What is a Mother Deed While Buying a Plot in Hyderabad?

If you are buying a plot in Hyderabad, you will hear one important word again and again: “Mother Deed” (also called Parent Deed or Title Chain Documents).

I must say, in Hyderabad, many people skip this step and later face big problems like:

• plot already sold to someone else,
• plot under dispute,
• The wrong owner is selling the plot,
• bank loan getting rejected.

So, you don’t worry i will explain to you with the best examples. 

What is a Mother Deed?

You should know that a Mother Deed is the main old property document that shows how the property first came to the owner.

Think like this:

Easy Example (Family Story)

Your father has a gold ring.

If you want to prove it is truly your father’s ring, you will show:

• bill / old proof,
• who bought it,
• How it came into the family.

In the same way, for a plot:

✅ Mother Deed is the “starting proof” of ownership

It shows the first legal transfer of that land (how it entered the owner’s name).

Why is it called “Mother” Deed?

You can see that it is like the mother document from which other documents are born.

After the mother deed, many other papers came like:

• Sale Deeds (new buyers)
• Gift deeds
• Partition deeds
• Release deeds

But the base document (main root) is the Mother Deed.

Mother Deed vs Sale Deed (Big Difference)

I must say that in Hyderabad, many people think a sale deed is enough. But not always.

Sale Deed

• It shows you bought the plot from the seller.
• It is only one transaction.

You can read complete information about what a sale deed is.

Mother Deed

• It shows how the seller got the plot legally (and how earlier owners got it).
• It proves a clear history.

✅ A clean plot must have both:

• Current Sale Deed
• Mother Deed / Chain of Title

Read: Identify Fake Plot in Hyderabad

Why is Mother Deed very important in Hyderabad plot buying?

I think you know that Hyderabad has many plot types:

• HMDA layouts
• DTCP layouts
• GP layouts
• Panchayat lands
• Open plots in old villages have been turned into city areas

In many areas, land records are old and confusing. Some plots have:

• missing link documents
• illegal conversions
• boundary and survey mismatches

That’s why Mother Deed is very important.

It helps you check:

• Is the seller the real owner?
• Is the property history clean?
• Any court cases or disputes?
• Any government land / assigned land risk?
• Is it already mortgaged to a bank?

What exactly should Mother Deed contain?

A genuine Mother Deed or chain document generally shows:

1) Owner names

• The first owner’s name
• The second owner
• Then the third owner… up to the current seller

2) How land was transferred

• Sold? (Sale deed)
• Gift? (Gift deed)
• Partition? (Family partition deed)
• Inheritance? (Legal heir/succession)

3) Property details

• Survey number (Sy.No.)
• Village name / Mandal
• Plot size and boundaries
• Layout name (if any)

Read: Check Property Ownership

4) Registration details

• SRO (Sub-Registrar Office)
• Document number
• Year of registration

You can check – Plot Registration Process

What is “Chain of Title,” and how does it connect to Mother Deed?

You know that in real estate, professionals often say:

✅ “Show me the 30-year link documents.”

That means:

You must check the property ownership chain for a minimum of 13–30 years (depending on bank/legal requirement).

Example chain:

• 1995: Land bought by Mr. A (Mother Deed)
• 2005: Mr. A sold to Mr. B
• 2015: Mr. B sold to Mr. C
• 2026: Mr. C is selling to you

This full set is called Title Chain / Link Documents.

Sometimes people call the first one Mother Deed.

Real Example 1 (Simple and common)

Situation: You want to buy Plot No. 45 in a layout near Shadnagar.

Seller says: “I have a sale deed in my name.”

You need to ask: “How did you get this plot?”

Seller gives: 2018 Sale Deed (in seller’s name)

But you also ask for the mother deed/chain documents.

He gives:

• 2009 Sale Deed (previous owner)
• 1999 Partition Deed (family division)
• 1985 Original Sale Deed (first purchase)

✅ Now you can see the full history.

If everything matches, the plot is safer.

Real Example 2 (Where Mother Deed saves you)

Situation: You plan to buy a plot in an “open layout” area.

The seller gives you only:

• Latest Sale Deed (2021)

When you ask the mother deed, the seller says:

• “Old documents are lost.”

This is a danger signal.

Later, you find:

• 2008 document has the wrong survey number.
• land belongs to someone else,
• plot is part of a dispute.

✅ If you checked the mother deed early, you could avoid this plot.

What if Mother Deed is missing?

If the seller cannot provide the Mother Deed or link documents, it does not always mean fraud, but it is risky.

Common reasons:

• Old documents lost
• The property is very old
• The seller is not the true owner
• Seller has only GPA, not ownership

What you should do (safe steps):

• You should ask for a Certified Copy from the Sub-Registrar’s Office (SRO)
• You can take an EC (Encumbrance Certificate) for a long period (like 15–30 years)
• You must check the seller’s name in EC
• Please, you must consult a property lawyer for title verification

If the seller refuses all this → better to skip.

You should know what the LP number is

How to get Mother Deed (if seller says “I don’t have”)

You can still try to get it:

Option 1: Certified Copy from SRO

If you know:

• document number/year, OR
• Property details like the survey number and the seller’s name

You can apply for a Certified Copy at the Sub-Registrar’s Office.

Option 2: Use Encumbrance Certificate (EC)

I think you know that EC shows registered transactions on that property for a chosen time period. It helps you trace earlier document numbers.

Check: Full details about Encumbrance Certificate (EC)

Mother Deed in case of Inherited Property (Father → Son)

If the plot came through inheritance, the Mother Deed may be:

• Original Sale Deed in father’s name, plus
• Legal Heir certificate / Family Member certificate
• Death certificate
• Mutation/Khata transfer proof (where applicable)
• If multiple heirs: Release deed / Partition deed

You can see a simple example:

Father owned a plot. Father died.

Now, 3 children are heirs.

If only 1 child is selling, then you need:

• NOC/Release deed from other heirs, OR
• The partition deed showing that the seller got that plot

Without this, other heirs can later claim the plot.

And you know that, NOC information is very important. Please, you can go through what the NOC is.

Mother Deed in case of GPA plots (Extra caution)

If the seller is selling based on a GPA (General Power of Attorney), be careful.

You should verify:

• Who is the real owner (principal)?
• Is GPA still valid?
• Has the owner died? (GPA usually becomes invalid after death)

Quick Checklist: What to verify with Mother Deed

You can use this checklist before paying a token advance:

• Names match in all documents
• Survey number (Sy.No.) matches everywhere
• Plot boundaries match the sale deed and the layout plan
• No missing years/documents in chain
• EC shows the same owners and the same transactions
• No court case/dispute (ask for info + lawyer check)
• If layout: verify approvals (HMDA/DTCP/GP), and check if the plot is in the approved area
• If inherited, all heirs signed or released rights

Mistakes people make (avoid these)

• Buying only with the latest sale deed
• Trusting the “developer brochure” more than the documents
• Paying an advance without document verification
• Not checking the survey number properly
• Assuming “it is in my friend’s area, so it is safe.”
• Not consulting a lawyer for the title search

Check – How Much Return Can I Expect From Plots

Simple Conclusion

I must say that Mother Deed is the main root document in Hyderabad that shows the plot ownership history.

It is very important because it helps you confirm the plot is legal, dispute-free, and safe to buy.

If a seller gives the mother deed and full link documents confidently, that is a good sign.

If the seller avoids or becomes angry when you ask about the mother deed, that is a warning sign.

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