BESCOM Name Transfer: Moving the Electricity Connection After You Buy

Three weeks after moving into a resale flat in Bellandur, a new owner tried to raise a service request with the electricity provider and hit a wall: the account still belonged to the person who had sold him the flat, and there was an unpaid bill from before his time hanging on the connection. He had the keys, the deed and the paint smell of a fresh home, but on the utility's books he did not exist. Sorting it out took a clearance, an application and a fortnight he had not planned for.

The short answer. After you buy a flat in Bengaluru, the electricity connection does not move to your name on its own; you apply to BESCOM to transfer it, using your registered sale deed, the latest paid bill and your khata. Clear any pending electricity dues on the connection first, because the utility can decline to transfer it while arrears are outstanding. The trade-off worth knowing is on liability: as a matter of law you are usually not automatically responsible for the previous owner's arrears, but in practice unpaid dues can still stall your transfer, so it is far cleaner to confirm a nil balance before you buy than to argue about it after.

Why transfer the BESCOM connection into your name?

Transferring the connection puts the electricity account, and the bill, in your name rather than the seller's or the builder's. Until that happens, you are paying for power on someone else's account, you cannot easily raise service requests or corrections, and the security deposit and billing history stay tied to a person who no longer owns the flat. It is a routine step, but skipping it leaves a loose thread that tightens at the worst moments.

It also matters for the future. When you eventually sell, your buyer will want the connection cleanly in your name with no dues, exactly as you should want it now. Moving the account promptly after possession keeps your ownership consistent across every record, alongside the khata and the property tax we cover in our guide on BBMP property tax for a new flat.

There is a subtler reason too. The connection carries a sanctioned load and a category, domestic or otherwise, and a security deposit that the utility holds. When the account is in your name, those attributes and that deposit are recorded against you, which matters if you ever need to increase the load for an air conditioner or a geyser, or to claim the deposit when the connection is finally surrendered. Left in the seller's name, all of that sits with the wrong person.

What documents do you need?

The core documents are your registered sale deed, the latest paid electricity bill that identifies the connection, and your khata or e-Khata, along with the property tax paid receipt and your photo identity proof. BESCOM usually also asks for an indemnity bond, and in some cases a no objection from the previous owner, so it is worth gathering these together before you apply rather than making repeat trips.

Note the connection's identifying number from the bill, often called the RR number, because that is how the utility locates your specific meter. Having the bill, the deed and the khata lined up, with the names matching across them, is what makes the transfer straightforward rather than a back and forth of missing papers.

Watch for name mismatches across the papers. If the bill shows one spelling, the khata another, and your deed a third, the utility can hold up the transfer until the discrepancy is explained. It is easier to reconcile these before you apply, with a supporting affidavit if needed, than to discover the mismatch when your application is already sitting in the queue.

Do you need to clear old electricity dues first?

Yes, in practice you do. Any outstanding electricity bill on the connection should be cleared before the transfer, because the utility can decline to move or restore the connection while dues are pending, which stalls exactly the step you are trying to complete. This is why confirming a nil balance, and taking the latest paid bill, belongs in your diligence before you buy, not after.

On the question of liability, the law is more forgiving than the counter sometimes is. Courts have held that electricity arrears do not automatically become a charge on the property, so a buyer who purchased without notice of old dues is generally not liable for them by default. Even so, the practical friction is real, because the connection itself can be held hostage to the arrears, so the safe course is to insist the seller clears everything and to see documentary proof of the nil balance before you pay the final amount and take possession.

What is the order: khata first, then utility?

Get the khata updated before you attempt the electricity transfer. The property record and the utility record are now linked, so BESCOM generally expects your khata to be in your name before it moves the connection to you. The sequence that works cleanly is registration first, then the khata mutation, and only then the electricity and water transfers, each step building on the one before it.

Doing it in that order saves rework. If you apply for the utility transfer before your khata is updated, you can find the application stuck waiting for the record it depends on. Our guide on the e-Khata and khata transfer after buying sets out that first step, which then unlocks the rest.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

A name transfer is usually processed within a couple of weeks once your application and documents are complete, after which your name appears on the bill. The cost is modest, consisting mainly of a small processing fee plus the cost of the stamp paper for the indemnity bond and supply agreement, rather than any large charge. It is an administrative step, not an expensive one, and it is well worth doing yourself rather than paying to outsource a simple form.

The state has been moving this online, linking the utility to the property record system so a transfer that once meant office queues can now often be done from a portal. Whichever route you use, keep your application acknowledgement and the confirmation, because that paper trail is what proves the account is yours if a question ever arises.

Do not pay a middleman a large fee for what is a low cost official process. Touts sometimes quote inflated amounts to handle a routine transfer, but the actual charges are small and the online route has made the do it yourself path genuinely workable. If someone insists a hefty payment is unavoidable, that is a reason to check the official channel rather than to reach for your wallet.

How do you apply for the transfer?

Apply to BESCOM once your khata is updated and the dues are cleared, either through the utility's online channel or at the local sub-division office, submitting the sale deed, the latest paid bill, the khata, the tax receipt, your identity proof and the indemnity bond. The official BESCOM portal at bescom.karnataka.gov.in is the reference point for the current process and forms.

For a brand new flat, the sequence differs slightly. The builder typically holds a bulk or project connection during construction, and each flat's meter is then transferred to the individual owner around possession, so ask the builder for the connection details and any pending dues at the project level before you take over your meter. This applies just as much to a fresh flat in a project such as Orchid South Park in Huskur, where the builder holds the connection until you take it over. Work through the checklist below so the electricity account catches up with your ownership without a gap.

1. Complete registration and get your khata updated into your name.
2. Confirm there are no pending electricity dues on the connection.
3. Collect the latest paid bill and note the connection or RR number.
4. Gather the sale deed, khata, tax receipt, identity proof and indemnity bond.
5. Apply to BESCOM online or at the sub-division office for the name transfer.
6. Track the application and respond to any query promptly.
7. Save the confirmation once your name appears on the bill.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to transfer the electricity connection after buying a flat?

Yes. Buying the flat does not automatically move the BESCOM electricity account into your name, so you apply to transfer the connection using your sale deed and the latest paid bill. Until you do, the bill stays in the seller's or builder's name, which can complicate future dealings and leave the account outside your control.

Am I liable for the previous owner's unpaid electricity bills?

As a matter of law, electricity arrears do not automatically become a charge on the property, and courts have protected buyers who bought without notice of the dues. In practice, though, the utility can decline to transfer or restore the connection until the arrears are cleared, so it is safest to confirm there are no dues before you buy.

What documents does BESCOM need for a name transfer?

You typically need the registered sale deed, the latest paid electricity bill showing the connection, your khata or e-Khata, the property tax paid receipt, and your identity proof, along with an indemnity bond and, where asked, a no objection from the previous owner. Keep both originals and copies ready when you apply.

What should I do first, the khata or the electricity transfer?

Get your khata updated first. The property record and the utility record are now linked, so BESCOM generally expects your khata to be in your name before it moves the electricity connection. The order that works is registration first, then the khata mutation, and then the electricity and water transfers after that.

Last updated 2026-09-01. PropNewz Team.