The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act changed the buyer’s position more than any other reform of the last decade — but mostly for buyers who use it before paying, not after a dispute. Here is the practical, pre-payment way to use it.
What “RERA registered” does and does not mean
Registration means the project and its core details — promoter, approvals, plan, timeline, and the litigation disclosed — are on a public state register, and the developer is bound by RERA’s rules including the separate project account and defined timelines. It does not mean the state has underwritten the project’s success or that delivery is guaranteed. It is a disclosure-and-accountability regime, not an insurance policy. Read it as “verifiable”, not “guaranteed”.
Look the project up yourself
Every state authority maintains a public project register — HARERA for Haryana (Gurugram), UPRERA for the Uttar Pradesh side of NCR (Noida / Greater Noida), and the Delhi authority for Delhi. Search the project by name or registration number and read what is filed: the registration validity, the declared completion date, the sanctioned plan, the promoter details and — importantly — any complaints or orders against the project or promoter.
The pre-payment checklist
- Project found on the correct state RERA portal, registration valid and not expired.
- Declared completion date on RERA matches what the sales team is telling you — trust the portal, not the pitch.
- Promoter’s other projects checked on the same portal for a pattern of delay or complaints.
- Sanctioned building plan and approvals (and, for ready units, the Occupation Certificate) seen and read — not just described.
- Independent lawyer’s title and chain-of-title review completed for the underlying land.
- Any litigation or RERA orders disclosed against the project or promoter reviewed.
- Payment plan understood: construction-linked is generally lower-risk for the buyer than heavily front-loaded or subvention structures — know what you are signing.
- Booking amount paid only by traceable bank transfer, against a written receipt, never in cash.
- The person collecting money is the promoter or a properly authorised channel partner — confirm the authorisation.
Red flags worth walking away over
- Pressure to pay a large “token” before you can see approvals or the agreement.
- A completion date in conversation that is more optimistic than the RERA filing.
- Reluctance to share the sanctioned plan, RERA number or the draft agreement for legal review.
- A sale routed through GPA instead of a registered sale deed.
- Returns or buybacks “guaranteed” in marketing but vague in the contract.
This checklist is general education, not legal advice. Portals, rules and a project’s status change — verify the current position for your specific project and take independent legal counsel before committing funds.