The documents before paying property token should establish who owns the property, what has been approved, what exactly the buyer will receive, how much the complete purchase will cost and under what conditions the token can be refunded or forfeited.
A professional builder should not ask a buyer to make an immediate payment based only on an attractive site visit, brochure, floor plan or verbal promise. Before transferring money, the buyer should be allowed to review the property’s title papers, sanctioned building plan, floor specifications, parking allocation, area statement, payment schedule, possession timeline and written token terms.
This is particularly important while buying a builder floor in Delhi, where two properties in the same locality can differ significantly in ownership structure, sanctioned coverage, land share, parking rights and construction quality.
Why the Token Stage Requires Complete Transparency
A token amount is generally paid to show a buyer’s serious interest and temporarily reserve the property while documentation or transaction terms are completed.
However, problems begin when the buyer and builder have different understandings of what the payment represents.
Before paying, clarify:
- Whether the amount is refundable
- How long the property will remain reserved
- Whether the price is fixed during that period
- Which documents are still pending
- What happens when legal verification identifies a problem
- What happens when a home loan is rejected
- Whether the token will become part of the sale consideration
- Under which circumstances the builder can retain it
These terms should be written into the token receipt or booking document. Do not rely on a statement such as “the amount will be adjusted later” without knowing the adjustment, refund and cancellation conditions.
1. Verify Who Owns the Property
The first of the essential documents before paying property token is proof that the person accepting the money owns the property or has the legal authority to sell it.
Ask for:
- Current registered ownership document
- Previous title documents forming the ownership chain
- Seller’s identity documents
- Company authorisation when a company owns the property
- Board resolution or authorised-signatory proof, where applicable
- Registered power of attorney when someone acts for the owner
- Details of all joint owners
- Consent from every person whose approval is legally necessary
The name on the ownership document should match the seller or entity named in the proposed transaction.
A buyer should appoint an independent property lawyer to examine the title chain, transfers, claims, mortgages and any litigation affecting the property. A broker, sales representative or builder’s employee should not replace independent legal verification.
2. Ask for the Sanctioned Building Plan
A marketing layout is not the same as a sanctioned building plan.
The sanctioned plan shows what the competent authority approved for construction, potentially including:
- Plot dimensions
- Permitted floors
- Approved covered area
- Setbacks
- Stilt parking
- Lift and staircase
- Balconies
- Service shafts
- Basement, where applicable
- Terrace layout
- Number and configuration of dwelling units
MCD operates an online system for building-plan sanction and related town-planning services for properties within its jurisdiction. The approving authority can differ for NDMC, DDA and other NCR jurisdictions.
Ask for the complete approved drawing rather than one selected floor plan. The plot number, dimensions and address should correspond with the property being offered.
The actual builder floor should then be compared with the sanctioned plan by a qualified architect. Buyers should specifically check whether balconies, setbacks, shafts, parking spaces or terraces have been enclosed or altered.
3. Confirm the Project’s RERA Position
Ask whether the project is registered under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act and request the registration details when applicable.
Not every small builder-floor project will necessarily require registration. Section 3 of RERA includes exemptions based on project size and apartment count, among other circumstances. The law refers to projects not exceeding 500 square metres or eight apartments, inclusive of all phases, subject to the applicable provisions and any reduced threshold notified by the appropriate government.
Therefore, buyers should not assume either of the following:
- Every builder floor must have a RERA number
- A project without a RERA number is automatically illegal
Ask the builder to explain the project’s position in writing and have it reviewed independently.
Where RERA applies, verify the promoter, registered project details, approved plans, completion schedule and other filed information through the relevant authority.
4. Demand a Clear Area Statement
One of the most important documents before paying property token is a written area statement.
The document should distinguish between:
- Plot area
- Carpet area
- Built-up area
- Balcony area
- Utility area
- Servant room
- Lift lobby
- Staircase
- Common area
- Exclusive-use area
A vague statement such as “approximately 3,000 sq. ft.” does not tell the buyer how much usable space exists inside the home.
Ask for a room-by-room measurement schedule showing:
- Living and dining dimensions
- Bedroom dimensions
- Kitchen size
- Bathroom size
- Balcony depth
- Passage area
- Wardrobe space
- Utility and servant-area dimensions
The final price should be evaluated against the actual usable area, not only the plot size or advertised floor plate.
5. Clarify Parking, Terrace and Land Share
Parking and terrace rights should never depend entirely on verbal assurance.
Request a written statement identifying:
- Number of parking spaces
- Exact location of each space
- Independent or tandem parking
- Exclusive-use or common parking
- EV charging provision
- Terrace ownership or usage rights
- Common terrace access
- Proportionate or defined land share
- Common driveway rights
- Staircase and lift rights
- Access to tanks, pumps and service areas
Compare this statement with the proposed sale deed.
A parking bay that appears available during a site visit may later become disputed when the allocation is not documented clearly. The same problem can occur with roof access, servant rooms, storage spaces and portions of the stilt floor.
6. Ask for a Complete Cost Sheet
The builder should disclose the entire amount payable—not only the headline price.
A transparent cost sheet should show:
- Base property price
- Floor premium
- Corner or park-facing premium
- Terrace-right premium
- Parking-related amount, where applicable
- Interior or upgrade cost
- Power-backup charges
- Maintenance or security deposit
- Legal and documentation charges
- Brokerage, where applicable
- Taxes and statutory charges
- Stamp duty
- Registration charges
- Any amount payable at possession
The cost sheet should identify which amounts are fixed and which depend on government rates or buyer-selected upgrades.
Ask the builder to confirm in writing that no other builder-level charge will be added without the buyer’s approval.
7. Review the Material Specification Sheet
Words such as “luxury,” “premium,” “imported” and “high-end” are not proper construction specifications.
Before paying, request a material schedule containing:
- Flooring type, size and finish
- Window frame and glass specification
- Main-door material and hardware
- Internal-door specifications
- Electrical wire and switchgear brands
- Plumbing-pipe specifications
- Sanitaryware and fitting ranges
- Kitchen carcass, shutter and hardware details
- Countertop material
- Waterproofing system
- Lift brand and capacity
- Air-conditioning provision
- Power-backup scope
- Home-automation scope
- External façade materials
The schedule should also explain whether the builder may substitute a specified material and what quality standard will apply when the original product is unavailable.
A showroom sample or mood board should not replace a signed specification sheet.
8. Request the Payment and Construction Schedule
For an under-construction property, payments should correspond with clearly defined milestones.
The schedule may include:
- Booking
- Agreement execution
- Structural completion
- Brickwork and plaster
- MEP installation
- Flooring
- Joinery
- Final finishes
- Possession
Ask what evidence will confirm that a milestone has been completed.
Where RERA applies, Section 11 requires promoters to perform their obligations under the Act and the agreement for sale, while the wider statutory framework provides for disclosure of sanctioned plans, specifications and project information.
For a ready-to-move property, the buyer should instead request a written list of pending items and their completion dates.
9. Get a Written Possession Date
“Possession soon” is not a meaningful commitment.
The booking document or agreement should state:
- Scheduled possession date
- Conditions that may extend the timeline
- Grace period, if any
- Work included before possession
- Documents to be supplied at handover
- Consequences of buyer payment delays
- Consequences of builder delays
- Process for inspection and snagging
- Rectification period
- Final payment conditions
The builder should also explain whether possession means:
- Physical access
- Completion of all promised work
- Execution or registration of transaction documents
- Availability of utilities
- Completion of common areas
- Delivery of keys and warranties
A transparent possession commitment uses a date and defined deliverables—not an estimated season or vague construction stage.
10. Read the Token Receipt Before Payment
The token receipt should mention:
- Buyer’s name
- Seller or builder’s name
- Property address
- Floor being reserved
- Parking allocation
- Total agreed price
- Token amount
- Payment method
- Date of payment
- Validity of reservation
- Refund conditions
- Cancellation conditions
- Documents subject to verification
- Signature of authorised parties
Add a clause making the payment subject to satisfactory legal and technical due diligence, where agreed between the parties.
Do not transfer the amount into an unrelated personal account without understanding why that account is being used and who is issuing the receipt.
Can a Builder Take More Than 10% Before an Agreement?
Where RERA applies, Section 13 states that a promoter cannot accept more than 10% of the cost of the apartment, plot or building as an advance or application fee without first entering into a written agreement for sale and registering that agreement under the applicable law.
This does not mean that buyers should automatically pay up to 10% without reviewing the property. The legal and technical checks should begin before any substantial payment.
Because RERA applicability and transaction structure can differ, buyers should obtain advice specific to the property.
Builder Transparency Red Flags
Pause before paying when:
- The builder refuses to share title documents
- Only a brochure layout is available
- The sanctioned plan is unreadable or incomplete
- Parking is promised but not documented
- The carpet area is not disclosed
- Material specifications use only vague descriptions
- The complete cost sheet is withheld
- The possession date is described only as “soon”
- The token is declared non-refundable without written terms
- The payment is requested in cash
- The account receiving money is unrelated to the transaction
- The buyer is discouraged from appointing a lawyer or architect
- The builder pressures the buyer to decide immediately
Transparency should increase as the transaction becomes more serious. It should not reduce once the buyer begins asking detailed questions.
Documents Before Paying Property Token: Final Checklist
Before transferring the token amount, confirm that you have reviewed:
- Current ownership document
- Complete title chain
- Seller’s authority to transact
- Sanctioned building plan
- Project’s RERA position
- Floor and area statement
- Parking allocation
- Land and terrace rights
- Material specification sheet
- Complete cost sheet
- Payment schedule
- Possession timeline
- Draft token terms
- Refund and cancellation conditions
- Draft agreement or sale-document structure
- Property-tax and utility dues
- Pending construction or snag list
- Builder and project-team details
Rana Infra Buyer Transparency Note
At Rana Infra, transparency should begin before a buyer pays—not after.
A serious buyer should be able to understand what is being sold, how it has been planned, which materials are being used, what the final amount will be and when the home will be delivered.
The objective is not to overwhelm buyers with documents. It is to give them enough clarity to make one of their largest financial decisions confidently.
Buyers exploring premium builder floors in South Delhi should assess five things together:
- Ownership
- Approved planning
- Construction quality
- Commercial terms
- Handover commitment
A premium home should be supported by premium documentation.
Conclusion
The documents before paying property token should answer every major question about ownership, approval, area, specifications, cost, parking, payment and possession.
Do not pay merely because the property looks attractive or another buyer is supposedly interested. Request the relevant papers, read the token terms and appoint independent legal and technical professionals.
A transparent builder will not treat reasonable verification as an inconvenience. Clear documents protect the buyer, reduce future disputes and establish the foundation for a more professional transaction.
