The date that counts
Everything in a delay claim rests on a single date: the date for handing over possession stated in your agreement for sale.
That date should match the completion date declared by the promoter on the project's RERA registration. Usually it does. Where it does not, the discrepancy is worth resolving before you sign, because a sales conversation, a brochure and a registration can all carry different dates and only one of them ends up in your contract.
The date on the RERA registration, the date in the draft agreement, and the date the sales team quoted you. All three should be the same date. Ask in writing about any gap.
Your two routes
| Withdraw from the project | Continue in the project | |
|---|---|---|
| What you claim | Refund of amounts paid, with interest and compensation | Interest for every month of delay, until possession |
| You end up with | Your money back | The home, plus compensation for waiting |
| Suits you if | You no longer want the project, or need the funds | You still want the home and the project is progressing |
| Main consideration | Recovery takes time and effort | You remain exposed to further delay |
The important point is the one buyers most often miss: you do not have to cancel to claim. Wanting the home and wanting compensation for the delay are compatible positions.
Interest, and the symmetry the Act intends
Interest is payable at the rate prescribed under the rules made for the purpose. The structure of the Act contemplates the same rate applying in both directions: a promoter who delays possession pays at that rate, and an allottee who delays payment pays at that rate.
That symmetry is worth knowing for two reasons:
- It gives you a straightforward answer when an agreement proposes a high default rate on you and a token remedy on the promoter. Comparing the two clauses is one of the most revealing five minutes you can spend on a draft.
- It makes the obligation calculable. Interest at a prescribed rate on amounts paid, for the months of delay, is arithmetic rather than negotiation.
What your agreement controls
The Act sets the framework. Your agreement fills in a great deal within it, which is why the drafting matters.
- The possession date itself. Including whether it is expressed as a date or as a period from an event.
- Any grace period. Some agreements add months beyond the stated date before any remedy begins.
- The force majeure clause. How broadly it is drawn, and what it covers.
- How compensation is expressed. At the prescribed rate, or as a fixed and often much smaller amount per square foot per month.
- What counts as an offer of possession. An offer made before the occupancy certificate is not the same thing as lawful possession, and the clause should say so.
By the time a project is late, the clause is fixed. The moment you can still ask for it to be fair is before signature, and almost nobody does, because at that moment delay feels like something that happens to other people.
Want the agreement and the declared possession date before you commit?
Ask for the draft agreement for sale and the RERA registration for your phase, so you can check the dates match before anything substantial is paid.
Making a complaint
Assemble the record
Agreement for sale, allotment letter, every payment receipt, all demand letters, the RERA registration, and your correspondence about the delay.
Put the grievance in writing to the promoter
Dated, specific, stating the agreed date and the delay. This creates the record and occasionally resolves matters.
Check the project's filings
The quarterly progress reports and whether the registration has been extended. This tells you what the promoter has told the regulator, which may differ from what you were told.
File with the state authority
In the state where the project is registered, in the form and with the fee that authority prescribes.
Appeal if needed
Orders of the authority can generally be appealed to the real estate appellate tribunal within the prescribed period.
The process is designed to be more accessible than ordinary civil litigation. That does not make it quick, and it is still worth having a lawyer experienced in RERA matters.
Before it gets that far
Most of the protection available to you is exercised at purchase, not at dispute:
- Read the quarterly progress filings before buying, and keep reading them quarterly afterwards. A delay is usually visible in the filings long before it is admitted.
- Check the promoter's record on previously delivered projects. Past completion against declared dates is the best available predictor.
- Prefer payment triggers tied to authority issued documents, which caps your exposure if progress stalls. This is the protective feature of a 50:50 structure, and it only works if the clause names the certificate.
- Keep every receipt and letter. A claim is only as good as its record.
What to ask now
- What is the possession date in the agreement, and does it match the RERA registration?
- Is there a grace period beyond that date, and how long?
- What compensation applies on delay, and is it at the prescribed rate?
- What rate applies to me if I am late with a payment? Compare the two.
- How is force majeure defined?
- What constitutes a valid offer of possession under this agreement?
- Has this registration been extended before?
This is a general explanation written for buyers. It is not legal advice, procedures and rules change, and your position turns on your specific documents. Engage a property lawyer with local experience before you sign anything.
What can I do if possession of my flat is delayed?
Under RERA you broadly have two options. You may withdraw from the project and claim a refund of what you have paid along with interest and compensation, or you may choose to remain in the project and claim interest for every month of delay until possession is given. The choice is generally yours rather than the promoter's.
Which date does RERA measure delay from?
The date for handing over possession as stated in the agreement for sale. That date should correspond to the completion date declared on the project's RERA registration. If the two differ, raise it before signing, because the date in your agreement is the one your claim will rest on.
At what rate is interest payable on delayed possession?
At the rate prescribed under the rules framed for the purpose. The Act contemplates the same rate applying both to a promoter who delays possession and to an allottee who delays payment, so the obligation is intended to be symmetrical. Confirm the currently prescribed rate when you make a claim.
Do I have to cancel my booking to claim for a delay?
No, and this is widely misunderstood. If you want the home you can continue in the project and still claim interest for the period of delay. Withdrawal is one option, not a precondition for a remedy.
Where do I file a RERA complaint?
With the real estate regulatory authority of the state where the project is registered, following the procedure and fee that authority prescribes. Orders of the authority can generally be appealed to the real estate appellate tribunal. A lawyer experienced in RERA matters is worth engaging, though the process is designed to be accessible.
Does force majeure excuse a delay?
Agreements commonly contain a force majeure clause, and the Act contemplates extension of registration in certain circumstances. Whether a particular event excuses a particular delay depends on the clause wording and the facts, and it is frequently contested. Read the clause in your agreement before you sign rather than discovering its breadth later.