BESCOM Name Transfer After Buying a Flat in Bangalore: Steps, Documents and Dues

Buying a flat in Bangalore does not move the electricity connection into the new owner's name. The BESCOM account stays with the seller or the builder until the buyer applies to transfer it. This guide covers why the transfer matters, the online route launched in April 2026, the documents needed and the single dues check that keeps a seller's unpaid bills off the new owner's account.

Why the connection should be in the owner's name

Each BESCOM connection is an account tied to one meter. Its bills, its security deposit and every service request belong to the person named on that account. A new owner who keeps paying bills in the old name is paying for power without being the recognised consumer.

That gap shows up at awkward moments. A load increase, a meter replacement, a billing dispute or a refund of the deposit all need the account holder. A connection in the owner's name also lines up with the sale deed and the khata, which keeps the records consistent when the flat is sold later.

New flats bought from a builder

In a new apartment project, each meter is often first registered to the builder. Ask the builder at handover who holds the connection and when it will move to the buyer. A meter still registered to the developer after possession is harder to sort out later, once the project team has wound up.

Unpaid dues: the most important check

Electricity arrears are recorded against the connection, not against the person who ran them up. Where a seller has skipped payments, BESCOM can delay the transfer or the supply until the arrears are paid. In practice, the new owner then settles a debt that was never theirs.

The fix is simple and belongs in the sale agreement. Ask for the latest paid bill, confirm with BESCOM that the connection shows no pending amount, and make a clean account a condition for releasing the final payment. Do the same for the water connection.

Find the RR number first

The RR number printed on each bill points to one connection and its meter. In a large apartment complex, check that this number belongs to the specific flat, so that both the arrears check and the transfer cover the right meter, not a neighbour's or a common-area supply.

The online route linked to e-Khata

In April 2026, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and BESCOM linked the BESCOM system to the e-Khata database. Once a property's e-Khata mutation is approved in the new owner's name, BESCOM can read the verified ownership directly. More than 5,000 owners used the service during its soft launch.

The online transfer runs in a few short steps:

1. After the e-Khata mutation is approved, the owner receives an SMS with a request ID and a BESCOM link.
2. The owner opens the link and verifies with an OTP sent to the Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
3. The portal shows the property and ownership details for the owner to confirm.
4. The owner finishes the Aadhaar-based e-KYC, then e-signs the digital stamp paper and indemnity bond.
5. The fee is paid online by UPI or card, and a confirmation is issued.
6. The new name appears from the next billing cycle.

The process is designed to take under ten minutes. It covers flats bought on resale, builder-to-buyer handovers, family transfers and inherited property.

What the online transfer costs

The total is about Rs. 1,300, made up of Rs. 100 as the processing fee and about Rs. 1,194 for the stamp paper and documentation. Agents used to charge more than Rs. 10,000 for the same work, so paying a middleman for a clean case no longer makes sense.

Where the online route applies

The linked service covers properties within GBA limits once their e-Khata mutation is approved. Town corporations and gram panchayat areas are due to be added later, so properties there still follow the office route for now.

Documents to keep ready

Whether the transfer is done online or at the office, the same core papers prove ownership and identify the connection. Gather them before starting:

• The sale deed, duly registered.
• The e-Khata certificate in the buyer's name.
• The latest BESCOM bill showing the RR number.
• The latest property tax receipt.
• Aadhaar, with the mobile number linked to it.

At the local BESCOM office, the application is checked by an engineer before the name is changed, and the office may also want an indemnity bond and a supply agreement on stamp paper. A no-objection letter from the previous owner can also be requested, so keep the seller's contact details until the transfer is complete.

The right order of steps

The electricity transfer depends on the property records, so the sequence matters. Registration comes first and the e-Khata mutation second, with the BESCOM and water transfers last. Applying out of order usually leaves the request stuck until the earlier record is ready.

Use this checklist from the sale agreement onward:

• Get the most recent paid bill from the seller and write down the RR number.
• Confirm with BESCOM that the connection has no pending dues.
• Ask the seller to pay off any arrears before the final payment.
• Register the sale deed and complete the e-Khata mutation.
• Apply for the BESCOM transfer through the online link, or at the local BESCOM office.
• Check that the next bill carries the new name, and file a copy with the sale papers.

Water and other connections

The BWSSB water connection is a separate account with its own transfer, and it needs the same dues check. In many apartment complexes, water comes through a single bulk connection held by the owners' association. In that case, confirm the flat's share and any pending dues with the association.

Gas, broadband and the society's own records are worth updating in the same weeks. Moving every account into the owner's name soon after possession completes the purchase of a home in Bangalore on paper as well as on the ground.