Dear Madam,
My parents own a house costing Rs 20 lakh. We are two sisters. My parents want to give Rs 10 lakh to my sister now and wish to bequeath the house to me.
Please let me know if this would be legal. We also want to ensure that there are no legal problems later.
Anitha

Dear Anitha,
Yes, a will can be made like the one suggested above. It can optionally be registered also. A self acquired property can be willed away to anyone, subject only to maintenance rights if your sister is not married. A foolproof way of avoiding future problems is to get the property gifted to you by registered gift deed.

Dear Madam,
I am planning to buy a MUDA site, that is a resale site.
What are the documents required for purchasing a MUDA site?
Savitha Hari

Dear Savitha,
Apart from the MUDA approval, all other documents are the same – parent documents, EC, khata, tax paid receipts, etc.

Dear Madam,
My father was allotted a site through his employment co-operative society. He wants to transfer the property to my name. I am the son of his first wife who is no more. He has a second wife and a 17-year-old son from her. Is there any provision under the law for my father's second wife and her son to challenge the transfer and bring a stay in case I begin construction on that site.
Venugopal

Dear Venugopal,
You could get a registered gift deed in your name, which will make you the absolute owner. Thereafter you can proceed to build your house. If your stepmother is not being maintained, she can challenge the transfer.

Dear Madam,
Are there any acts/laws which govern the rate at which a house in given for rent/sale ?
Sachin

Dear Sachin,
Only a few properties (very old ones or very small ones), which come under the purview of the Rent Act, have guidelines on the rent which can be collected on them. Most of the properties can be sold and let out on lease as per market conditions.

Dear Madam,
I want to purchase a site at Devanahalli, near the new international airport. According to the developers, the sites are Gram Panchayat approved.
Can I buy the site and construct a house in the near future? Is it safe to buy such a site which is approved by the Gram Panchayat? If yes, what documents should I verify before purchase?
Udayan Das

Dear Udayan Das,
No, it is not safe to purchase near the International Airport without BIAPPA approval as there are certain areas which cannot be developed there due to aviation safety norms.  

Dear Madam,
I am presently living in Kolkata. I was born and brought up in Bangalore. My father bought land that was basically agriculture land. It was registered in his name after he paid the entire amount. The land owner handed over all the original documents to my father after registration. However, he (original land owner) is now asking for more money, just because he has come across other people who are ready to pay more for that land.
We are yet to get the khata from him. I don’t know what khata exactly is. What is the procedure to get the khata without paying him the extra amount he is demanding? Do we have to get the khata from the land owner itself or can we get it on our own, based on the fact that the land is already registered in my father’s name and we have all the related documents?
Raj

Dear Raj,
Your father is already the owner of the land. The khata is a supporting document of title which reflects ownership in the revenue records maintained by the government for collection of property tax. You can apply for it from the government department concerned. The previous owner has no say in the matter. You are advised to take possession of the property and send a notice to the previous owner to desist interfering with your possession. You need not pay any further amount to him.