Two names, two jobs
A brand name is what you see on ads and hoardings. A promoter, as defined in section 2(zk) of RERA, is the legal entity responsible for the project. They can be the same, but often they are not.
Why they can legitimately differ
- A company may sell under a shorter or friendlier brand name.
- A group may set up a separate company for one project.
- A builder may develop land in partnership with the landowner, and register accordingly.
None of this is wrong. What matters is that the link is visible and documented.
Our own case
Reeva Properties is a brand of SUYUG Infra. For The Shalott Marque, look up registration PRM/KA/RERA/1251/308/PR/180826/008871 on the Karnataka RERA website to see the promoter name recorded there. That is the name your agreement should carry.
When it is a warning
- No one can tell you which company is the promoter.
- The company signing your agreement is neither the promoter nor linked to it in writing.
- The ad has no registration number at all.
Two documents that connect them
- The RERA registration record, naming the promoter.
- Your draft agreement for sale, naming the same promoter as a party.
If both carry the same legal name, the brand on the ad is just a brand.
Landowner shares
In a joint development, the landowner may own some of the flats. That is common. Ask whose share your flat belongs to, and who will sign the agreement and the sale deed.
If the names do not line up
Write to the builder: "Please confirm the legal name of the registered promoter, and the name of the party that will sign my agreement for sale." Keep the reply.
How to look up the promoter yourself
- Open the Karnataka RERA website (rera.karnataka.gov.in) and go to the list of registered projects.
- Search by the registration number shown on the ad, not by the brand name. Brand names may not appear on the record.
- Note the promoter's legal name, its type (company, LLP, partnership) and its address.
- Open the uploaded documents, such as the approvals, the title documents and the quarterly progress updates.
- If the promoter is a company or LLP, you can check its status on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website using its name or identification number.
Who you pay matters too
Section 4(2)(l)(D) of RERA requires the promoter to deposit 70% of the amounts collected from buyers into a separate bank account for that project, to be used only for land and construction costs of that project. In practice, your payment instructions should name an account held by the promoter for the project.
Before you transfer money, check that:
- the account holder is the promoter, or a party named in your agreement
- the account details are printed on the builder's letterhead or in the agreement, not only sent by message
- you get a receipt for every payment in the promoter's name
Never pay into a salesperson's personal account, whatever the reason given.
A worked example: booking without surprises
Illustrative figures only. Say a flat costs ₹70 lakh. Under section 13 of RERA, the promoter cannot take more than 10% of the cost, here ₹7 lakh, as an advance or application fee before a written agreement for sale is signed and registered.
So if you are asked for, say, ₹10 lakh before any agreement, that is ₹3 lakh above the limit. Ask for the agreement first. When it arrives, check that the promoter named on it matches the RERA record exactly, down to "Private Limited" or "LLP".
Common mistakes
- Searching by brand only. Use the registration number.
- Not reading the parties' names on the agreement. It is the first page and the most important one.
- Paying before the paperwork matches. A small mismatch is easier to fix before money moves.
- Ignoring the landowner's role. In a joint development, check whether the landowner is also a party to your agreement or sale deed.
- Accepting a verbal explanation. Ask for any link between companies in writing.
Why the legal name matters years from now
It is easy to think the promoter's name is a box to tick at booking. In fact, it follows you for years. The party named as promoter is the one RERA holds responsible for delivering the project as agreed. Under section 14(3), if you find a structural defect or a defect in workmanship, quality or services within five years of handing over possession, the promoter must fix it without further charge, within 30 days of being told. Under section 18, if the promoter fails to complete or hand over the home as agreed, you have rights to a refund with interest or to interest for every month of delay, as the Act sets out.
All of these rights run against the promoter. That is why the name on your agreement, the name on your receipts and the name on the RERA record must be one and the same. If they differ, you may spend time proving who is responsible at exactly the moment you need help.
A short letter that saves trouble
If you are unsure, send one email before booking:
"Please confirm in writing: (1) the legal name of the registered promoter for this project; (2) its RERA registration number; (3) the party who will sign my agreement for sale and sale deed; (4) the bank account, held for the project, into which my payments should go."
A trustworthy builder answers all four plainly. Save the reply with your booking papers. It costs you two minutes and gives you a clear record from the start.
Brands, groups and sub-brands
Many builders run more than one brand, each aimed at a different buyer. A sub-brand may share the parent group's people, standards and track record. That can be a real strength for a buyer, because you can visit the group's delivered projects and judge the work for yourself. Still, check which legal entity is the promoter for the project you are buying, because that is who your agreement is with.
What the RERA record tells you beyond the name
While you are on the project's RERA page, read a little further. The record usually shows the approved plans, the declared completion date, the number of units and the promoter's quarterly updates on progress. Compare the completion date with what the sales team tells you. If the updates have stopped, or the date has been extended more than once, ask why. These are public documents filed by the promoter, so they are a fair basis for questions before you book.
At registration day
When the sale deed is ready, read the parties' names one last time. The seller side should be the promoter, and the landowner too if your flat comes from a landowner's share or the landowner is a confirming party. If any name has changed since your agreement, ask for the reason in writing before you sign.
Your promoter checklist
- RERA number from the ad looked up yourself
- Promoter's legal name noted
- Same name on the draft agreement
- Payment account held by the promoter for the project
- Landowner share question asked and answered
- Any brand-to-promoter link confirmed in writing
More on The Shalott Marque and its documents is on the project page.
Reeva Properties is backed by SUYUG Infra: 4 Mn sq ft delivered, 1.5 Mn sq ft under development.