Useless' Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority upsets owners

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Flat and villa customers are upset over the lackadaisical attitude of the state government in making the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) functional, especially at a time when complaints against real estate builders are mounting. Sources in the industry point out that about 40 per cent of the complaints being lodged with the consumer disputes redressal commissions in the state these days pertained to flats and villas. This highlights the pressing need to bring in a stringent mechanism for the protection of customers from being cheated by real estate dealers.

The Apartment Owners’ Apex Association is now planning to call on the new ministers and MLAs to press the demand for making the authority functional. This newspaper had reported on Thursday that RERA which was constituted by the previous UDF government was yet to become functional as the rules based on the state and Central Acts to regulate real estate dealers were yet to be framed. It is learnt that representations sent by some aggrieved flat owners to the authority were returned undelivered.

“It seems the government is not giving any priority to the serious concerns of hundreds of flat owners. No effective steps are being taken to make the authority functional, said Apartment Owners’ Apex Association president V.K. Sankarankutty. “Most of the flats are constructed without following the safety standards. Ignorance of customers about the prescribed safety aspects are being literally fleeced by the builders,” he said. Advocate S. Reghukumar, who deals with consumer issues, said that  in 90 per cent of the disputes involving real estate developers, the consumers were getting favourable orders. However, enforcement of the orders was a serious concern.