How to File a Possession-Delay Claim Under RERA Section 18 in Karnataka (2026 Guide)

Karnataka buyers facing possession delay can claim interest at SBI MCLR + 2% under Section 18 of the RERA Act, 2016. File at Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority for ₹1,000 per complaint for an allottee; ₹5,000 if filed by a promoter. Statutory disposal target 60 days. Brickplot is independent — no builder commissions.

Section 18 — what it actually says

Section 18 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 is the single most important provision for an allottee whose possession has been delayed. The structure is binary: if the promoter fails to complete or is unable to give possession by the date specified in the registered agreement for sale, the allottee may either (a) withdraw and demand full refund + interest at the prescribed rate, or (b) continue with the project and claim monthly interest until offer of possession.

The "prescribed rate" under RERA Rules of every state is SBI MCLR + 2 percentage points. The Supreme Court in Newtech Promoters & Developers Pvt Ltd v. State of UP (2021) held the Section 18 right is absolute and cannot be diluted by force-majeure clauses, "grace periods", or contractual waivers. Binding on every state RERA, including Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

Karnataka-specific filing process at Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority

1. Register on the portal. Visit https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/ ↗. KYC via Aadhaar + PAN; for NRIs, passport + OCI/PIO card.
2. Open the complaint form. Direct link: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/loginPage ↗. Select "Complaint Against Promoter" and "Section 18 — possession delay".
3. Pay filing fee. ₹1,000 per complaint for an allottee; ₹5,000 if filed by a promoter.
4. Upload document set (see next section).
5. Specify your relief. Section 18(1)(a) (exit + refund + interest) or Section 18(1)(b) (continue + monthly interest).
6. State-specific quirk. K-RERA fully accepts e-signature filings — no hard-copy follow-up required.
7. Tribunal address: 1/14, Silver Jubilee Block, Unity Building, JC Road, Bengaluru 560002.

What to attach to your complaint

• Allotment letter showing unit number, area, agreed possession date.
• Sale agreement / Builder-Buyer Agreement (registered where stamp-duty rules require).
• Every payment receipt + matching bank statements showing the debit.
• Bank loan sanction + disbursement schedule if you took home-loan finance.
• Possession-promise communications — emails, SMS, WhatsApp, ads, presentation PDFs.
• RERA registration certificate downloaded from the K-RERA portal — registered possession date is the legal benchmark.
• The latest QPR filed by the promoter on the portal.
• Calculation sheet showing principal paid, dates of each payment, interest at SBI MCLR + 2% claimed up to filing.

How interest is calculated

Worked example for Karnataka: principal ₹50 lakh, original possession date 1 January 2024, complaint filed 1 July 2025 (18-month delay), SBI MCLR + 2% ~10.5%/yr → interest payable ~₹7.88 lakh, accruing monthly until offer of possession or refund.

Two practical notes. First, interest accrues from the original registered possession date, not from any "extended" date the developer claims unilaterally. Second, every state RERA — including Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority — has consistently rejected developer attempts to substitute the lower base rate or cap interest at the BBA-stipulated penalty.

Karnataka RERA tribunal hearing process

Mix of physical hearings at Bengaluru and video-conference via WebEx. Allottees outside Bengaluru can request VC. Sequence: (1) registry scrutinises within 7–14 days; (2) Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority issues notice to promoter, who must file reply within 21–30 days; (3) cause-list published; (4) matter heard across 2–4 hearings if developer raises factual disputes; (5) reserved judgment, then order. 60 days under Section 71, but K-RERA averages 4–7 months in practice.

If aggrieved, appeal lies before Karnataka Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (K-REAT), Mini Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. within 60 days. The appellate tribunal can stay the order only on developer pre-depositing 30% of awarded amount — preventing frivolous appeals.

Notable Karnataka judgments worth citing

Mantri Developers — Mantri Serenity allottees (2022): K-RERA ordered refund + interest at SBI MCLR + 2% on 200+ delayed flats; subsequently escalated to NCLT.

In a 2025 K-RERA order against a Hennur township developer, the authority found that 82% of buyer payments had been drawn while only 41% was complete per Form-3. K-RERA directed refund + interest at MCLR + 2% from the original possession date plus refund of GST collected on delay-period interest.

Beyond Karnataka-specific orders, every Section 18 complainant should cite Newtech Promoters & Developers Pvt Ltd v. State of UP & Ors, 2021 SCC OnLine SC 1044. The 3-judge SC bench held: (i) RERA applies retrospectively; (ii) Section 18 confers an absolute right; (iii) generic force-majeure pleas (including Covid-stretches) cannot defeat Section 18; (iv) the state RERA has full jurisdiction. Binding on Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

Common mistakes that derail claims

• Missing payment receipts. Reconcile with bank statements at filing time and attach both.
• Weak possession evidence. Anchor to the registered agreement date, not the brochure.
• Wrong tribunal jurisdiction. Filing at the wrong bench or wrong state.
• Naming the wrong respondent. The respondent is the registered promoter on the RERA portal, not the holding company or brand.
• Missing limitation framing. File once you are 6 months past the registered date and developer has not offered possession.

Frequently asked questions

Related Brickplot resources

• RERA Explained — full guide to the Act
• Karnataka RERA — projects and registrations
• The Brickplot 9-axis Score
• Possession-delay claim — Maharashtra
• Possession-delay claim — Telangana
• Possession-delay claim — Tamil Nadu
• Possession-delay claim — Haryana
• Possession-delay claim — Uttar Pradesh