Despite the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) directive for realty developers to establish complaint redressal cells for their projects, only 195 projects across the state have complied. In response, the regulator plans to take action against non-compliant developers. This directive, issued in August 2023, aims to address homebuyers' grievances effectively.
According to MahaRERA’s directive, each redressal cell must include at least one dedicated complaint redressal officer. Compliance with this requirement will be a key factor in the regulatory authority's upcoming project evaluations. "Establishing trust in the service sector is essential for business growth. The construction sector, traditionally viewed as a product sector, is now evolving into a service sector. A grievance redressal mechanism is crucial in this transition. MahaRERA has instructed the establishment of grievance redressal cells in every project to enhance sector credibility," said Ajoy Mehta, chairman of MahaRERA.
Typically, homebuyers interact with a project's sales and marketing team during the purchase or registration process. However, if issues arise later, buyers often struggle to find a specific mechanism to resolve these problems. This can lead to delays and misunderstandings even after project completion. Establishing dedicated grievance redressal cells will ensure timely and reliable information, helping to keep issues under control.
MahaRERA emphasized that details of the redressal cells, including officer names and contact information, should be prominently displayed at the project site and on the developer’s website. This initiative aims to foster better communication, timely resolution of complaints, and overall trust in the real estate sector.