A Homebuyer's Legal Guide To RERA Maharashtra: Rights, Protections & Key Processes

If you are considering buying a home in Maharashtra, understanding RERA Maharashtra is essential. Since the implementation of the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), homebuyers enjoy far greater transparency, accountability and legal protection than before.

This guide explains your rights as a buyer, how MahaRERA works, key legal safeguards and the process to verify a project, so you can make informed decisions and avoid common pitfalls.

What is RERA Maharashtra and Why It Matters?

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) set out to regulate and bring order to the real estate sector across India. In Maharashtra it operates through MahaRERA.
Under the Act, every real-estate project (and its agents/promoters) must register with MahaRERA before advertising, selling or booking units.

Once registered, developers must disclose project details land status, layout plans, expected timeline, approvals, amenities, construction schedule, financial structure on the official portal.
This transparency gives homebuyers the information they need to assess whether a project is legitimate or risky.

Core Buyer Protections Under MahaRERA

1. Mandatory Project Registration and Transparency

• Only RERA-registered projects are legally allowed to be marketed or sold.
• Developers must upload approved layout plans, status updates, and financial disclosures giving buyers full visibility.
• Agents involved in sale must also be registered. This helps curb fraud.

2. Financial Discipline and Buyer Fund Safety

To prevent fund diversion (common earlier), developers are required to deposit 70% of amounts collected from buyers into a separate escrow account dedicated to the project. Funds from one project cannot be used for another.
This ensures that your payments are used only for construction of the project you booked.

3. Limit on Advance Payment

Under MahaRERA, developers cannot demand more than 10 per cent of the total cost of the apartment as advance payment before a formally registered sale agreement is executed.
This protects buyers from excessive upfront demands and reduces financial risk.

4. Defined Delivery Timelines and Liability

Developers must commit to project timelines at registration. If the project is delayed or not delivered, homebuyers have legal remedies including compensation or full refund with interest.
Additionally, construction quality must meet the approved plan and standards. MahaRERA empowers buyers to raise concerns if quality is deficient.

5. Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Should any developer default in delivery, quality, agreement compliance or mis-advertising buyers can file complaints with MahaRERA. The authority has resolved thousands of buyer complaints across Maharashtra. In recent years, MahaRERA has deregistered errant brokers (nearly 19,000) for non-compliance. This crackdown helps keep the real-estate market cleaner and builds trust.

Who is Covered (And Who Is Exempt)?

Not all real-estate projects in Maharashtra require RERA registration. According to a 2024 clarification by MahaRERA:

• Projects on land ≤ 500 square metres, and
• Projects with ≤ eight units in total (over all phases) may be exempt from registration.

If you consider a small project e.g. a low-rise building or a small gated community, check whether it falls under this exemption. If it is exempt, the protections offered by MahaRERA may not apply.
That makes verifying RERA registration status vital before signing or paying anything.

How to Check a Project on MahaRERA Portal - Step by Step

• Visit the official portal of MahaRERA.
• Use the "search registered projects" function to verify the project name, promoter details and RERA registration number.
• Check that the layout plans, approvals, expected completion date, and other project details are uploaded.
• Confirm that the selling agent (if any) is also a registered agent.
• Avoid projects without registration or missing critical disclosures.

Doing this diligence can help you avoid dubious projects and fraudulent builders.

Recent Legal & Regulatory Developments under MahaRERA

• In 2025, MahaRERA tightened norms for advertising. All promotions must show RERA registration number and QR code, improving verification and reducing misleading marketing.
• The authority has issued stricter guidelines around broker registration, ad compliance and mandatory disclosures.
• For homebuyers, this means a safer, more transparent environment — provided they ensure compliance before entering agreements.

Common Mistakes Homebuyers Should Avoid

• Purchasing units in unregistered or RERA-exempt projects without appreciating reduced buyer protections.
• Paying excessive advance amounts before a registered sale agreement.
• Relying on informal promises or marketing brochures always verify project status on MahaRERA portal.
• Ignoring escrow account safeguards check whether funds are properly held.
• Overlooking the need to check the registration status of brokers or agents involved.

What to Do If Things Go Wrong: Legal Remedies?

If a project is delayed, the quality is sub-par, or a developer violates the registered agreement you can:

• File a complaint with MahaRERA's grievance redressal mechanism. Many complaints are resolved in favour of buyers.
• Demand compensation or refund including interest.
• Escalate in serious cases (non-compliance by developers or agents) MahaRERA can cancel registrations and invoke penalties.

If you are dealing with a complicated dispute delays, legal lapses, contract issues, it may be wise to consult a reputed real estate & property law firm in India to assess your case and represent you.

Conclusion

When a project faces persistent non-compliance or delay, a strategic legal approach becomes essential. Several homebuyers choose to consult the best dispute resolution firms in India to manage complex negotiations and ensure their rights are fully protected under MahaRERA. For any homebuyer in Maharashtra, understanding "RERA Maharashtra" is no longer optional.

MahaRERA offers robust mechanisms to ensure transparency, fund security, fair contracts, timely delivery, quality assurance and legal recourse. But these protections apply only if the project is registered and you perform due diligence.

Always verify RERA registration status, scrutinize project disclosures, avoid excessive advance payments and insist on standardised documentation. If in doubt or facing conflict, consider engaging an experienced lawyer. Such caution and awareness can make a big difference protecting your investment and ensuring you get the home you were promised.

This update was released on 09 Dec 2025.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.