How to verify if a housing project is RERA-registered — Why it's important

Planning to buy your dream home or looking to invest in a residential project? Before signing any papers or transferring your hard-earned money, there's one crucial check you shouldn't skip: checking if it is registered with RERA. Builders must register their projects under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) unless the project is built on less than 500 square metres of land or has fewer than eight apartments. While such projects are exempt from registration, buying into an unregistered project can be risky and may leave homebuyers with fewer legal protections if something goes wrong.To check whether a project is RERA-registered, visit either the Unified RERA portal or the RERA website of the state where the project is located.You can search using the project's RERA registration number, project name, or the developer's name. Every registered project is assigned a RERA number, so if you can't find one, it's a red flag.The portal also lets you check important details such as the project layout, completion timeline, total area, specifications, and promised amenities. You can also review the developer's track record, past projects, and compliance history.Before investing, make sure the project's RERA registration is active and valid.To lure buyers, builders can lie about the carpet area, specifications and the amenities provided in the project. Buyers can also be exposed to fraud, and their money could be used for other purposes. In India, there are often disputes about delays in projects. Complaints have no legal basis if a project isn’t even registered.In the case of registered projects, every detail about the property is visible on the portal. In case of delay in projects, the buyers are also eligible for compensation.