The Defect Liability Period After Handover

Under RERA, a promoter is responsible for rectifying structural defects and defects in workmanship, quality or provision of services brought to notice within a defined period following handover - commonly five years - without further charge to the allottee.

The pattern observed where the provision goes unused is consistent. Defects appear gradually, are reported informally to site personnel who subsequently move on, and by the time an association escalates them the period has elapsed.

The practices described where it is used effectively involve a written record from the outset: defects logged with photographs, dates and unit numbers, and communicated by email or letter to the promoter's registered address so the record exists independently of any individual. Common areas are generally tracked alongside individual units, since basement seepage, lift performance, STP function, external plaster and waterproofing represent the larger items.

An independent structural and services audit commissioned before the period expires, with findings submitted formally, is frequently identified as the highest-return expenditure an owners' association makes.

Where a promoter does not act within the statutory response window, the statute provides for compensation and the complaint route through the authority remains available.

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Disclaimer: General information about the Hyderabad property market, current as at the review date shown. Not legal, financial or investment advice, and not a recommendation regarding any project, developer or transaction. Rules, approvals and local conditions change and vary case by case. Readers making a property decision should obtain independent professional advice and verify the current position with the relevant authority. No liability is accepted for decisions taken on the basis of this content.

Reviewed: September 2026