Buyers can complaint against a builder or broker under Gujarat RERA (GujRERA)
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Buyers can complaint against a builder or broker under Gujarat RERA (GujRERA)

An important point that we need to remember about the RERA Act is that 22 Indian states and 6 union territories have implemented the guidelines since the law was passed. In the present post, we are sharing brief details of Gujarat RERA (GujRERA) and the process of registering a complaint against errant builders, agents and brokers.

Brief Background about GujRERA

The full form of GujRERA is Gujarat Real Estate Regulation Authority. The rules came into force in the state of Gujarat on 4th May 2017. The rules were implemented by the state government of Gujarat to monitor the real estate industry with a view to safeguard the interest of property and home buyers. As per directives mentioned in the RERA Act, a local regulatory authority – GujRERA – was setup by the state government of Gujarat with its headquarters based in Gandhinagar.

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Some of the important points to note about GujRERA are as below:

  • The official website of GujRERA is https://gujrera.gujarat.gov.in
    • It is important to note that there may be websites with similar names, look and feel. These websites may ask for a high fee for registering buyer complaints and promise quick settlements with the builders. However, buyers must know that any website other than mentioned above is absolutely fake and illegal.
  • GujRERA is entrusted with the responsibility of:
    • bringing in accountability and transparency in the real estate industry of Gujarat.
    • providing detailed information about registered or delisted projects, properties, builders and agents.
      • The buyers can visit the official website for checking the details before making a booking with the builder or involving a broker or agent in the property buying process.
  • Type of projects that can be registered under GujRERA include:
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Group Housing Societies
    • Plotted Developments
  • GujRERA provides an option of registering complaints against builders, brokers or agents who do not deliver what they had promised while signing a deal with the property buyer.
  • GujRERA also acts as an Appellate Tribunal for aggrieved buyers and hear cases for faster dispute resolution as per provisions stated in the RERA Act.

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What is the process of filing a complaint in GujRERA?

The process of registering a complaint is fairly simple. Any aggrieved buyer can follow the below mentioned steps:

  • Visit the official website of GujRERA (link is given above for reference).
  • On the homepage, the user will see a Citizen tab as highlighted in green colour.
  • Go to the Citizen tab and a menu will appear, showing the Complaint option.
  • Click on ‘Complaint’, the website will ask to login if buyer is an existing user of website using username and password.
  • If buyer is a new user of website, he or she will have to create an account (user name and password) for logging in.
  • Once logged in, the website will open a detailed complaint registration form that buyer needs to fill.
  • Along with the duly filled complaint form, buyer will also be required to provide necessary and proper documents as evidence.
  • Once all the required information is filled and documents are attached, click on the submit button.
  • User/buyer will be taken to the payment gateway, where he or she is required to pay Rs. 1000 as the complaint registration fee.
  • Once the payment is made via debit card or credit card or net banking, the website will generate an acknowledgment number and complaint is officially registered with GujRERA.
  • It is important to note that the aggrieved buyer(s) should keep the reference number or acknowledgement copy safely for future reference.
  • The buyer can visit the GujRERA website for checking the status of the complaint as well from time to time.

Readers also read: Buyers in Maharashtra can verify builder details on MahaRERA before booking the property

Why a property buyer needs to consult a property lawyer?

The matters related to property disputes, especially with the defaulting builders, tend to be extremely complex, stressful and time taking. Many a times, property buyer(s) may also hesitate in involving a property lawyer and tends to think that he or she can tackle the issues themselves. However, the bitter realities are that if a buyer is not able to present the case properly and as per provisions of the RERA Act in the appellate tribunal, it is highly likely that the case will be a lost cause for the buyer. Reason for this is simple – the errant builder(s) will for sure use a competent lawyer as a strong shield to defend themselves at all times. This is will only add to the ongoing level of stress on a property buyer, who is facing the risk of losing the entire life savings.

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Hence, it is only advisable and practical to deploy a professional, competent and verify the project or builder to:

  • prepare the buyer’s case properly
  • file the case as per provisions of the law
  • present the buyer’s case in appellate tribunal as per provisions of the law
  • assist the buyer at each step of legal battle with the defaulting builder
  • help the buyer in getting a proper and timely resolution from the designated competent court of law, which is GujRERA in the case of the state of Gujarat.