RERA explained: what it protects and what it does not

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016 requires every residential or commercial project above 500 square metres or eight units to be registered with the state RERA authority before it is advertised or sold. Registration gives you three things.

What RERA gives you

• A public record — the promoter's details, approvals, the sanctioned plan, the carpet area of each unit and the promised completion date are filed with the authority and can be looked up online.
• Escrow of your money — 70% of what buyers pay must sit in a separate account used only for that project.
• A complaint forum — for delays or deviation from the plan you can file with the RERA authority, which can order refunds with interest, without going to civil court.

How to check a project

Every state has its own portal (for example HRERA for Haryana, UP RERA, MahaRERA). Search by the registration number printed on the advertisement, then compare the possession date on the portal with the one the sales office quoted. If they differ, believe the portal.

What RERA does not cover

Resale of an individual flat between two private parties, plots in a completed layout, and most projects that received their completion certificate before May 2017. For those, your protection is the title search and the sale deed, not RERA.

General information, not legal advice.