We bought a flat in a highrise with a bank loan. The flat has been registered and all documents, including the deed and registration papers, are with the bank. Do we need to get the mutation done with the Calcutta Municipal Corporation? If so, when? Mutation requires the original registration papers and deed, but the bank is unwilling to hand them over till we pay off the loan. What should we do?

Rakesh Duttagupta, Calcutta

You must get the mutation done to put your name on the CMC records as early as possible. As the original registration papers are with the bank, you can obtain a certified copy from the sub-registrar’s office.

I bought a flat in New Ballygunge on March 20, 2002, from Mr Bera. The sale deed mentioned that I would pay all future corporation taxes.

I sold the flat on July 10, 2002, to Mr and Mrs Sen and the same clause on corporation tax was included in the deed. On that day, they also got my signature on a paper mentioning that all tax arrears before the sale would be paid by me. In 2003, the Sens along with other flat-owners applied for mutation and paid all tax arrears after accepting the corporation’s higher tax assessment of the flat without any objection. Neither the promoter nor I was informed.

Although I have paid the taxes for the period from March 20, 2002, to July 9, 2002, to the Sens, they are demanding that I also pay all tax arrears before March 20 as the promoter is not paying anything.

Do I have to pay corporation taxes even for the period before March 20, 2003? Can I move a consumer court to avoid harassment by the Sens?

Sumana Dutta, Calcutta

You do not have to pay corporation tax arrears for the period before you bought the flat. However, the Sens will deal with you and not the promoter because they bought the flat from you. So, the responsibility of collecting the arrears from the promoter lies with you.

I recently booked a flat in Rajarhat’s Unitech project at Rs 2,650 a square foot on May 31, 2006. I think the price was on the higher side for Rajarhat. How will my flat fare in terms of appreciation in prices in a couple of years?

Abhishek Gupta, Calcutta

We do not give any project-specific guidance. Rajarhat projects are generally said to be appreciating over 15 per cent annually.

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