MahaRERA resolves 6,945 homebuyer complaints in a year; focus on clearing backlog

Pune: Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) officials announced on Monday that the regulator had resolved 6,945 complaints in the past year following concerns raised in the state assembly over pending homebuyer grievances and the slow recovery of dues from errant developers.According to officials, the complaint disposal rate has improved significantly over MahaRERA's seven-year history, with the pace of hearings accelerating over the last 24 months. While approximately 6,000 complaints remain pending, hearings have already commenced for nearly all cases, barring those filed within the last two months.The issue of rising complaints and delays in executing recovery warrants was debated during the ongoing session of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Cabinet minister Shambhuraj Desai stated last week that the recovery process would be expedited and stricter action taken against defaulters."MahaRERA resolved 6,945 complaints from homebuyers within a single year. We are prioritising the disposal of the oldest pending cases," a MahaRERA official said. Data shows that while 4,775 complaints were disposed of in 2024, that number rose sharply to 6,945 in 2025.Since its inception in May 2017, MahaRERA has received 23,854 complaints, of which 14,902 were resolved in the first seven years. However, the momentum has shifted recently; in the last two years alone, 13,003 complaints were disposed of — exceeding the 10,235 new filings in the same period — indicating that the regulator is successfully chipping away at older cases.Homebuyers typically approach the authority with grievances regarding delayed possession, substandard construction quality, or a developer's failure to provide promised amenities. "A homebuyer invests his or her life's savings into a house. It is MahaRERA's responsibility to protect those interests and ensure relief is provided promptly," the official added.To further speed up redressal, MahaRERA chairman Manoj Saunik, alongside members Mahesh Pathak and Ravindra Deshpande, introduced measures to increase hearing frequency and systematically prioritise long-standing disputes.Despite the faster disposal of cases, the actual recovery of funds remains a challenge. The state govt recently announced a special recovery drive after observing that only 34% of the Rs792 crore in recovery dues has been collected from defaulting developers.In the Assembly, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar had raised concern over the regulator's efficiency and demanded a performance audit to ensure accountability. In response, minister Desai outlined a plan for a special recovery drive in districts with low collection rates."We are seeking information on defaulters from the transport and revenue departments. If necessary, we will seek assistance from the income tax department to trace the accounts and assets of developers who fail to comply with recovery orders," Desai said.Beyond dispute resolution, MahaRERA has tightened scrutiny during the project registration stage. Independent teams now examine the legal, financial, and technical aspects of a project before granting approvals.Officials stated that the authority's long-term goal is to ensure timely completion of housing projects and minimise the friction that leads to disputes. They also urged prospective buyers to meticulously review all project documents before signing any purchase agreements.