East Bengaluru buyer answers
How do I file a complaint with Karnataka RERA?
Direct answer: Any aggrieved person, including an allottees' association, can complain to Karnataka RERA under Section 31 of the RERA Act. K-RERA's FAQ says complaints go in Form 'N' with a ₹1,000 fee. Compensation claims under Sections 12, 14, 18 and 19 go to an adjudicating officer, not the Authority. The Authority aims to decide within 60 days.
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.
Verify with your lawyer: This page explains the process under the RERA Act and K-RERA's FAQ, not legal advice. Before you file, have your own lawyer confirm the right forum, the relief to ask for and the current form and fee.
Most buyers think about RERA only when something has gone wrong: a possession date has slid, the flat doesn't match the brochure, or the builder has gone quiet. By then you want a process, not a lecture. Here's what the Act and Karnataka RERA's own FAQ say, so you know which door to knock on and what to carry.
Who is allowed to file?
Section 31(1) of the RERA Act lets "any aggrieved person" file a complaint "for any violation or contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations made thereunder, against any promoter, allottee or real estate agent". The explanation adds that "person" includes "the association of allottees or any voluntary consumer association registered under any law" (RERA Act, s.31).
So you can file on your own, or owners can file together through their association. Where many buyers in one tower face the same delay, a joint complaint is often more practical; whether it suits your case is a question for your lawyer. Because agents are covered too, the same route applies to a consultant; our page on verifying a consultant's RERA registration shows how to check one first.
Authority or adjudicating officer: which one hears my complaint?
This is where most first-time complainants go wrong.
| You want… | Goes to | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| A direction to the builder to comply with the Act, rules or regulations (for example, disclose documents, stop a violation, follow the agreement) | Regulatory Authority | s.31 |
| Compensation for loss under s.12 (false advertisement), s.14 (deviation from plans, defects), s.18 (delay, return of amount) or s.19 (allottee's rights) | Adjudicating officer (a judicial officer who is or has been a District Judge) | s.71 |
Section 71(1) says adjudicating officers are appointed "for the purpose of adjudging compensation under sections 12, 14, 18 and section 19" (RERA Act, s.71). K-RERA's FAQ describes the Form 'N' route as being for violations "save as those provided to be adjudicated by the adjudicating officer" (K-RERA FAQ).
If you want both a direction and money, ask your lawyer how to frame it. File in the wrong forum and you lose time.
What form and fee apply in Karnataka?
According to K-RERA's FAQ, a complaint to the Authority is made "as per Form 'N' which shall be accompanied by a fee of rupees one thousand in the form of a demand draft drawn on a nationalized bank or a co-operative Bank in favor of regulatory authority". The FAQ cites the Karnataka Rules (K-RERA FAQ).
Two things to check on the day:
- Online filing and payment. The FAQ describes a demand draft. We haven't confirmed whether K-RERA now takes complaints and fees fully online, so check the complaint section of rera.karnataka.gov.in before you file.
- The adjudicating officer's form and fee aren't stated in the FAQ section we read. Confirm them on the portal or with the K-RERA office.
What should I prepare before filing?
A complaint is only as strong as its paper trail. Pull these together first:
- The project's RERA registration number, and a printout of its page on K-RERA, including completion dates and any extensions. Our guide to checking a project on the Karnataka RERA website shows where to find them.
- Your agreement for sale, with the clause you say has been breached marked. If you're unsure which clause applies, our page on the builder's sale agreement explains the usual ones.
- Payment proof: receipts, bank statements and demand letters.
- Correspondence: every email and letter to and from the builder, in date order.
- Evidence of the problem itself: photos, measurements or an engineer's note, depending on the issue.
- A one-page chronology: dates, events and what you're asking for.
- If filing as a group: the association's registration document and a resolution authorising the complaint. If the association isn't formed yet, see apartment association handover in Karnataka.
What you ask for matters as much as what went wrong. Under Section 18, a buyer facing delay can either withdraw and seek return of the amount with interest and compensation, or stay and receive interest for every month of delay until possession (RERA Act, s.18). Decide which you want before you file.
How long does K-RERA take?
K-RERA's FAQ says the Karnataka Rules require the Authority to "dispose of the questions / complaints as expeditiously as possible but not later than sixty days from the date of filing", and to record its reasons where it can't (K-RERA FAQ).
Treat sixty days as a statutory aim, not a promise. K-RERA publishes daily cause lists, so you can track hearing dates on the portal. Plan your finances and housing as if the matter may take longer.
What if I disagree with the order?
You can appeal to the Karnataka Real Estate Appellate Tribunal under Section 44. K-RERA's FAQ says an appeal must be accompanied by a fee of ₹5,000, by demand draft, banker's cheque or online payment (K-RERA FAQ). Appeal deadlines are strict, so take legal advice as soon as you receive an order.
Can I go to the consumer commission instead?
Section 71's proviso deals with complainants who already have a matter on Sections 12, 14, 18 or 19 pending before a consumer forum or commission (RERA Act, s.71). Choosing between RERA and the consumer fora, or running both, is a strategy question with real consequences. Ask your lawyer, and don't pick based on which feels faster.
What happens if the builder ignores the order?
The Act backs orders with penalties. Under Section 63, a promoter who fails to comply with the Authority's orders or directions is liable to a penalty "for every day during which such default continues, which may cumulatively extend up to five per cent., of the estimated cost of the real estate project". Section 64 provides for stronger consequences, including possible imprisonment, for failing to comply with the Appellate Tribunal's orders (RERA Act, ss.63–64). If an order in your favour isn't being followed, tell the Authority in writing, with dates.
How should you word a RERA complaint?
Hearings run on documents and dates, not anger. A tight chronology, the exact clause and a clear ask (a refund with interest, delay interest, completion of a specific item) will do more for you than pages of grievance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to file a RERA complaint in Karnataka?
The Act doesn't require one. Many buyers still use a lawyer to frame the relief and choose between the Authority and the adjudicating officer, because filing in the wrong forum wastes months.
How much does it cost to file a complaint with K-RERA?
K-RERA's FAQ states a ₹1,000 fee for a Form 'N' complaint to the Authority, and ₹5,000 for an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal. Lawyer's fees, if you hire one, are separate.
Can our apartment association file one complaint for everyone?
Yes. Section 31's explanation says "person" includes an association of allottees. Bring the association's registration document and a resolution authorising the complaint.
Where do I claim compensation for delay?
Compensation under Sections 12, 14, 18 and 19 is decided by an adjudicating officer appointed under Section 71, not through the Authority's general complaint route.
How do I track my hearing?
K-RERA publishes daily cause lists on its website. Note your complaint number and check the list before each date.
References
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, ss. 18, 31, 44, 63, 64, 71 (copy hosted by Karnataka RERA). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka RERA, FAQs (Form N, fees, 60 days, appeal fee). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/KARNATKA_FAQs.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka RERA, official portal and project search. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 15 Oct 2026.