If your builder has missed possession by more than the grace period, refused to refund your booking amount, sold you carpet area different from the agreement, or filed misleading information with the regulator, RERA is your first and cheapest formal escalation. Filing fees range from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 depending on the state. No lawyer is required to file. The buyer wins roughly 60-70% of admitted cases in Maharashtra and Karnataka by published order data, although enforcement of those orders is the harder battle. This is the practical guide most buyers cannot find in one place.
When a RERA complaint is the right route
RERA is designed for disputes between a homebuyer (or allottee) and a promoter or real estate agent. The complaint must relate to a project registered under RERA. Common grounds that are admitted regularly:
- Delay in possession beyond the date promised in the agreement plus any grace period — this is the single largest complaint category nationwide.
- Refund with interest when the buyer chooses to exit a delayed project under Section 18 of the Act.
- Carpet area discrepancy — the actual carpet area on possession is less than what was committed in the registered agreement.
- Misleading advertisement or prospectus — amenities, layout, or specifications differ from what was registered with the regulator.
- False information in QPRs (quarterly progress reports) filed by the promoter.
- Forfeiture of booking amount beyond what the model agreement permits.
RERA does not handle pre-launch or unregistered projects (those go to consumer forums), criminal cheating (which goes to the police and economic offences wing), or disputes between two buyers.
Where to file — jurisdiction follows the project, not your residence
You file in the state where the project is registered, not where you live. Each state runs its own portal:
| State | Filing portal | Filing fee (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra (MahaRERA) | maharera.maharashtra.gov.in | ₹5,000 |
| Karnataka (K-RERA) | rera.karnataka.gov.in | ₹1,000 |
| Haryana (H-RERA) | haryanarera.gov.in (Gurugram and Panchkula benches) | ₹1,000 |
| Telangana (TS-RERA) | rera.telangana.gov.in | ₹1,000 |
| Tamil Nadu (TN-RERA) | rera.tn.gov.in | ₹1,000 |
| UP (UP-RERA) | up-rera.in | ₹1,000 |
| Delhi | rera.delhi.gov.in | ₹1,000 |
Source: Brickplot dataset of state RERA fee schedules, refreshed quarterly. Always reconfirm on the portal before paying — Maharashtra revised its fee in 2023 and a few other states have draft revisions pending.
The 5-step filing process
Step 1: Confirm the project is RERA-registered
Pull up the registration certificate on the state portal and note the RERA number, registered possession date, and the promoter name as it appears in the registration. You will need to type the project name and RERA number into the complaint form exactly as registered.
Step 2: Draft the cause of action
Write a chronological, dated narrative: agreement date, payment milestones, what the builder committed, where they deviated. Keep it under 1,000 words. Attach the agreement, payment receipts, the registration certificate, and any email or letter trail. Most rejections happen because the buyer attached only a screenshot of a WhatsApp message instead of the registered agreement.
Step 3: File Form M (the standard complaint form)
Every state portal calls it slightly differently but the structure is the same: complainant details, respondent (promoter) details, project details, prayer (what you want — refund, possession, compensation), and supporting documents. Upload PDFs under 5 MB each.
Step 4: Pay the filing fee
Online via the portal's payment gateway. Save the receipt — the complaint number is generated only after payment is confirmed.
Step 5: Track and attend hearings
You get a hearing date within 30-60 days in most states. Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana now allow video hearings as the default, which is a significant unlock for NRI buyers and out-of-city buyers.
What to expect after filing
The statutory timeline under Section 29 of the RERA Act is 60 days from admission to disposal. The real-world median is closer to 6-9 months in active states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, and 12-18 months in slower benches. Adjournments are common. Most cases are won on documentation, not oral argument — so over-prepare your paper trail and under-prepare your speech.
If you win, you get an order. Enforcement of the order is a separate proceeding under Section 40, and this is where most buyers underestimate the friction. A favourable order without follow-through execution is worth less than people assume.
When RERA is not your best route
If the amount in dispute is under ₹20 lakh and the issue is a service deficiency (broken amenity, water leakage, common-area maintenance), the District Consumer Commission is usually faster and cheaper. If the builder has been criminally fraudulent — fake registration, forged signatures, diversion of escrow funds — go to the EOW first and let the criminal track run in parallel with RERA.
One tip most lawyers will not volunteer
If your project is in a state where the regulator publishes QPRs (Maharashtra and Karnataka do this), pull the last four QPRs filed by your builder before you draft your complaint. Discrepancies between the QPR and what you can see on the ground are admissible evidence and are devastating in cross-examination. A builder who filed "75% structural complete" in their QPR but cannot produce a slab beyond the 8th floor has just handed you the case.
Before you file, check the Brickplot score for your project — every project page lists the registered RERA number, QPR discrepancies we have flagged, and any active orders from the regulator. Find your project on Brickplot →