The Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (GujRERA) has initiated a statewide enforcement drive against real estate developers who market and accept bookings for unregistered projects, in direct violation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.
In a significant move to safeguard homebuyers and bring greater transparency to real estate advertising, GujRERA has also announced new mandatory marketing rules, which will come into force from June 15, 2025.
Strict Action Against Unregistered Promotions
According to official sources, GujRERA has already begun issuing notices to developers found promoting and accepting advance bookings prior to RERA registration. In several instances, the authority has acted suo motu, without waiting for public complaints.
“This campaign will cover the entire state. We are closely monitoring developers through public advertisements and social media, and action will be taken under the provisions of the RERA Act,” said a senior GujRERA official.
The violations are punishable under Section 3 and Section 63 of the RERA Act, which bar any kind of advertisement, marketing or booking unless the project is registered.
New Marketing Compliance Rules from June 15
GujRERA has released comprehensive new rules to regulate how developers, agents, and advertisers promote registered real estate projects. These include:
- Prominent display of the Unique RERA Registration Number in all print, digital, and physical advertisements, brochures, and booking forms.
- Mandatory QR Code (from the RERA registration certificate) must be placed on the top-right corner of all brochures and booking forms.
- In video advertisements, the QR Code must be clearly displayed for at least 3 seconds.
- In audio advertisements, the RERA registration number must be audibly announced.
- For social media promotions, the RERA number must be included in every post.
According to Manan Doshi, a chartered accountant tracking RERA regulations, “Failure to comply with these advertising norms could lead to a penalty of up to 5% of the estimated construction cost under Section 63 of the RERA Act.”
Deadline for Compliance
Real estate developers, promoters, agents, and advertising agencies have been instructed to align all promotional material with the new guidelines by June 15, 2025. GujRERA has warned that non-compliance beyond this date will attract penal action.
The authority is also developing an automated system to scan project advertisements and flag those without proper RERA credentials, in a bid to eliminate misleading promotions and protect homebuyers from fraudulent schemes.
Ensuring Buyer Protection and Market Discipline
GujRERA’s latest crackdown reflects a larger trend among RERA authorities across India to bring discipline and accountability in the real estate marketing space.
By enforcing mandatory display of registration credentials, the authority aims to help buyers easily verify project authenticity, and to curb fly-by-night operators from exploiting buyers with unapproved or illegal projects.
