Real Estate Regulation and Development Act

2016Dubai, 2nd June 2016

Dr Sanjay ChaturvediLLB, PhD

The Act

The Real Estate Regulation and Development Act 2016.

Which repealed Maharashtra Housing (Regulation and Development) Act 2012. (Sec 92)

Sec56 of MHA repealed MOFA

Objective of the Act An Act to establish the Real Estate Regulatory Authority

for regulation and promotion of the real estate sector and to ensure sale of plot, apartment or building, as the case may be, or sale of real estate project, in an efficient and transparent manner and to protect the interest of consumers in the real estate sector and to establish an adjudicating mechanism for speedy dispute redressal and also to establish the Appellate Tribunal to hear appeals from the decisions, directions or orders of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the adjudicating officer and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Real Estate Promotor (zk) "promoter" means,— (i) a person who constructs or causes to be

constructed an independent building or a building consisting of apartments, or converts an existing building or a part thereof into apartments, for the purpose of selling all or some of the apartments to other persons and includes his assignees; or

(ii) a person who develops land into a project, whether or not the person also constructs structures on any of the plots, for the purpose of selling to other persons all or some of the plots in the said project, whether with or without structures thereon; or

Definition : Promotor (v) any other person who acts himself as a builder, coloniser,

contractor, developer, estate developer or by any other name or claims to be acting as the holder of a power of attorney from the owner of the land on which the building or apartment is constructed or plot is developed for sale; or

(vi) such other person who constructs any building or apartment for sale to the general public.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, where the person who constructs or converts a building into apartments or develops a plot for sale and the persons who sells apartments or plots are different persons, both of them shall be deemed to be the promoters and shall be jointly liable as such for the functions and responsibilities specified, under this Act or the rules and regulations made thereunder;

Definitions2 (k) "carpet area" means the net usable floor

area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under services shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area and exclusive open terrace area, but includes the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment.

Definitions (b) "advertisement" means any document

described or issued as advertisement through any medium and includes any notice, circular or other documents or publicity in any form, informing persons about a real estate project, or offering for sale of a plot, building or apartment or inviting persons to purchase in any manner such plot, building or apartment or to make advances or deposits for such purposes;

Definition : Buyer (d) "allottee" in relation to a real estate project,

means the person to whom a plot, apartment or building, as the case may be, has been allotted, sold (whether as freehold or leasehold) or otherwise transferred by the promoter, and includes the person who subsequently acquires the said allotment through sale, transfer or otherwise but does not include a person to whom such plot, apartment or building, as the case may be, is given on rent;

Definition : Apartments (e) "apartment" whether called block, chamber, dwelling

unit, flat, office, showroom, shop, godown, premises, suit, tenement, unit or by any other name, means a separate and self-contained part of any immovable property, including one or more rooms or enclosed spaces, located on one or more floors or any part thereof, in a building or on a plot of land, used or intended to be used for any residential or commercial use such as residence, office, shop, showroom or godown or for carrying on any business, occupation, profession or trade, or for any other type of use ancillary to the purpose specified;

Definition (m) "commencement certificate" means the

commencement certificate or the building permit or the construction permit, by whatever name called issued by the competent authority to allow or permit the promoter to begin development works on an immovable property, as per the sanctioned plan;

Definitions (q) "completion certificate" means the completion

certificate, or such other certificate, by whatever name called, issued by the competent authority certifying that the real estate project has been developed according to the sanctioned plan, layout plan and specifications, as approved by the competent authority under the local laws;

Definition : OC (zf) "occupancy certificate" means the

occupancy certificate, or such other certificate by whatever name called, issued by the competent authority permitting occupation of any building, as provided under local laws, which has provision for civic infrastructure such as water, sanitation and electricity;

Definition : Sanction Plan (zq) "sanctioned plan" means the site plan,

building plan, service plan, parking and circulation plan, landscape plan, layout plan, zoning plan and such other plan and includes structural designs, if applicable, permissions such as environment permission and such other permissions, which are approved by the competent authority prior to start of a real estate project;

Registration & Licensing 3. (1) No promoter shall

advertise, market, book, sell or offer for sale, or invite persons to purchase in any manner any plot, apartment or building, as the case may be, in any real estate project or part of it, in any planning area, without registering the real estate project with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority established under this Act:

Registration and Licensing Provided that projects that are ongoing on the date of

commencement of this Act and for which the completion certificate has not been issued, the promoter shall make an application to the Authority for registration of the said project within a period of three months from the date of commencement of this Act:

Provided further that if the Authority thinks necessary, in the interest of allottees, for projects which are developed beyond the planning area but with the requisite permission of the local authority, it may, by order, direct the promoter of such project to register with the Authority, and the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations made thereunder, shall apply to such projects from that stage of registration.

Registration and Licensing (b) where the promoter has received completion

certificate for a real estate project prior to commencement of this Act;

(c) for the purpose of renovation or repair or re-development which does not involve marketing, advertising selling or new allotment of any apartment, plot or building, as the case may be, under the real estate project.

Revoking License 7. (1) The Authority may, on receipt of a complaint or suo

motu in this behalf or on the recommendation of the competent authority, revoke the registration granted under section 5, after being satisfied that—

(a) the promoter makes default in doing anything required by or under this Act or the rules or the regulations made thereunder;

(b) the promoter violates any of the terms or conditions of the approval given by the competent authority;

(c) the promoter is involved in any kind of unfair practice or irregularities.

Unfair Trade Practice Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, the term "unfair

practice means" a practice which, for the purpose of promoting the sale or development of any real estate project adopts any unfair method or unfair or deceptive practice including any of the following practices, namely:—

(A) the practice of making any statement, whether in writing or by visible representation which,—

(i) falsely represents that the services are of a particular standard or grade;

(ii) represents that the promoter has approval or affiliation which such promoter does not have;

(iii) makes a false or misleading representation concerning the services;

Unfair Trade Practices (B) the promoter permits the publication of any

advertisement or prospectus whether in any newspaper or otherwise of services that are not intended to be offered;

(d) the promoter indulges in any fraudulent practices.

Functions and Duties of Builder (3) The promoter at the time of the booking and issue of

allotment letter shall be responsible to make available to the allottee, the following information, namely:—

(a) sanctioned plans, layout plans, along with specifications, approved by the competent authority, by display at the site or such other place as may be specified by the regulations made by the Authority;

(b) the stage wise time schedule of completion of the project, including the provisions for civic infrastructure like water, sanitation and electricity.

Function and Duties of Builder 11(4) (a) Responsible till the last unit is handed over (b) be responsible to obtain the completion certificate or

the occupancy certificate,or both, as applicable, (c) be responsible to obtain the lease certificate, where

the real estate project is developed on a leasehold land (d) be responsible for providing and maintaining the

essential services, on reasonable charges, till the taking over of the maintenance of the project by the association of the allottees

(e) enable the formation of an association or society or co-operative society,

Function and Duties of Builder (f) execute a registered conveyance deed of the

apartment, plot or building, as the case may be, in favour of the allottee

(g) pay all outgoings until he transfers the physical possession of the real estate project

(5) The promoter may cancel the allotment only in terms of the agreement for sale:

Booking Amount13. (1) A promoter shall not accept a sum

more than ten per cent of the cost of the apartment, plot, or building as the case may be, as an advance payment or an application fee, from a person without first entering into a written agreement for sale with such person and register the said agreement for sale, under any law for the time being in force.

Buyers’ Consent15. (1) The promoter shall not transfer or

assign his majority rights and liabilities in respect of a real estate project to a third party without obtaining prior written consent from two-third allottees, except the promoter, and without the prior written approval of the Authority:

Provided that such transfer or assignment shall not affect the allotment or sale of the apartments, plots or buildings as the case may be, in the real estate project made by the erstwhile promoter.

Penalties 59. (1) If any promoter contravenes the provisions of section

3, he shall be liable to a penalty which may extend up to ten per cent. of the estimated cost of the real estate project as determined by the Authority.

(2) If any promoter does not comply with the orders, decisions or directions issued under sub-section (1) or continues to violate the provisions of section 3, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years or with fine which may extend up to a further ten per cent. of the estimated cost of the real estate project, or with both

Penalties 60. If any promoter provides false information or

contravenes the provisions of section 4, he shall be liable to a penalty which may extend up to five per cent. of the estimated cost of the real estate project, as determined by the Authority.

61. If any promoter contravenes any other provisions of this Act, other than that provided under section 3 or section 4, or the rules or regulations made the reunder, he shall be liable to a penalty which may extend up to five per cent. of the estimated cost of the real estate project as determined by the Authority.

Penalties 63. If any promoter, who fails to comply with, or contravenes

any of the orders or directions of the Authority, he shall be liable to a penalty for every day during which such default continues, which may cumulatively extend up to five per cent., of the estimated cost of the real estate project as determined by the Authority.

64. If any promoter, who fails to comply with, or contravenes any of the orders, decisions or directions of the Applellate Trinbunal, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years or with fine for every day during which such default continues, which may cumulatively extend up to ten per cent. of the estimated cost of the real estate project, or with both.

Duties of BuyerPay as agreed in the agreementThe allottee shall be liable to pay interest, at

such rate as may be prescribed, for any delay in payment

Shall participate towards the formation of an association or society or co-operative society of the alottees, or a federation the same.

shall take physical possession of the apartment within two months of OC

Duties / RightsEvery allottee shall participate towards

registration of conveyance deed of the apartment, plot or building as the case may be, within specified period as per sanction plans as provided under the local laws.

Rights of Buyers 1. Right to information relating to sanctioned plans,

layout plans along with specifications approved by the competent authority.

2. Right to claim possession of the apartment, plot or building.

3. Right to claim compensation or interest from Promoter for breach of agreement of sale.

4. Right to execution of registered agreement of sale before being called upon to pay amounts in excess of 10 percent of cost of flat/plot/apartment.

Rights 5. Right against alterations to project without consent. 6. Right to participate towards the formation of an

association or society or cooperative society of the allottees.

7. Right against transfer or assignment of project by promoter to third party without consent.

8. Right to claim compensation from promoter for loss caused by defective title.

9. Right to transfer of title insurance and other insurance.

Thank YouAdvocate Dr Sanjay Chaturvedi

sanjay@chaturvedi.bizsanjay@accommodationtimes.com

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