MahaRERA rolls out mechanism to resolve real estate buyers’ grievances through conciliation

Consumers’ & Builders’ Bodies come together to provide Speedy Relief through Conciliation to aggrieved Home Buyers

CREDAI Pune Metro to host bench for conciliation

Pune, January 30, 2018:
​ A MahaRERA mechanism to address grievances of real estate buyers and developers through conciliation route and arrive at an amicable solution​ was announced by ​Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (Credai) Pune Metro during a conference held at their office on Tuesday. ​

The arrangement will come into force on 1 February 2018.

A conciliation panel comprising representatives of Credai and consumer organisation Mumbai Grahak Panchayat – MGP (Pune Division) has been set up under the mechanism and a bench with one representative from each side will be formed for every complaint that comes to the panel.

Sec 32 (g) of Maharahstra Real Estate Regulation Act (MahaRERA) provides for such conciliation, which is an Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) for disputes under the Act.

Any aggrieved Allottee or a developer will be able to invoke the Conciliation mechanism by lodging a complaint on dedicated website set up by MahaRERA or on the MahaRERA website and pay a fee of Rs 1000 online. The other party will have to convey his consent for Conciliation within 7 days.

Thereafter, the matter will be referred to the appropriate Conciliation Bench and the Parties will be intimated the Date, Time and Venue of the Hearing. Both parties are expected to be present in person or through their authorized representatives. The Conciliation Bench is expected to arrive at the settlement within 45 daysfrom the date of reference to the Bench.

If the parties agree to any settlement, the Consent Agreement will be drawn, which will be signed by the Parties concerned and the Conciliators.

In case, the Parties fail to reach an amicable settlement, the Conciliation process will stand terminated and the Parties concerned will be at liberty to pursue their dispute before MahRERA Dispute Redressal mechanism or before any other Court or forum.

Dnyaneshwar Hadadare, chief engineer MahaRERA, said a very high percentage of complaints received by MahaRERA so far have been about delayed delivery of units and most of them have been solved amicably. Setting up of regional panels will expedite the process or grievance redressal, he said.

Hadadare added that of the 15,000 projects registered in MaaRERA, over 5000 are in Pune. “Because of the practical checks and balances about delivery schedules and application of money received for a unit in a project etc, included built into the text of RERA, the number of grievances will show a decline,” he said.

Shrikant Paranjape, Credai Pune Metro President​ said the developers’ body has been conducting such proceedings under its grievance redressal cell and has solved over 80 percent grievances amicably. The setting up of conciliation panels under MahaRERA will give a further boost to the efforts to establish cordial relationship between developers and buyers, he added.

Shantilal Kataria, President, Credai Maharashtra care has been taken while selecting the panels with stress on their experience and ability to handle such situations in a conducive manner. “The track record of Credai Pune Metro (earlier PBAP) will be helpful in fulfilling the objectives of the conciliation mechanism,” he said.

Suhas Merchant, Chairman of State Advisory Committee, Credai Maharashtra, expressed the hope that the teething problems, if any, will be overcome and the conciliation mechanism will be a huge success.