There are hundreds of real estate projects in and around metros such Mumbai and Delhi which have either been abandoned or getting developed at snail’s pace. As a result, people who have purchased apartments in such projects have been suffering monetary losses and face an uncertain future. Several surveys have hinted that there lie hundreds of property projects that have been lying unfinished for the past 4 to 5 years. Ineffective handling of Power of Attorney has been the major cause of delay in these projects. At times in projects owned by multiple partners, one of the partners transfers POA to another partner for the smooth functioning of the project. However, problems arise when the partner with POA violates his powers throwing the project into jeopardy. There have been several cases lodged by people who unfortunately have been the victims of such huge delays and as a result, concerned developers had to face the wrath of the court.
It is very important for you to conduct a thorough check of the developer and the project itself on offer before investing your hard earned money. Special care should be taken while planning to invest in an under-construction property.
Some of the checks you may conduct beforehand are:
- Look out for the project approval by leading banks.
- Whether the project has approvals such as Commencement Certificate, Environmental clearance, floor plan approval.
- Look out for the project’s APF number.
Legal Action a buyer can take if he falls victim to prolonged delay in delivery of project:
- Consumer court: Bring together all the affected buyers of the delayed project and file a case against the developer under the Consumer Protections Act. Appoint a lawyer for all legal proceedings.
- As per the directives from the Consumer court, FIR can be filed against the developer for cheating buyers.
- You may also seek monetary compensation, refund of money by filing a case in the court accordingly.