New Delhi: RERA, the law created to monitor the real estate sector, has lost the trust of those for whom it was created. Home buyers have questioned the role of RERA and have demanded the Consumer Ministry to issue new guidelines to protect all their interests.

Before RERA came into existence in 2016, the Consumer Ministry was responsible for protecting the interests and rights of home buyers. That means after eight years, we have reached the same point from where we started.

What is your complaint with RERA?

The largest organization of home buyers, Fore People's Collective Effort (FPCE), in a letter written to the Consumer Ministry, has not only listed the problems of home buyers, but has also said that although all these problems come under RERA, but sadly it has not been able to fulfill the desired objective in the seven years of its activity.

The Forum reminded that the Supreme Court, while hearing a case related to real estate recently, had remarked that we do not want to talk about RERA because it has become a rehabilitation centre for retired officers. These former officers have filled the entire system of this law with frustration and disappointment.

The special thing is that the Forum's President Abhay Upadhyay is also a member of RERA's Central Advisory Council. Abhay Upadhyay said that the interests of consumers in the real estate sector are far greater than those of consumers in any other sector. Therefore, we have demanded from the Consumer Ministry that they protect our interests. We have demanded from the Ministry that it should issue clear guidelines to protect us from fraud.

The forum raised three issues

Abhay Upadhyay said that ten percent of the cases that go to the Consumer Ministry are related to the real estate sector. The money invested in this is a huge amount, because the price of buildings and plots is much higher than other products. The forum has raised mainly three issues in its letter. Misleading advertisements, one-sided contracts and unfair trade practices.

It has been said that from booking to registration and maintenance of the building-plot, home buyers have to face neglect of their interests. After the advent of RERA, it was said that the series of misleading advertisements would stop, but this did not happen. The Agreement for Sale, which consumers have to sign, does not contain any details of the facilities. A consumer comes to know only at the time of taking possession that the promise made to him was not fulfilled.