How to Check a Builder's Track Record Before Buying
Checking a builder's track record is the single most overlooked step in Indian property due diligence. Every brochure claims a "timely delivery" reputation — but RERA data tells a different story. This guide walks you through five independent sources that reveal the real picture.
Step 1: Search the builder on state RERA portals
Every state RERA authority maintains a public registry of all registered projects. Go to your state portal (rera.karnataka.gov.in for Karnataka, maharera.mahaonline.gov.in for Maharashtra) and search by the builder's company name. Look at:
- Total registered projects — how many has the builder ever registered?
- Completed vs active — what fraction are marked completed?
- Lapsed or withdrawn — any projects where registration was allowed to expire are a red flag.
A builder with 20 registered projects and only 3 marked completed after 10 years has a poor delivery record — even if no single complaint has been filed.
Step 2: Review RERA QPR possession slippage
For each active project, compare the original possession date in Form A against the revised possession date in Form B. The gap is possession slippage. Average slippage across a builder's portfolio is the single most reliable delivery track-record metric available to a buyer — and it is entirely public record.
Karnataka RERA's QPR data (Quarterly Progress Reports) also shows construction completion percentage. A project registered 24 months ago still reporting under 30% completion is a delivery risk flag. Brickplot's Construction Progress Tracker surfaces this data for every tracked Karnataka project.
Step 3: Check NCLT/IBBI for insolvency proceedings
Visit nclt.gov.in and ibbi.gov.in. Search the builder's company name and its parent group entities. Look for:
- IBC Section 7 petitions (filed by financial creditors — banks)
- IBC Section 9 petitions (filed by operational creditors — suppliers, contractors)
- IBC Section 10 petitions (filed by the corporate debtor itself)
An IBC petition admitted by the NCLT bench means an Insolvency Resolution Professional has been appointed and the company's assets are effectively frozen. Any active project under an NCLT-admitted builder is a hard Avoid — Brickplot applies a score cap of ≤3.9 to every such project.
Brickplot's Builder Reputation Index shows the current NCLT status for 51 Bangalore builders, refreshed weekly via our eCourts scraper. Mantri Developers currently carries confirmed proceedings on multiple projects.
Step 4: Check eCourts for consumer and cheating cases
Visit ecourts.gov.in. Search the builder's company name in both civil and criminal case types. Consumer forum cases (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) for possession delay are routine for large developers — 1–2 cases per 100 buyers is typical. What to watch for:
- Cheating or forgery FIRs under IPC 420/467/468 — these trigger a Brickplot hard cap of ≤3.5
- Clusters of cases all citing the same project — pattern matters more than count
- Cases within the last 2 years with no resolution — ongoing disputes
Step 5: Read Brickplot's Builder Track Record page
Brickplot aggregates RERA QPR data, NCLT status, eCourts scrape results, and buyer sentiment (from IREF, MagicBricks, 99acres) into per-builder hub pages. Each hub shows the builder's average Brickplot score, Buy Now vs Avoid count, and NCLT flag. The Builder Reputation Index ranks all 51 tracked Bangalore builders by delivery reliability in one table.
Red flags that require immediate rejection
- NCLT insolvency proceedings admitted against builder or parent group
- RERA registration lapsed or withdrawn on any active project in last 3 years
- Cheating or forgery conviction against promoter in last 7 years
- QPR not filed in last 90 days on any project (builder in RERA default)
Bottom line: A builder's track record is entirely verifiable from public sources before you pay a single rupee. The 30 minutes spent on these checks can save years of possession delay.