Quick answer: RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) is a central law that protects home buyers from delays, misleading advertisements, and fund diversion by developers. Any residential project above 500 sq m or 8 units must be registered with the state RERA authority before it can be marketed or sold.
What is RERA?
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 — commonly called RERA — came into force on 1 May 2017. Before RERA, India had no central law regulating real estate developers, which led to widespread delays, project abandonment, and fund misuse.
RERA established independent regulatory bodies in each state (called Real Estate Regulatory Authorities) with the power to hear buyer complaints, penalise developers, and cancel registrations. The central RERA Act sets the minimum standard; individual states can make their rules stricter but not weaker.
What RERA protects you from
- Delays in possession — Developers must specify a completion date and pay interest for every month they are late. The central RERA Act benchmarks this at SBI MCLR + 2%; individual state RERA rules may specify a different reference rate — check your state's rules.
- Misleading advertisements — All brochures, websites, and ads must show the RERA registration number. Developers cannot market unregistered projects.
- Fund diversion — At least 70% of buyer funds must be kept in a dedicated project escrow account and used only for construction costs.
- Carpet area fraud — RERA mandates that property prices be quoted in carpet area (the actual usable floor area), not the inflated "super built-up area."
- Structural defects — Developers are liable for structural defects reported within 5 years of possession.
How to verify a RERA-registered project
- Find your state's RERA portal (listed below).
- Search by the project name, developer name, or the RERA registration number that must appear in all project advertisements.
- Review the project details: completion date, approved plans, litigation history, and quarterly progress reports filed by the developer.
- Check the agent's RERA registration number too — all agents must be individually registered. Buying through an unregistered agent is a red flag.
State RERA portals
| State | RERA Authority | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Karnataka | K-RERA | rera.karnataka.gov.in |
| Maharashtra | MahaRERA | maharera.mahaonline.gov.in |
| Delhi | Delhi RERA | rera.delhi.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu | TNRERA | tnrera.in |
| Kerala | K-RERA | rera.kerala.gov.in |
| Telangana | TSRERA | tsrera.telangana.gov.in |
| Andhra Pradesh | AP RERA | rera.ap.gov.in |
| Uttar Pradesh | UP RERA | up-rera.in |
| Gujarat | GUJRERA | gujrera.gujarat.gov.in |
| Rajasthan | RERA Raj | rera.rajasthan.gov.in |
How to file a RERA complaint
If a developer violates RERA provisions — delays possession, misuses funds, or deviates from approved plans — you can file a complaint with the state RERA authority.
- Visit your state RERA portal and log in or register.
- Select "File Complaint" and fill in the project details, nature of grievance, and relief sought.
- Upload supporting documents: sale agreement, payment receipts, builder's communications.
- Pay the filing fee (typically ₹1,000–₹5,000 depending on the state).
- The authority will issue a notice to the developer and schedule a hearing.
- The RERA Act sets a 60-day target for deciding complaints, but in practice most state RERA authorities face significant backlogs — cases can take several months to over a year depending on the state and complexity. Track your case status regularly on the state portal.
Important: You can approach RERA without a lawyer. However, if the developer does not comply with the RERA order, you will need to approach the High Court for enforcement.
RERA vs. consumer court: which to choose?
For real estate disputes, RERA is generally faster and more specialised than consumer courts. You cannot pursue the same grievance in both RERA and a consumer court at the same time — choose one forum for each specific claim. Most lawyers recommend RERA for possession delays and consumer court for deficiency of service claims (e.g., poor construction quality post-possession). In insolvency situations, RERA and IBC (Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code) proceedings can run concurrently. Consult a lawyer to determine the best forum for your specific situation.
Key RERA numbers to know
- 8 units / 500 sq m — Minimum project size requiring RERA registration
- 70% — Minimum buyer funds that must be kept in escrow
- 5 years — Developer liability period for structural defects after possession
- SBI MCLR + 2% — Central Act benchmark for delayed possession interest; state rules may vary
- 60 days — Statutory target for complaint decisions; actual timelines are often longer due to backlogs