If you are buying property in Hyderabad from Dubai, Chicago, or Sydney, you cannot walk into the builder's site office to check on progress or ask hard questions in person. RERA — the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 — exists precisely for buyers in your position. It forces developers to register projects, disclose facts, and put money where their promises are, all on a public state portal you can check from anywhere in the world. This guide breaks down what RERA actually covers, what it does not, and exactly how to use it before you sign anything.
What RERA Was Built To Fix
Before 2016, Indian real estate ran largely on the developer's word. Delivery dates slipped by years, buyers were quoted "super built-up area" instead of usable carpet area, and money collected for one project sometimes funded a different one entirely. RERA was enacted to close those gaps by making disclosure a legal obligation rather than a courtesy. Every state, including Telangana, runs its own RERA authority and public portal (Telangana RERA, or TS-RERA) where project data is filed and must stay current.
Which Projects Must Register
Not every construction site falls under RERA, so the first thing to check is whether the project is required to register at all.
- Any project on land measuring 500 square meters or more must register with the state RERA authority
- Any project with more than 8 units, regardless of plot size, must register
- Real estate agents and brokers facilitating the sale must also hold their own RERA registration
- Plotted developments, apartments, and commercial projects meeting these thresholds are all covered
If a project meets these thresholds and is still being marketed or sold without a registration number, that is not a minor omission — it is a legal violation, and it should stop your evaluation of that project immediately.
What Registration Actually Forces Developers To Disclose
A RERA registration number is not just a formality stamped on a brochure. To get and keep one, a developer must file and update a set of specifics on the public portal.
- Approved layout plans, land title documents, and all statutory approvals
- Promoter and project details, including past project history
- Carpet area of every unit — the actual usable floor area, not inflated super built-up numbers
- A projected completion date that becomes legally binding once filed
- Quarterly updates on construction progress, so the timeline on the portal should track reality
Why Carpet Area Matters More Than It Sounds
Before RERA, developers routinely quoted prices per square foot of "super built-up area," a number that could include shared lobbies, stairwells, and common areas you don't exclusively own. RERA requires pricing to be based on carpet area, giving buyers a true per-square-foot cost they can compare across projects. If a listing or agent still leans heavily on super built-up figures without a clear carpet area breakdown, ask for the RERA filing directly.
The Escrow Rule: Where Your Money Actually Goes
One of RERA's most consequential provisions for buyers is financial ring-fencing. Developers are required to deposit a minimum of 70% of the funds collected from buyers into a separate escrow account dedicated to that specific project's construction and land costs. This was designed to stop the older practice of diverting one project's buyer payments to fund land purchases or construction elsewhere. It does not eliminate risk entirely, but it materially narrows the room for a developer to stall your tower because they used your installment to break ground somewhere else.
Delivery Timelines And What Happens When They Slip
The completion date filed on the RERA portal is not a marketing estimate — it is the legally recognized delivery commitment. When a developer misses it, RERA gives buyers real recourse rather than just a grievance letter.
- Buyers can claim interest on amounts paid for every month of delay, at rates set by the state authority
- Buyers can, in defined circumstances, withdraw from the project and seek a refund with interest
- Structural defects reported within five years of possession must be fixed by the developer at no cost
- Complaints go to the state's RERA Authority or Appellate Tribunal, a dedicated forum meant to move faster than ordinary civil courts
How To Verify A Project On The Telangana RERA Portal
This is the single most useful five-minute check you can do before wiring any booking amount, and you can do it from any time zone.
- Go to the official Telangana RERA (TS-RERA) website — never a link forwarded by an agent or a broker's own microsite
- Search the project by name or RERA registration number and confirm it is listed as active, not lapsed or cancelled
- Cross-check the promoter's name, past project history, and any disclosed litigation against what you were told
- Open the quarterly progress report and compare the stated construction stage with photos or site visit reports you've arranged independently
- Confirm carpet area figures on the portal match what's in your agreement of sale, not just the sales brochure
What RERA Does Not Cover
RERA is powerful, but it is not a substitute for your own diligence, and NRIs especially should not treat a registration number as a green light on its own.
- It does not verify clear and marketable title to the land beyond what the developer discloses — an independent title check is still essential
- It does not police resale transactions between private individuals the way it governs primary sales from developers
- It does not replace due diligence on approvals from local municipal or HMDA authorities for layout and building permissions
- It does not guarantee construction quality beyond the structural defect liability period
Why This Matters More When You're Buying From Abroad
Distance is exactly what RERA was designed to neutralize — a public, standardized disclosure record means you no longer need a relative or a broker in Hyderabad to tell you whether a project is legitimate. But the portal only helps if someone actually checks it against the physical reality on the ground, matches the paperwork to the site, and flags gaps before you commit funds. That verification step — comparing what's filed on TS-RERA against title records, approvals, and actual site progress — is where most NRI buyers need a second set of eyes they can trust, since they can't drive past the site themselves.
RERA gives you the tools to verify a project independently, but reading a registration number off a portal is not the same as confirming the project behind it is sound. Before you commit to any booking amount from overseas, get the RERA filing, the title documents, and the approvals checked together by someone who can also walk the site. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice — talk to a REvalu advisor for guidance specific to your transaction.
