A common phrase that is not quite right
Ads often say "RERA approved". The law does not approve projects. It registers them. The difference matters because registration is a starting point, not a seal of quality.
What the builder declares
To register, the promoter files the details listed in section 4 of RERA: land title, approvals and plans, the timeline for completion, and a declaration that seventy per cent of money from buyers will go into a separate account for that project.
What the authority does and does not check
The authority receives these declarations and publishes them. It does not inspect your future kitchen or test the concrete. Registration tells you what the builder has promised publicly. It does not tell you how well they will build.
Why a number alone is not enough
A registration number proves the project exists in the register. To learn anything useful, open the record: the promoter's name, the declared completion date, the documents and the quarterly updates.
What registration does give you
- A public record of what was promised.
- A cap on advances before a registered agreement, under section 13(1).
- Five-year cover for structural defects, under section 14(3).
- Refund or interest rights on delay, under section 18.
- A place to complain: the state RERA authority.
What falls outside
Small projects (land of 500 square metres or less, or eight apartments or fewer), projects completed before the Act, and some renovation works are exempt under section 3(2). Resale flats bought from an owner are a different kind of purchase too.
Three questions after you have the number
- Does the promoter name match the company signing my agreement?
- Does the completion date declared match the date in my agreement?
- Is the latest quarterly update current?
How we say it
Step by step: reading a RERA record
- Go to the Karnataka RERA website, rera.karnataka.gov.in, and search for the project.
- Check the registration number matches the one in the ad and in your agreement.
- Note the promoter's legal name and its address.
- Open the uploaded documents: title, plan approval and layout.
- Note the declared completion date and the number of units.
- Read the latest quarterly progress update. Section 11(1) asks the promoter to keep it current.
- Check whether any complaints or extensions are recorded.
The money rule, in one worked example
Illustrative figures only. Section 4(2)(l)(D) requires the promoter to keep seventy per cent of the amounts collected from buyers in a separate account for that project, to be used only for land and construction costs. If buyers have paid ₹10,00,00,000 in total, at least ₹7,00,00,000 must sit in that account, and withdrawals must be in proportion to the progress of the work, certified by an engineer, an architect and a chartered accountant.
On your own payment, the sum is smaller but the idea is the same. Of a ₹6,00,000 instalment, ₹4,20,000 should go into the project's separate account.
What to do if something goes wrong
- Write to the builder first. Keep the email and its date.
- Complain to the authority. Section 31 lets you file a complaint with the state RERA authority.
- Claim compensation. Compensation is decided by the adjudicating officer, under section 71.
- Appeal if needed. Orders can be appealed to the Appellate Tribunal under section 44.
Common mistakes
- Checking the number exists, but not reading the record.
- Assuming registration means the price is fair. RERA does not set prices.
- Paying more than ten per cent before the agreement is registered.
- Not saving a copy of the record on the day you book. Records are updated, and a dated copy helps if there is a dispute.
A short checklist
- Registration number matches everywhere.
- Promoter name matches your agreement.
- Completion date matches your agreement.
- Quarterly update is current.
- Plans on RERA match the plans you were shown.
Registration and the length of the project
A RERA registration is valid for the period the promoter declares for completing the project. Section 6 allows the authority to extend it, generally by up to one year, in cases such as force majeure. An extension recorded on the website is worth noticing, because it can change the dates you plan around. Compare the latest date on RERA with the date in your agreement, and ask the builder to explain any gap in writing.
Using the record to talk to the builder
You do not need to be confrontational. A simple email works well: “The RERA record shows a completion date of X and the last quarterly update was on Y. Could you confirm the current status of my tower?” Dated, polite questions based on the public record usually get clear answers, and they leave a paper trail if you ever need one.
RERA and resale flats
If you buy a flat from its first owner after the building is complete, you are dealing with an individual, not a promoter, and most RERA duties do not apply to that sale. The builder's obligations to the association, such as the defect liability period, may still matter, so ask the seller when possession was first given. For a resale, title checks, the occupancy certificate and a clear society or association no-dues letter carry more weight than the RERA page.
Either way, the habit is the same: read the record, match it to your papers, and ask in writing about anything that does not fit.
Registration is where your checks begin, not where they end, for every project you consider. Treat the number as a door to open, read what is behind it, and keep a dated copy of everything you find.
We do not say "RERA approved". We say The Shalott Marque is registered under RERA number PRM/KA/RERA/1251/308/PR/180826/008871. You can look it up yourself. See the project page for more.