Centre to discuss ways to redress consumer grievances in real estate

With the real estate sector accounting for roughly 10% of all consumer commission cases, the Department of Consumer Affairs will hold a round table conference in Mumbai to discuss ways to address property buyers' complaints. According to an official statement, the Department of Consumer Affairs will hold a round table conference on How to Effectively Redress the Grievances pertaining to the Real Estate Sector on April 18 in Mumbai. The conference will be co-organized by the Maharashtra government. The conference will be chaired by Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India. Pertinently, Real Estate cases comprise around 10 per cent of the total cases in Consumer Commissions. So far, since inception, 2,30,517 cases have been filed by the consumers in various consumer commissions, 1,76,895 cases have been disposed of till now, and 53,622 cases are pending, the statement said. Despite the existence of separate tribunals, such as RERA and NCLT, to deal with housing-related cases, the department stated that the number of cases pending in various consumer commissions is increasing. This is the first time the Department has held such a large-scale conference to address consumer grievances in the real estate sector, according to the statement. The conference will focus on the systemic policy interventions needed to reduce housing litigation. In this regard, the Consumer Commissions' cases would be examined, and major factors that result in consumer cases would be identified and presented for discussion. In addition, why are more cases filed before Consumer Commissions despite the existence of separate authorities, such as RERA, for specifically dealing (with) the cases pertaining to the housing sector will also be discussed. Meanwhile, deliberation on how to ensure that the housing sector cases are dealt with in an effective and speedy manner will also be done, the statement said. Members of the National Commission, Presidents of State Commissions from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Gujarat, the President of the RERA Appellate Tribunal Maharashtra, RERA Chairmen from Delhi and Maharashtra, and Presidents of District Commissions from Delhi, Bengaluru, Thane, Pune, Raigad, and Chandigarh are expected to attend. Representatives from the MOHUA (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs), RERA, IBBI, the Maharashtra government, ASCI, and all VCOs (voluntary consumer organisations) and the construction industry will also be present. Also Read NHAI releases tender for redevelopment of Hanumangarh to Ramgarh Road G7 Nations pledge to produce carbon-free electricity by 2035