The Delhi Real Estate Regulatory Authority (DRERA) has directed real estate promoters and builders of the national capital to “appoint an ‘Allottee Grievance Cell’ for each project with a dedicated telephone number to redress grievances of allottees”.
It has further ordered them to display their names, addresses, RERA registration number of the projects, and details of the Allottee Grievance Officer and Allottee Grievance Cell with telephone numbers prominently at the construction site of each project.
The three-member authority, consisting of Anand Kumar, Ajay Kuhar and Devesh Singh, has directed all the builders to report compliance with the order by September 30, 2023.
“Any failure to do so will be viewed as a contravention of the Act which can invite penalty under Section 61 of the Act,” the order said.
Under Section 61 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, if a promoter of a real estate firm defaults with the provisions of the Acts, rules or regulations, it invites a penalty, the maximum of which is up to 5 per cent of the estimated cost of a real estate project.
Anand Kumar, Chairman of DRERA, said that the direction has been issued to help homebuyers and allottees get the right information about the project in which they have bought a flat or planning to buy.
“It has come to our notice that some builders are selling non-RERA registered projects claiming that they have the required registration. With this mandatory provision to display registration numbers among other details on the construction site, it will be easy for the buyers to make an informed decision and identify the right project,” Kumar said.
Kumar is of the view that the appointment of an Allottee Grievance Cell and Allottee Grievance Officer will create a one-point redressal mechanism at the level of the builder.
Real estate experts have welcomed the move and called it a progressive step by Delhi RERA.
“Often, allottees are made to approach various departments beginning from sales to customer relations to top management within a developer company for redressal or ear for their complaints,” Venket Rao, legal advisor with UP RERA, said.
Rao, who is also the founder of Intygrat Law Offices, added, “Various personnel, e-mail ID and telephone number are given to allottees. This move would at least put an end to such multiple centres and will make a single window for allottees for redressal of their complaints. Not only that, it will also put an end to multiple empty promises and excuses as there would be accountability.”