How Many Floors Are Approved in My Building? Check Before Buying

Introduction: Why This Question Matters

“How many floors are approved in my building?” — one of the most important questions every property buyer should ask. Yet most buyers never verify, instead relying on builder promises and marketing brochures. This trust often becomes regret.

In cities across India—Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune—there’s a persistent pattern: buildings where approved floors are significantly less than marketed floors. A builder shows a 25-floor plan in the sales office. Government records reveal only 12 floors were ever sanctioned. This gap isn’t always accidental.

The risk is real: your ₹50 lakh apartment on the 20th floor might exist in the builder’s presentation, but not in the municipal authority’s approval documents. The simplest way to verify this critical detail? RTI (Right to Information).

Why the Number of Approved Floors Matters

Understanding approved floor counts isn’t academic. It determines whether your floor is legally constructed, whether you’ll receive an Occupancy Certificate (OC), whether your home loan application will be safe, and whether you can register the property. Here’s what’s at stake:

• Legal Validity: Only floors within the sanctioned plan are legally constructed. Buy a flat on an unsanctioned floor, and you own an illegal property.
• Occupancy Certificate (OC): Banks won’t disburse loans without an OC. You can’t move in. The developer can’t sell further units.
• Home Loan Safety: Banks verify approved floors before sanctioning loans. A mismatch will either delay your loan or get it rejected outright.
• Property Registration: The Sub-Registrar office may refuse registration if your floor isn’t in the approved plan. No registration means no legal ownership.
• Demolition Risk: Buildings constructed beyond sanctioned limits face demolition orders. Your apartment could be ordered demolished despite being a ‘legal purchase’.

How to Check Approved Floors Using RTI

The Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 gives you access to government documents that reveal exact floor approvals. Here’s the process:

Step 1: Gather Project Details

Collect your property’s address, project name, developer name, and plot area. If you have the sanctioned plan from the builder, note the approval date and authority.

Step 2: Identify the Correct Authority

Different cities have different approving bodies:

• Mumbai: MHADA/BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation)
• Hyderabad: GHMC/HMDA (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority)
• Bengaluru: BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike)
• Chennai: Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA)
• Delhi: MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi)

Step 3: File Your RTI Request

Ask these specific questions in your RTI application:

• What is the sanctioned/approved number of floors for [Project Name] at [Address]?
• What is the current Completion Certificate (CC) status?
• What is the Occupancy Certificate (OC) status?
• Has there been any modification to the original sanctioned plan?

Step 4: Pay the Fee

RTI application fees are minimal—typically ₹10 in most Indian cities. You can pay via bank draft or demand draft sent to the authority.

Step 5: Receive Your Response

By law, authorities must respond within 30 days. The response will contain official documents proving the exact approved floor count.

What If You Find a Mismatch?

Your RTI response reveals 12 approved floors, but the builder is selling units on the 18th floor. What now?

If You Haven’t Bought Yet

You have leverage. Use the RTI response as evidence to either:

• Walk away from the project entirely
• Negotiate a significant price reduction
• Request a different unit within the approved floor range

If You’ve Already Invested

This is harder, but you still have options:

• File a RERA Complaint: Most states have RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority). File a complaint about misrepresentation of approved floors.
• Consumer Forum: File a case under the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
• Report to Local Authority: File a violation report with the municipality or approving authority.
• Legal Action: Consult a real estate lawyer. The RTI response becomes your legal evidence in court.

Can NRIs Check Building Approvals?

Yes. NRI investors don’t need to be physically present in India to file RTI requests or verify building approvals. The process is entirely online. You don’t need:

• A local address in India
• To visit the municipal authority
• To submit physical documents

FileMyRTI’s service is specifically designed for NRI investors who want to verify properties remotely before investing.

Real Case Study: Soham Heights, Kandivali West, Mumbai

This case is not unique. Similar situations have emerged in multiple residential projects across Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Early buyers who verified saved themselves from legal and financial complications. Late buyers who skipped verification face ongoing uncertainty.

Why Choose FileMyRTI for Approved Floor Verification?

Filing RTI can be overwhelming. You need to know the correct authority, draft the right questions, navigate bureaucratic timelines, and interpret legal documents. That’s where we come in.

• 50,000+ RTIs Filed: We understand the system. We know which authorities respond quickly and which need follow-ups.
• Correct Authority Identification: We identify the exact department and authority that holds your building’s approval documents.
• Professional Drafting: Our RTI applications are precise, reducing chances of rejection or vague responses.
• Affordable: Starting at just ₹399—the cost of a movie ticket to protect a crore-level investment.
• Hassle-Free: We handle filing, follow-ups, and interpretation. You get a clear report with the answers you need.

Conclusion: Don’t Let This Be a Surprise

The number of approved floors in your building isn’t a technicality. It determines whether your apartment legally exists, whether you can get a loan, whether you can register it, and whether it faces demolition risk.

Don’t let the number of approved floors be a surprise you discover after investing ₹50 lakh or more. Verify before you buy. Spend ₹399 now to avoid ₹2 crore in legal and financial complications later.

One RTI request can reveal the truth. That’s all it takes.