Guide
The sanctioned plan and the completion certificate, and why they decide your loan
Two documents that most buyers skip and every lender reads. What they are, what a deviation means for you, and how to check the building against the paper.
What each document is
The sanctioned plan is what the municipal authority approved before construction: the footprint, the number of floors, the setbacks, the coverage. The completion certificate is issued afterwards, confirming that what was built matches what was approved.
The first is nearly always available. The second frequently is not, and its absence is normal enough in Delhi that it is not by itself a reason to walk away — but it is a reason to look harder.
What a deviation actually costs you
Deviation means the building does not match the plan. The common ones are an enclosed balcony, extra coverage at the rear, or a floor that was not approved.
The consequences are practical rather than theoretical:
- Lenders decline, or fund less. This is the most immediate effect.
- Regularisation, where it is available, costs money and takes time.
- In a scrutiny or a demolition drive, unapproved construction is what gets looked at.
- At resale, your buyer's lender will find exactly what yours found.
A deviation you know about is a negotiating point. One you discover after registration is your problem.
How to compare the building to the paper
You do not need to be an architect to do a first pass.
- Count the floors on the plan, then count them on the building.
- Look at the balconies on the plan and see whether they are still open.
- Check the rear and side setbacks against what is actually built.
- Look for a terrace room or servant quarter that does not appear on the plan at all.
If anything does not match, that is the moment to bring in a surveyor rather than to reassure yourself.
Where this fits in our checks
'Sanctioned plan' is one of the sixteen checks behind the verification badges on this site, and it sits in the documents group along with registry and rights. A floor showing documents checked has had that comparison made against evidence, with the date it was made.
Where it has not been done, the page says the check is pending rather than leaving the badge ambiguous. That is the whole point of having sixteen named checks instead of one green tick.
Frequently asked questions
Is a completion certificate mandatory?
It is required in principle and frequently absent in practice across older Delhi construction. Its absence is common; what matters is whether the building matches the sanctioned plan.
Can a deviation be regularised?
Sometimes, depending on the authority, the nature of the deviation and whatever scheme is currently open. Treat it as a cost and a delay to be priced in, not as a formality.