Quick answer: After buying a flat in Bangalore, do the four name changes in this order: 1. Khata transfer, 2. BESCOM electricity, 3. BWSSB water, 4. the property tax receipt. Khata goes first because it takes the longest (roughly 15 to 30 working days), BESCOM's document list names it as proof of ownership, BWSSB's form asks for your Khata number, and the tax receipt name change cannot start until the Khata is in your name. Registering the sale deed updates none of these four, and have to be transferred seprately.

Why the Order Matters

Registering your sale deed makes you the legal owner of the flat. It does not change the name on any of the records the flat runs on. Four of them are kept by three different offices, and each has its own form:

• Khata: the Greater Bengaluru Authority's (GBA) record of who owns the property
• Electricity connection: BESCOM
• Water connection: BWSSB
• Property tax receipt: GBA's tax record, which follows the Khata

Until you change them, bills and records keep the seller's name. The order matters because the later forms ask for documents or numbers that the earlier steps produce. Filing them out of sequence usually means going back to the same office with a corrected set.

Step 1: Khata Transfer

The Khata transfer (also called mutation) puts your name on GBA's ownership record. It is the longest of the four and the one the other three lean on, so it starts first.

• Where to file: the Sahaaya portal, or the ward office covering your flat
• Time: roughly 15 to 30 working days
• Government fee: a mutation fee of about 2% of the registration value
• Why it comes first: BESCOM lists the Khata as proof of ownership, BWSSB's form asks for the Khata number, and the tax receipt name change is not possible without it

Step 2: BESCOM Name Change

This moves the electricity connection from the seller's name to yours. The electricity bill is also the document most often asked for as address proof, including for loans and insurance, so it is the first utility to fix.

• What BESCOM asks for: proof of ownership (sale deed, Khata), the latest electricity bill, your photo ID and address proof, and an NOC or affidavit where applicable
• Deposit: a fresh security deposit in your name usually comes with the transfer
• Time: roughly 2 to 4 weeks. The application can start online, but a visit to the subdivision office may be needed for document verification

Step 3: BWSSB Water Connection Name Change

The water connection is a separate application to a separate board. It does not follow the BESCOM change automatically, and it does not follow the Khata.

• What the application asks for: your RR number (the electricity connection number), Khata number and PID number, plus a written request letter and a photo of the water meter
• Time: about 15 to 20 working days from acknowledgement, so plan for around a month in total
• Why it comes third: with the Khata in your name and the BESCOM change filed, every number and document the form asks for is already in hand

Step 4: Name on the Property Tax Receipt

Paying property tax does not make you the owner on GBA's records. Until the name is changed, the tax receipt keeps showing the previous owner, even after the Khata has moved to you.

• What it needs: your updated Khata, the current tax paid receipt, the sale deed, Aadhaar or PAN, and an affidavit if required
• Time: roughly 15 to 30 days after submission
• Why it matters: buyers and banks check this receipt at resale and when you apply for a loan against the flat, and a seller's name on it holds up both

How Long All Four Take

Run them in this shape:

• Week 1: file the Khata transfer
• Once the Khata clears: file the BESCOM change, the BWSSB change and the tax receipt name change together
• Total: roughly two to three months from the Khata filing to the last updated record, depending on ward office and department workload

Filing all four one after another, waiting for each to finish, stretches this considerably. Steps 2, 3 and 4 do not depend on each other, only on the Khata.

Documents to Keep Ready

Collect one set up front, since the same papers are asked for across all four:

• Registered sale deed (or gift or release deed, depending on how you got the flat)
• Previous owner's Khata copy and, once issued, your updated Khata
• Latest property tax paid receipt
• Encumbrance certificate
• Latest BESCOM bill and the RR number on it
• Your Aadhaar, PAN and address proof
• PID number of the property
• NOC or affidavit where the office asks for one, for example when the seller's consent letter is not available

Mistakes That Cause Delays

• Assuming the sale deed updates everything: it updates none of the four
• Filing the tax receipt change first: it is held until the Khata is in your name
• Spelling your name differently across forms: a name that reads one way on the sale deed and another on Aadhaar is a common reason for a query
• Leaving the tax receipt for later: it surfaces at resale or loan time, when you have the least room to wait
• Waiting for each step to finish before starting the next one: after the Khata, the other three can go together

Two more records are worth updating in the same stretch: the gas connection address and a fresh encumbrance certificate. They are not part of these four, but they sit on the same document set.

Where DocuPro Fits In

DocuPro provides all four services in Bangalore: Khata transfer, BESCOM name change, BWSSB water connection name change, and the name change in the tax paid receipt. We charge a small service fee for the set, and government fees are charged at actuals. We also collect your documents from your doorstep.

We won't promise that GBA, BESCOM or BWSSB will move faster because of who files the paperwork, since that depends on each office's workload. What we take off your hands is keeping the four filings in the right order, with the same name spelling and the same document set on every form, so none of them is stuck waiting on another.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. In what order should I change the name after buying a flat in Bangalore?

Khata transfer first, then BESCOM, then BWSSB, then the property tax receipt. After the Khata clears, the other three can be filed together.

2. Does registering the sale deed update the Khata, BESCOM and BWSSB?

No. The sale deed makes you the legal owner, but each of the four records needs its own application.

3. Can I change the name on the property tax receipt before the Khata transfer?

No. The tax receipt keeps the previous owner's name until the Khata is in yours. The tax receipt change follows the Khata.

4. Do I need to pay a new deposit for BESCOM?

A fresh security deposit in your name usually comes with the BESCOM name change.

5. How long does the BWSSB water connection name change take?

About 15 to 20 working days from acknowledgement, so plan for around a month including the application.

6. How long will all four take together?

Roughly two to three months if you file the Khata first and run the other three side by side. The exact time depends on the ward office and the departments' workload.

7. What happens if I never change these names?

Bills and records keep the seller's name. The gap shows up when you apply for a loan, sell the flat, or when a buyer's bank checks the tax receipt, and each record then has to be fixed under time pressure.

Processes, fees and timelines referenced in this article reflect the situation as of November 2026 and are set by GBA, BESCOM and BWSSB, which can revise requirements at any time. Always verify current requirements at the relevant ward office or official portal before applying. DocuPro is an independent service provider, not a government agency. Our fee covers assistance only. Government fees are charged at actuals. Approvals, timelines and outcomes are decided by the concerned authorities.