Nobody books a first home expecting to complain about it. But knowing the complaint route before you sign is reassuring, and it makes you a sharper buyer. This guide explains which forum hears what, what to attach, and what happens after you file. It does not print fees or reproduce forms, because those are set by the Karnataka Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017 and by K-RERA's own directions, and they change. Check the current version on K-RERA's website.
Who can complain, and against whom
Section 31(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 lets any aggrieved person complain about a breach of the Act, its rules or regulations. The complaint can be against a promoter, a buyer or a real estate agent.
- Groups can file together. A residents' association or a registered consumer group counts as a person.
- Agents can be named. Agents register under section 9, so a channel partner's false claim can be taken up against them directly.
- It works both ways. A promoter can also file against a buyer, for example over missed payments.
Choosing the right forum
The forum depends on what you are asking for.
| What you want | Where to go | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| An order that the builder comply, e.g. hand over documents | The Authority | Section 31, with sections 35 to 38 |
| Your money back with interest, leaving a delayed project | The Authority | Section 18(1) |
| Monthly delay interest while you stay in | The Authority | Proviso to section 18(1) |
| Compensation as a separate claim | The adjudicating officer | Section 71, for sections 12, 14, 18 and 19 |
Section 71(1) says the adjudicating officer is a judicial officer who is or has been a District Judge. Section 72 lists what they weigh, such as unfair gain made, loss caused and whether the default repeats. If you already have a similar case in a consumer forum, section 71(2) lets you withdraw it there, with that forum's permission, and take it to the adjudicating officer.
What to attach
- The project's registration number, and the promoter's name exactly as on the RERA certificate, not the brand on the hoarding.
- Your registered agreement for sale, allotment letter and booking form. Section 13(2) requires the agreement to state the possession date and the default interest for both sides, so it is usually the yardstick for your claim.
- Proof of every payment, with dates, and the demand letters they answered.
- The brochure, ad or price sheet, if your complaint is about a false statement (a section 12 claim).
- Your emails and letters, in date order.
- The exact relief you want. "Refund with interest" or "delay interest from a stated date" gives the forum something to order.
For a delay claim, work out the date first. It is the date in your agreement, not the brochure date and not what a sales executive said.
Two habits worth keeping
Save the project page. Section 11(1) requires the promoter to update its page on the K-RERA website every quarter. Take a dated screenshot before you file. It is the promoter's own statement, and it can change.
Name the right respondent. The promoter named on the certificate is the entity any order will be enforced against.
After filing
The complaint gets a number and the other side is notified. Both sides are heard, often over a few hearings. The Authority has some civil-court powers under section 35, can pass interim orders under section 36 and give directions under section 37. For compensation, section 71(3) asks the adjudicating officer to try to decide within sixty days, recording reasons if it takes longer.
Orders have teeth. Under section 40, money due under an order can be recovered as arrears of land revenue. Section 63 adds a daily penalty if a promoter ignores the Authority's orders.
Appeals
Anyone unhappy with an order can appeal to the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal under section 43(5). A promoter must first deposit at least thirty per cent of any penalty, or more if the Tribunal decides, or the full amount owed to the buyer with interest and compensation. Section 44(4) asks the Tribunal to try to decide within sixty days. After that, section 58 allows an appeal to the High Court.
When K-RERA is the wrong place
- Projects outside the Act under section 3(2), such as very small or pre-Act completed projects.
- A resale bought from an individual owner, since there is no promoter.
- A dispute purely about who owns the land, which is a civil matter.
- Upkeep issues after the residents' association has taken over maintenance.
The best complaint is the one you never need
A worked example: what delay interest can add up to (illustrative)
Under the proviso to section 18(1), a buyer who stays in a delayed project can claim interest for every month of delay. The rate is fixed by the state rules, not by the builder. The figures below are made up, so check the current rate and your own payment dates.
- Amount you have paid: ₹40,00,000.
- Illustrative interest rate: 11 per cent a year.
- Months of delay beyond the agreement date: 12.
Interest for one year = 11 per cent of ₹40,00,000 = ₹4,40,000. Per month, that is about ₹4,40,000 ÷ 12 ≈ ₹36,667. In a real claim, interest is usually worked out on each payment from its own date, so a detailed table of payments matters. That is why the payment proofs listed above are so important.
Step by step: filing your complaint
- Write a short timeline. Booking date, agreement date, each payment, the promised possession date, and your letters to the builder.
- Write to the builder first. A clear letter or email stating the problem and what you want often settles things. If not, it becomes evidence.
- Pick the forum and relief. Use the table above: the Authority for refund, interest or compliance; the adjudicating officer for compensation.
- Gather your attachments in date order, and number the pages.
- File on K-RERA's website using the current form and pay the fee shown there.
- Note your complaint number and every hearing date.
- Attend each hearing or send an authorised representative. Bring a spare copy of your file.
- Read the order carefully and note any deadline for compliance or appeal.
Common mistakes that weaken a complaint
- Using the brochure date. The agreement date is what counts.
- Asking for everything at once, vaguely. State one clear relief, with figures.
- Naming the wrong company. Use the promoter's legal name from the registration certificate.
- Missing payment proof. Bank statements and receipts are your strongest evidence.
- Going to the wrong forum for compensation. Compensation claims go to the adjudicating officer.
Before you file, try this
Ask the builder for a meeting, in writing, and take a clear summary of your claim with you. Many disputes about dates, documents or refunds settle once both sides see the same figures. If they do not settle, your letter and the builder's reply become part of your file.
Keep the tone factual in every letter: dates, amounts and the clause of your agreement. A calm, organised record helps you whether the matter settles or goes to a hearing.
Most disputes trace back to things visible before signing: no clear possession date, a promoter name that does not match the register, money taken before the agreement. Checking costs far less than complaining. Our first home guide lists those checks in order.