Register rental agreements online, avoid legal hassles: Registration dept

Pune: The registration department has urged property owners to execute registered leave-and-licence agreements rather than rely on notarised rent pacts, cautioning that unregistered agreements could lead to legal and procedural complications, especially during police verification and tenancy disputes.

Officials said registered online agreements offered stronger legal validity and were automatically integrated with police records through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). "Once a leave-and-licence agreement is registered online, tenant information is automatically shared with the police department. Property owners do not need to submit it separately," said Abhaysinh Mohite, deputy inspector general (IT), registration department.

He said registered agreements created an authenticated government record, protecting both landlords and tenants. In contrast, notarised agreements offer limited legal protection and may lead to disputes over rent, deposit or tenancy conditions because of the absence of official verification.

The clarification comes amid confusion in Pimpri-Chinchwad, where police issued notices to property owners to furnish tenant details, warning of action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said 38 property owners had been booked for failing to share tenant information, while the total FIRs registered stood at 45.

The move has raised concerns among property owners and housing societies, who questioned the duplication since tenant details are already uploaded through the state's online registration portal. Sachin Shingvi of the Association of Service Providers said the Director General of Police had clarified that registered agreements automatically transfer tenant data to the police system.

The police, however, maintained that tenant verification remained crucial for security. "In the interest of public peace, law and order and security, property owners must provide tenant information to the police. Notices have been issued to those who have not shared details. We are also creating awareness among citizens to register agreements online through the citizen portal,” said Shweta Khedkar, deputy commissioner of police, Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Housing society representatives said the differing interpretations have left many property owners confused, prompting calls for uniform guidelines to avoid repeated notices and compliance issues. “There should be clear guidelines. We are not sure what is accepted and what is not. The police should not hassle the property owners,’" said a member of the managing committee of a housing society.