RERA Rules 2026: Legal Checks Every Property Buyer Must Know

Buying a flat, villa or plotted property involves more than comparing prices and locations. In India, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, commonly known as RERA, establishes rules intended to improve transparency and protect buyers. Under Section 3, projects covered by the Act generally must be registered with the respective state RERA before the promoter advertises, markets, books or sells them. Buyers should verify the registration number on the state authority’s official portal and check the approved plans, project details, completion timeline and any disclosed litigation. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs reiterated these registration and disclosure requirements in a July 2026 parliamentary update.

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One important protection concerns how developers use buyers’ money. RERA requires promoters to deposit 70% of amounts collected from allottees into a separate project bank account, subject to the Act’s provisions, for land and construction costs. Withdrawals are linked to the project’s completion and certified by an engineer, architect and chartered accountant. Section 13 also restricts a promoter from taking more than 10% of the apartment, plot or building cost as an advance or application fee without first entering into a written agreement for sale. Buyers should read that agreement carefully, particularly the promised possession date, payment schedule, specifications, delay clauses, cancellation terms and responsibility for common facilities.

The law also provides remedies when a developer fails to meet obligations. 

Under Section 14, changes to sanctioned plans and apartment specifications are restricted, with consent requirements applying to specified changes. Section 18 provides for refund with interest and compensation in qualifying cases where possession is delayed or the promoter cannot complete the project, while buyers who remain in the project may be entitled to interest for every month of delay, as applicable. A 2026 Supreme Court ruling also underlined the importance of choosing a legal remedy carefully: buyers who had elected to pursue a dispute through RERA and later withdrew with liberty to approach RERA again could not simply switch to a consumer forum for the same cause of action. Legal strategy should therefore be considered before filing a complaint.

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For buyers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the relevant state RERA portal and local approval authorities are essential starting points. Check land title and link documents, encumbrance details, layout or building permissions, land-use classification, tax dues and the identity of the actual promoter. A recent Andhra Pradesh RERA decision reported in 2026 also highlighted that a person who had neither booked a unit nor entered into an agreement may not qualify to bring a buyer complaint under Section 31. If a dispute arises, preserve receipts, bank statements, advertisements, emails and the signed agreement; file through the appropriate state RERA process and check appeal deadlines before approaching the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal. RERA is a valuable safeguard, but it does not replace independent title verification or legal advice.

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