Most MahaRERA disputes I see in 2026 trace back to checks the buyer skipped before signing. The system is more transparent than ever — the regulator’s portal exposes a remarkable amount of information — yet the average buyer still treats due diligence as a paperwork formality rather than a substantive review.
This is the nine-point pre-purchase checklist we run for every client. It takes about ninety minutes for a single project, and avoids the twelve-month consumer-court journey that follows when something is missed.
The nine checks
1. Promoter registration status
Confirm the project shows active registration with no “lapsed” flag. A surprising number of projects continue selling with expired registrations — sales made during a lapse can be voided.
2. Project plan vs. on-site reality
Pull the sanctioned plan from the MahaRERA portal and walk the site. Compare unit numbering, floor count, and amenity layout. Discrepancies here are nearly always RERA-actionable.
3. Quarterly progress reports
Promoters must file QPRs. Read the last four. If completion percentage is flat across two consecutive quarters, the project is stalled regardless of what the brochure says.
4. Financial discipline of the project escrow
Section 4(2)(l)(D) of RERA mandates 70% of buyer payments go to a project-specific escrow. Ask your advocate to verify the escrow actually exists and that withdrawals are CA-certified.
5. Title chain to the immediate parent
A clean chain over the past thirty years, not just the immediate seller. Encumbrances at any link travel down to you.
6. Carpet area — the actual measurement
RERA mandates carpet area in the agreement, but built-up and super-built-up still creep in. Verify the agreement uses RERA carpet area with the precise definition included.
7. Date-of-possession penalty clauses
Standard now: a delay penalty matching the SBI MCLR + 2%. If your agreement is silent or carries a token rupee figure, that’s your first negotiation lever.
8. Approvals beyond RERA
RERA registration doesn’t mean every approval is in. Ask specifically for: commencement certificate, environmental clearance (if applicable), fire NOC, and water-and-sewerage NOC.
9. The litigation history of the promoter
Search the MahaRERA portal for prior cases filed against the same PAN. A pattern of buyer complaints — even if all dismissed — is information.
The buyer who runs all nine checks is rarely the buyer in our consumer-court matters two years later.
If you’d like us to run this checklist on a project you’re considering, our MahaRERA practice handles end-to-end buyer due diligence as a fixed-fee engagement. Reach out via the contact page or email info@rd-assoc.com.
