When a builder in Gurugram delays possession, breaches the agreement or fails to deliver promised amenities, a registered project's buyers can approach the Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA). The process is online at the start and paper-based at the end, and small mistakes in service or documents cost time. This guide sets out the steps as described in legal guides and notes where they differ. It is general information, not legal advice.

Before filing, check that the project is registered; our step-by-step guides on checking RERA registration and on reading a RERA project page cover that.

Which forum: Authority or adjudicating officer

Maheshwari and Co, a law firm, explains that complaints for compensation under sections 12, 14, 18 and 19 of the RERA Act, 2016 go to the adjudicating officer, while complaints about other violations of the Act or rules, such as a refund of the deposited amount or delay-possession charges, go to the HRERA Authority. The Act's compensation provisions and the Authority's powers are in the statute itself. Many buyers seek a refund with interest or delay charges; confirm which forum your relief belongs in before filing, because filing in the wrong one wastes time.

Jurisdiction

HRERA has two separate jurisdictions, Gurugram and Panchkula, and you choose the one covering your project when you log in to haryanarera.gov.in (Maheshwari and Co). Gurugram projects use the Gurugram portal.

Fee

Two sources agree on the fee: ₹1,000 per complaint plus ₹10 for each annexure attached. Payment is described as a demand draft in favour of the Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority in one guide and as online or demand draft in another. Check the current payment mode on the portal.

The process step by step

  • Visit the HRERA portal and register or log in, choosing the right jurisdiction.
  • Complete the online complaint form with your personal details, the project, the promoter and the nature of the complaint. On submission you receive a complaint number; keep it.
  • Attach supporting documents: the allotment letter or builder-buyer agreement, payment receipts, correspondence with the builder and any other evidence.
  • Pay the fee of ₹1,000 plus ₹10 per annexure.
  • Print the registration form and prepare the required copies, including one for each respondent. Guides describe five printed copies, three delivered to the Authority.
  • Serve a self-signed copy on the promoter by speed post and email, and keep the tracking and proof.
  • Deliver the complete set, with the demand draft and proof of service, to the HRERA office as per the instructions on the portal.
  • Track the case with your complaint number and attend the hearings when listed.

A point guides disagree on: form names

One guide refers to Form CRA for complaints before the Authority and Form COA for those before the adjudicating officer. Another refers to a registration form called Performa-B. The portal's current form is the authority; use whatever the portal presents, and ask a lawyer if there is any doubt.

Documents to gather before you start

  • Builder-buyer agreement or allotment letter, and any amendments.
  • All payment receipts and bank statements showing instalments paid.
  • Demand letters, emails and messages with the builder; note dates of delay in possession.
  • The project's RERA registration number and the promised completion date from the RERA page.
  • A short chronology: booking date, payments, promised dates, communications.
  • Photos of the site status or defects, with dates, if the complaint is about quality.

Timelines and outcomes

The guide by Maheshwari and Co says the Authority must adjudicate and resolve disputes within 60 days from the date of filing under RERA provisions. In practice, hearings can take longer, so do not assume a 60-day outcome. Orders of the Authority or the Appellate Tribunal can be enforced as decrees of a civil court, per the same guide. If the other side does not comply, enforcement is a separate step.

Practical tips

  • Write to the builder first and keep proof; a clear paper trail helps.
  • Be specific on relief: refund, delay charges, possession with interest or compensation.
  • Keep proof of service. Missing service is a common reason for delay.
  • Consider joining with other allottees where the complaint is about common issues; associations of allottees are among eligible filers.
  • Ask a lawyer to review the complaint before you file if large sums are involved.