If a builder misses the possession date in your registered agreement, Section 18 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act gives you a choice: withdraw and claim a refund with interest, or stay in the project and claim interest for every month of delay. Complaints are filed online with MahaRERA, and orders in delay matters commonly come within roughly six to twelve months — far faster than a civil suit.
The most expensive thing a Pune homebuyer does is wait politely. Interest under Section 18 runs from the promised possession date, so every month of accepting a new assurance is money you are choosing not to claim.
Your two options under Section 18
| Option | What you get | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Withdraw from the project | Full refund of amounts paid, with interest | The project is stalled or you have lost confidence |
| Continue in the project | Interest for every month of delay until possession | Construction is genuinely progressing |
The rate is prescribed under the Maharashtra rules and is linked to the State Bank of India's highest marginal cost of lending rate plus a margin — meaningfully higher than what most buyers assume, and payable on the amounts you have already paid.
Documents to assemble
- Registered agreement for sale — the possession date in it is the pivot of the case
- All payment receipts and bank statements
- The project's MahaRERA registration number and disclosed completion date
- Every communication about delay, especially the builder's own written assurances
- Demand letters received from the builder
- Allotment letter and cost sheet
The process, step by step
| Step | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed online | Details, documents and the prescribed fee submitted | Days |
| Notice to the builder | Reply filed by the promoter | 4–8 weeks |
| Hearings | Usually virtual; both sides heard | 2–5 months |
| Order | Refund with interest, or delay interest | 6–12 months overall |
| Execution / recovery | Enforced through MahaRERA and the Collector | If the builder does not comply |
The bottom line
Read the possession date in your registered agreement, compare it to today, and act on the difference. RERA was written for exactly this situation, and it is one of the few forums in India that reliably moves in months.