Sign Agreement in 30 Days or Face 2% Forfeiture: MahaRERA Directs Pune Flat Buyer in Case Against Lodha Developers

Kharadi, 9th May 2026: The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has dismissed a homebuyer’s complaint against Lodha Developers Limited as “premature and not maintainable,” ruling that a buyer cannot indefinitely delay signing the Agreement for Sale after paying the statutory 10% threshold.

However, in a balanced order to protect both parties, the regulatory body set aside a unilateral termination notice issued by the developer and granted the buyer 30 days to execute the agreement.

The Dispute
The complainant, Vaishali Omprakash Sharma, booked a ₹1.49 crore apartment in Lodha’s registered project, “Kharadi Pune Phase II Tower 8,” located in Wagholi, Pune, in March 2025.

Sharma approached MahaRERA seeking several directives against the developer before she would sign the Agreement for Sale. Her demands included the issuance of a formal allotment letter, the disclosure of sanctioned plans, the removal of allegedly unlawful parking clauses, and the allocation of two car parking spaces instead of one. She alleged that the developer was unlawfully pressuring her to sign the agreement and demanding payments exceeding 10% without furnishing the required documents.

Developer’s Defence
Lodha Developers refuted the claims, arguing that all mandatory disclosures and project plans were already available in the public domain on the MahaRERA portal. The developer stated that the duly signed application form explicitly mentioned only one car parking space and contained all the terms of a standard allotment letter.

The developer contended that the complaint was filed with malicious intent to delay the execution of the agreement and avoid payment obligations, prompting them to issue a “Final Notice before Termination” on April 16, 2026.

The Verdict
After hearing both sides via hybrid mode, MahaRERA Member-I Mahesh Pathak noted that the dispute was strictly at a “pre-agreement for sale” stage. Because no registered agreement had been executed yet, and considering all project details were already publicly accessible upon registration, the buyer’s demands were deemed premature.

However, the Authority observed that Lodha’s move to issue a termination notice while the complaint was pending before MahaRERA violated the principles of natural justice.

Key Directives from the Order (Pronounced May 4, 2026):
Complaint Dismissed: The buyer’s substantive demands were dismissed as not maintainable.
Termination Quashed: The developer’s termination notice dated April 16, 2026, was set aside.
Ultimatum to Buyer: The complainant has been directed to come forward and execute the registered Agreement for Sale strictly in accordance with Section 13 of the RERA within 30 days.
Consequence of Default: If the buyer fails to sign the agreement within the 30-day window, Lodha Developers is at liberty to cancel the booking, forfeit 2% of the total consideration amount (as per MahaRERA Order No. 60 of 2024), and refund the remaining balance without interest.