Completion Certificate: All you Need to Know

A completion certificate is a legal document which is given to housing projects once they have reached completion, following an approved building plan. A completion certificate is awarded to any housing projects after authorities concerned make physical visit to the site and check all the paperwork to ensure the housing projects has not flouted any applicable building bye-laws. The responsibility to get a completion certificate for a housing project lies with the developer.

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Completion certificate: Importance

Note that unless a completion certificate has been obtained for a housing project, the developer cannot apply for utilities such as water, electricity and drainage system.

Completion certificate details

A completion certificate contains all the details about the building, including the location, identification of the land, details about the developer/owner, the height of the building and the quality of materials used. It also states whether the project has been built according to the building plans and in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the local municipal authority, including the distance from the road, distance maintained between neighbouring buildings and so on. 

Among the many details provided in a completion certificate are:

• Details of the land
• Every detail about the building plan
• All details about the builder
• Approved height of the building
• The location of the project and its distance from other buildings in the nearby area

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In essence, a completion certificate assures the authorities concerned that a property satisfies all the requirements set by them and adheres to the building plan that was authorised, before the construction began. It also assures home buyers that the property is safe to live in and will have a regular supply of water and electricity.

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Provisional completion certificate

In cases where a majority of the work at the project is done and offering possession to buyers becomes important, a provisional completion certificate is issued to the developer. However, this certificate is valid only for six months, after which the developer needs to apply for the final certificate, once the construction is complete.

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Importance of a completion certificate for home buyers

It is not advisable to take possession of a new property that does not have a final completion certificate. Without a valid certificate, a project or a building is deemed to be illegal and can, therefore, invite penalties or even eviction from the property. In cases where the developer has not obtained the completion certificate yet, a buyer can approach the local municipal authorities individually, or form a residents’ welfare association (RWA), to ensure that the process is completed before they take possession of their properties.

In the recent times, authorities have allowed residents to take possession of partially completed housing projects, especially in projects that have been stuck for a long time and where completion is possible in a phased manner.  This has been commonly seen in housing projects of insolvent builders such as Amrapali and Unitech. In such a scenario, taking possession of the unit is alright, because it is being done on the order of the authorities concerned.

Completion certificate format

BUILDING COMPLETION CERTIFICATE BY CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER ON RECORD

Reference No.

Owner’s Name:

Location:

Submitted on:

Received on:

To ……………………………………………… ………………………………………………

Sir,

1. The building/s has/have been constructed according to the sanctioned plan.
2. The building/s has / have been constructed as per:

*The detailed structural drawings and structural specifications prepared by the Structural Engineer on Record

*The detailed Architectural drawings and Architectural specifications prepared by the Architect on Record.

*Detailed drawings and specifications of all services

3. All materials used in the construction have been tested as provided in specifications and a record of test reports has been kept.

Signature of the Owner

Signature of Construction Engineer on Record

Date

Name in block letters: _____________________________  

Name in block letters _________________________

Address:______________________

Address ___________________

(With inputs from Vinita Menon)