RERA Registration Fee: HC Rules In Favour Of Gurgaon Property Brokers

The Punjab & Haryana High Court (HC) has come to the rescue of real estate advisors, who had moved court after the state real estate regulator asked them to pay higher registration charge. Under the provisions of the Haryana Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016, individual property brokers have to pay Rs 25,000 as registration charge while entities other than individuals have to pay a Rs 25 lakh as registration charge.  Accordingly, brokers have to get their licence renewed by paying the applicable amount.

The Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA) had ruled that an “individual” was different from his brand name. Based on that interpretation, the authority had asked several registered brokers in the state to pay Rs 2.5 lakh for licence renewal, saying sole proprietorship firms were no different from sole partnership firm or a company. Ruling in favour of the brokers who contended that solo-proprietorship companies are similar to individuals, the HC has now stayed the demand made by the HRERA.

Interestingly, the authority has welcomed the HC decision.

“It is their right to approach a higher forum for grievance redressal. We want this issue to be settled so we don’t face audit problems. If it is decided in their favour, we welcome it. We have no issues. We ourselves asked them to go to the high court so that this issue is cleared. They are our partners in realising the growth of real estate in Gurgaon,” HRERA Chairman KK Khandelwal was quoted in Hindustan Times as saying.