THE DATE IN YOUR AGREEMENT IS THE DATE THAT COUNTS. NOT THE EXTENSION YOUR BUILDER OBTAINED ON THE PORTAL.

For years, developers across Maharashtra deployed two arguments to resist homebuyer claims for delay interest under Section 18 of RERA. First: the developer had obtained a MahaRERA-approved extension of the project's completion deadline, making any complaint premature. Second: the homebuyer had, by continuing in the project or accepting possession, waived their statutory right to claim interest for the delay period. Both defences are now formally rejected at the court and regulatory authority level. The MahaRERA Ruling — Ravet, Pune, June 13 MahaRERA Chairperson Manoj Saunik, in an order dated June 13, 2026, directed Pune-based developer Urban Space Creators to pay delay interest on Flat No. 605 in Urban Skyline Phase II, Ravet. The buyer, Omkar Milind Kulkarni, had paid Rs 46.80 lakh against a total flat cost of Rs 78 lakh under a registered Agreement for Sale dated March 31, 2022, with a contractual possession date of May 1, 2025. The developer had obtained a MahaRERA-approved project completion extension to December 31, 2027. It argued the complaint was therefore premature. MahaRERA held that project registration extensions are administrative in nature. The date in the registered Agreement for Sale is the legal possession date. Administrative extensions granted by the authority do not alter it and do not extinguish the buyer's right to interest from the date of contractual default. The order also addressed the developer's argument that 429 of 516 homebuyers had accepted upgraded amenities and agreed to revised timelines, making additional compensation unjustified for the remaining buyers. MahaRERA rejected this: Section 18 confers an independent statutory right on each allottee. The choices of 429 others do not extinguish the right of the one who does not agree. The COVID-19 moratorium relief was also denied — not applicable in this case per the order. Interest runs from May 1, 2025 to the date of actual possession, at SBI's highest MCLR plus 2% per annum, adjusted against any outstanding dues of the buyer. The Bombay HC Ruling — CCI Projects / Wintergreen, Mumbai Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, in the CCI Projects Private Limited matter, dismissed the developer's appeal and upheld the Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal's order directing payment of interest on apartments in the Wintergreen building of the Rivali Park project, Mumbai. The developer had argued that the homebuyers, by continuing with the delayed project and not exercising their right to withdraw under Section 18, had accepted delayed performance and could not simultaneously claim interest. The court rejected that reasoning. Section 18 of RERA confers an unqualified and absolute statutory right. The court distinguished the contractual position — where continuation might constitute acceptance of delayed performance under Section 55 of the Contract Act — from the statutory position: the statutory right exists independently and is not extinguished by any act of continuation or acceptance. A buyer who stays in a delayed project retains the full Section 18 interest right for the entire period of delay. KEY FACTS: Interest Rate: SBI highest MCLR + 2% per annum. Calculation Start: First day of default under Agreement for Sale — not RERA portal extension date. Extension Letters: Unilateral extension letters from developer do not alter Agreement date. Continuing in Project: Does not waive Section 18 right — Bombay HC June 2026. Portal Extension: Administrative, not contractual — MahaRERA June 13, 2026. COVID Moratorium: Not applicable per MahaRERA June 13 order in Urban Skyline case. MahaRERA Complaint: maharera.mahaonline.gov.in | Helpline: 1800-258-0800.

MahaRERA चे Chairperson माणिक सौनिक यांनी १३ जून रोजी Urban Space Creators (Ravet, Pune) ला विलंब व्याज भरण्याचे आदेश दिले. विकासकाने RERA portal वर December 2027 पर्यंत मुदतवाढ मिळवली होती. MahaRERA चा निर्णय स्पष्ट: अशी मुदतवाढ ही प्रशासकीय मान्यता आहे — नोंदणीकृत खरेदीखतात (Sale Deed) नमूद ताबा तारीखच कायदेशीरदृष्ट्या बंधनकारक. ४२९ खरेदीदारांनी सुधारित कालमर्यादा मान्य केली म्हणून उर्वरित खरेदीदारांचा RERA कलम १८ अंतर्गत स्वतंत्र व वैधानिक हक्क संपत नाही. मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाने CCI Projects / Wintergreen प्रकरणात हेच अधोरेखित केले — विलंबित प्रकल्पात सुरू राहिल्याने RERA कलम १८ अंतर्गतचा अनर्हित (unqualified) व परिपूर्ण (absolute) वैधानिक हक्क संपुष्टात येत नाही. विलंब व्याज: SBI सर्वोच्च MCLR अधिक २% प्रति वर्ष — नोंदणीकृत कराराच्या default तारखेपासून गणना. तक्रार: maharera.mahaonline.gov.in | Helpline: १८००-२५८-०८००.