Why RERA matters before you book anything

Before RERA (the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016), buyers in the Tricity region had almost no way to verify a project's real status before paying booking money — completion dates were promises, "super built-up area" pricing hid the real usable space, and construction funds could be spent on anything, including other projects. RERA fixed the worst of this by forcing registration, disclosure, and fund controls onto developers. But it only protects you if you actually check the register before you pay — most buyers never do.

First: figure out which RERA authority actually applies

This trips up more Tricity buyers than anything else, because the region spans three separate jurisdictions with three separate RERA portals:

  • Chandigarh (the Union Territory) — regulated by Chandigarh RERA.

  • Mohali, Zirakpur, Kharar, New Chandigarh, and the rest of Punjab-side Tricity — regulated by Punjab RERA (PBRERA).

  • Panchkula and the Haryana side — regulated by Haryana RERA (HRERA).

A project in New Chandigarh will not show up on the Chandigarh UT portal — it's registered in Punjab. Confirm the state before you start searching, or you'll conclude a legitimate project "isn't registered" when you were simply checking the wrong list.

The checklist

1. Get the exact RERA registration number

Every project above the threshold size must display its registration number on all marketing material, ads, and brochures. Ask for it directly if it isn't obvious, and treat reluctance to share it as a red flag on its own.

2. Verify the promoter name and project name match, exactly

Search the registration number on the correct state portal and confirm the promoter (developer entity) and project name match what's on the brochure. Mismatches — a slightly different company name, a different project phase — are one of the most common ways buyers end up unprotected without realizing it.

3. Check the registered completion date, not the sales pitch date

RERA requires developers to declare a completion date and register any revision to it. If the date quoted by the sales team is different from the one on the portal, the portal date is the one that legally matters for delay compensation.

4. Insist on carpet area pricing

RERA mandates that pricing be quoted on carpet area (the actual usable floor space within walls), not "super built-up area," which can inflate the number you're paying per square foot without you getting more usable space. If a quote is still built around super built-up area, ask for the carpet area breakdown before comparing prices across projects.

5. Ask how the 70% escrow rule is being followed

RERA requires 70% of the money collected from buyers to be kept in a separate escrow account, released only against actual construction progress — specifically to stop funds from one project being diverted to another. You're allowed to ask which bank holds this account; a promoter who can't answer clearly is worth being cautious about.

6. Look up the promoter's track record on the portal

RERA portals list every project a promoter has registered, including past ones. A pattern of delayed completions or unresolved complaints across their other projects is a much stronger signal than anything in a brochure.

7. Check the sanctioned layout against what's being marketed

The registered building plan should match the unit layouts, tower positions, and amenity locations being shown to you. Verbal promises about "upcoming" amenities that aren't in the sanctioned plan aren't enforceable the same way.

8. Confirm there's no encumbrance on the land

Ask for confirmation that the land parcel is free of prior mortgage or litigation, and have a lawyer verify the title if the ticket size justifies it. RERA registration doesn't by itself guarantee a clean title — it's a separate check.

9. Know your rights if possession is delayed

If a registered project misses its declared completion date, RERA entitles buyers to compensation or interest for the delay period, or in some cases a refund with interest. Knowing this before you sign gives you actual leverage in a delay conversation instead of just a promise to "wait a bit longer."

10. Get the Form B disclosure directly from the promoter

Form B is the promoter's own sworn disclosure filed with RERA — it's a more reliable source than a marketing brochure for project specifics. You're entitled to request it.

Where this fits into how you should shop

None of this replaces independent verification — treat it as the minimum checklist before you let a booking conversation go further, not a substitute for your own lawyer or the state RERA portal itself. On Infinity Realtor, listings that carry a verified RERA badge have had their registration number checked against the relevant state portal, but you should still confirm current status yourself before paying anything, since registration details (completion dates, complaint history) can change after a listing goes live.