Real estate advisor breaks the lie most Indians still believe
Conventional wisdom was completely upended by the 2012 Suraj Lamps ruling, which was reaffirmed in 2022. Ownership is no longer established by registration alone. "Property registration is not conclusive proof of ownership," the court made plain. Legal proof is required to establish title.
Kapoor identifies a typical situation: a family residence that has been inherited over the years. The present occupant has lived there for decades, pays taxes, and has electrical bills. However, they have no legal standing if the property was never transferred into their name or if there is no obvious chain of title.
She states it bluntly: "If any relative files a claim, you could lose 20 years of peace in two court hearings."
Kapoor claims that verbal inheritance, missing mutation, or informal agreements involving power of attorney account for 80% of property problems in India. These legal proceedings can stretch on for years, emotionally and financially taxing families.
Her message is straightforward and urgent: you don't own something if you can't prove it. Now is the moment to address that.