Realtors must tell buyers about bank claim

Home buyers will now know if the land on which their building stands is free of outside claims after a recent RBI circular mandating builders mortgaging the land to raise money to disclose it in all advertisements and brochures. RBI has asked lenders to ensure that all publicity material relating to the sale of real estate make a mention of the bank’s lien on the property so that home buyers are not kept in the dark. RBI aims to prevent prospective buyers from being lulled into the belief that the flats they own are on ‘free-hold’ land through this move. In Mumbai flatowner gets rights over his house through membership of a cooperative housing society. The land is not owned by the society unless it is transferred through a conveyance.