By Staff Reporter
In a proactive step towards enhancing customer satisfaction and accountability in the real estate sector, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has called upon real estate developers to establish dedicated grievance redressal cells within their organizations. The objective is to provide efficient post-sales assistance to homebuyers.
This recommendation from MahaRERA stems from its upcoming plan to introduce a developer grading mechanism. Among the criteria for this grading, the presence of a robust grievance redressal wing is set to play a pivotal role, as confirmed by MahaRERA.
According to a recent statement from MahaRERA, it has come to their attention that homebuyers often face challenges in resolving issues after the sales phase due to confusion regarding the appropriate point of contact at the developer’s office. The sales staff, primarily engaged during the pre-sales phase, may not be adequately equipped to handle post-sales concerns effectively.
To address this gap and ensure enhanced customer support, MahaRERA has recommended that all real estate developers establish a dedicated grievance redressal cell for each project. A circular outlining this directive has been disseminated to all developers registered under the authority.
Key points highlighted by MahaRERA include:
- Each project should have at least one grievance redressal officer dedicated to this role.
- The name(s) and contact details of the grievance redressal officer(s) should be prominently displayed at the project site and on the developer’s official website.
- Once established, developers should transparently disclose the number of received complaints and the resolution status of those complaints on their website. This approach aims to bolster the project’s credibility.
MahaRERA’s initiative comes within the backdrop of the authority’s ongoing efforts to streamline and strengthen the real estate sector in Maharashtra. Since its establishment in May 2017, MahaRERA has overseen the registration of over 42,000 real estate projects, with more than 12,000 projects already completed. The authority has also received over 22,000 complaints against real estate developers within the state, reflecting the importance of establishing effective grievance redressal mechanisms.
This move not only underscores MahaRERA’s commitment to ensuring homebuyer satisfaction but also encourages developers to proactively engage in addressing customers’ post-sales concerns, thereby fostering transparency and trust in the real estate industry.