I paid the home loan, my father invested ₹30 lakh, can my sister claim a share in our house?

Buying a house is often a shared family dream, with different family members contributing in different ways. But what happens when a property is jointly owned by a father and son? Things can become complicated when there is also a daughter in the family. Can she claim a share in the property in the future? Does the son's repayment of the home loan give him a stronger ownership claim? And what happens to the father's share after his death?

Today's Q&A explains such details in response to a query by a reader.

Presuming that you did not contribute anything towards down payment but only undertook to service the home loan of ₹15 lakh alone whereas your father has paid for the down payment, stamp duty and registration aggregating to ₹30 lakh, so the ratio of you and your father’s in the ownership of the property is 1:2

As far as the right of your sister to claim any share in the property in future is concerned, as long as your father is alive she cannot claim any share in the house. Even after the death of your father, she cannot claim any share in the property if your father has made a valid will and has bequeathed his share in the house to someone else to her exclusion.

So in case your father dies without leaving a valid will, your sister will automatically inherit some share in the house property. Her share will depend on the number of legal heir of class I alive at the time of death of your father. In case your mother is alive at the time of your father’s death, you, your sister and mother, each one will inherit 1/3 share of your father’s 2/3 rd share in the property.

Presuming that your grandmother is not alive at the time of death of your father. In case of your demise in future, your wife and children will be entitled to your share in the property to the exclusion of your sisiter.