Before the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), homebuyers in India had very little recourse when projects were delayed for years, when the promised carpet area didn't match what was delivered, or when a developer simply diverted booking money to another project. RERA — implemented in West Bengal through WBHIRA, the West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act — changed that.

Here's what it actually means for you, in practical terms.

Every project has to be registered

Any residential or commercial project above a certain size threshold must be registered with the state's regulatory authority before the developer can advertise, market, or accept bookings for it. Registration requires the developer to publicly disclose the project layout, land title, approved plans, and the promised completion timeline.

As a buyer, this is your starting point: ask for the project's RERA registration number and verify it independently before paying any booking amount.

You're quoted "carpet area," not vague "super built-up" numbers

Before RERA, developers could quote pricing based on loosely-defined "super built-up area" that included a share of common spaces, lobbies, and sometimes even the clubhouse — inflating the number you were paying against. RERA requires pricing to be quoted against carpet area — the actual usable floor area within your unit's walls — giving buyers a consistent, comparable number across projects.

Your money is protected through an escrow requirement

Developers are required to deposit a defined percentage of funds collected from buyers into a separate escrow account, to be used only for the construction and land cost of that specific project. This exists specifically to stop the historical practice of diverting one project's booking money to fund a different, unrelated project — a major cause of stalled developments in the past.

Delays come with defined consequences

If a developer fails to deliver by the registered completion date, buyers have a formal right to either an exit with refund plus interest, or continued possession with compensation for the delay — instead of relying purely on goodwill or lengthy civil litigation.

What to actually check before you book

  • The project's WBHIRA registration number — cross-check it on the official portal, don't just take a broker's word for it.
  • The registered completion date on file, compared with what's verbally promised to you.
  • Carpet area figures in the agreement, not just marketing brochures.
  • The developer's track record on prior projects — completed on time, or repeatedly delayed?
  • Whether the agreement for sale matches what was verbally committed — get everything in writing.

This is general information to help you ask the right questions — for anything specific to a particular project or contract, it's worth having a lawyer review the agreement before you sign. Every project PropZen represents is RERA-registered, and our advisors will walk you through the registration details for any project you're considering.