Aside from the delay in project delivery, buyers face other issues with developers including changes in construction plans, charging additional fees, not providing accounts for maintenance expenses and not providing facilities such as parking space, storage space or elevator.

If you are a buyer and are facing such issues with developer or builders, you can file a complaint under RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act). Here is how to go about it.

Filing a complaint

According to the Act, complaints can be filed against developers, builders and real estate agents registered under RERA. There are a specific set of forms to be filled and documents to be submitted for accepting your complaint.

Usually, home buyers can lodge his or her complaint online, but some states like Tamil Nadu allow offline submission as well.

Every state’s RERA official website will have its complaint section and the buyer has to fill in the requisite details in the form prescribed. This complaint can be filed with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority, conciliating forum or the adjudicating officer.

Certain portals would require a buyer to create user name and password, and log-in to register a complaint, while other states, like Uttar Pradesh, allow the buyer to register a complaint directly.

You, as a buyer, will have to fill in personal details such as name, address, phone number and other contact details, project details including the promoter’s name, project details, total amount paid, cost of the flat and any receipts or documents given by the developer.

You also need to provide a summary of the problem with the agents or the developer, and the relief you are looking for from the authority. Further, you have to mention any previous case filed by you.

Once all the details are filled, you need pay the fees. This fee may vary from each state. For instance, Maharashtra charges ₹5,000, while, in Karnataka, it is ₹1,000.

Timeline

There is no specific timeline within which a buyer should file a complaint. However, it is better if he/she file it at the earliest.

The Act mandates that the complaints should be disposed expeditiously within sixty days (two months) from the date of filing the same. However, if the RERA authority is unable to meet the timeline, then requisite reasons should be communicated to the home buyer.

Why RERA?

Buyer can file complain with the regulatory authority of real estate or any consumer forums, but it may take time for the final adjudication. Therefore, RERA is for quick and easy disposal of complaints and early resolution of the issues between various parties.

Unlike other consumer forums or National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), RERA looks into real estate cases only.

Given the trouble with real estate sector where over 1.5 lakh homes are stalled and buyers have already paid their money, RERA, if it functions efficiently and effectively across states, can dispose the cases on time and easing the pain of aggrieved buyers.

As of 27th July, 20,454 cases have been disposed by RERA across India.

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