| 17-Aug-2022 |
DISPOSED |
The present complaint was filed on 03.11.2021
and reply was received on 21.12.2021.
Succinct
facts of the case as per complaint and reply are as under:
Sr.
No.
Particulars
Details
1.
Name of the project
The Enclave, Sector- 66
2.
Unit no.
TEN-Q-F15-03, 15th floor, tower-Q
[ page 56 of reply]
3.
Provisional allotment letter dated
06.04.2011
[annexure R3, page 49 of reply]
4.
Date of execution of buyer’s agreement
30.04.2011
[page 54 of reply]
5.
Possession clause
14. POSSESSION
(a) Time of handing over the Possession
Subject to terms of
this clause and subject to the Allottee(s) having complied with all the terms
and conditions of this Buyer’s Agreement, and not being in default under any
of the provisions of this Buyer’s Agreement and compliance with all
provisions, formalities, documentation etc. as prescribed by the Company, the
Company proposes to hand over the possession of the Unit within 24 months from the start of construction.
The Allottee(s) agrees and understands that the Company shall be entitled to
a grace period of 6 months, for applying and obtaining the completion
certificate/ occupation certificate in respect of complex
(emphasis supplied)
[page 70 of reply]
6.
Due date of possession
11.08.2012
[Note:
Grace period is not included]
7.
Total consideration as per statement of account dated 30.11.2021 at
page 125 of reply
Rs. 1,18,70,217/-
8.
Total amount paid by the complainants as per
statement of account dated 30.11.2021 at page 125 of reply
Rs. 1,18,70,217/-
9.
Occupation certificate
25.01.2018
[page 116 of reply]
10.
Offer of possession
14.03.2018
[annexure R6, page 118-124 of
reply]
11.
Unit handover letter signed by the complainant on
09.04.2018
[annexure R8, page 128 of reply]
12.
Conveyance deed executed on
15.05.2018
[page 132 of reply]
The
complainant is seeking the following reliefs:
i.
Direct the respondent to pay interest at the rate of 18% on account of
delay in offering of possession.
Considering the above-mentioned facts, the
authority calculated due date of possession according to clause 14(a) of the
agreement i.e.,
within 24 months from the start of construction
and disallows the grace period of 6
months as the promoter has not applied
to the concerned authority for obtaining completion certificate/occupation
certificate within the time limit prescribed by the promoter in the buyer’s
agreement. As per the settled law one cannot be allowed to take advantage of
his own wrong. Therefore, the authority allows DPC w.e.f.
due date of handing over possession i.e., 11.08.2012 till 09.04.2018 alongwith interest at the rate of 10% per
annum from the due date of possession till hand over of possession i.e.
09.04.2018.
ii. Direct the respondent to return of Rs.
1,46,747/- charged by the respondent in the name of other charges which
includes, electric meter charges, electrification charges, sewerage charges,
administrative charges and registration charges unreasonably charged by the
respondent by increasing sale price after execution of buyer’s agreement
between respondent and complainant.
Electric, and sewerage connection charges: The
promoter would be entitled to recover the actual charges paid to the concerned
departments from the complainant/allottee on pro-rata basis on account of
electricity connection and sewerage connection, etc., i.e., depending upon the
area of the flat allotted to the complainant vis-à-vis the area of all the
flats in this particular project. The complainant would also be entitled to
proof of such payments to the concerned departments along with a computation
proportionate to the allotted unit, before making payments under the aforesaid
heads.
·
Administrative
charges
The
authority has decided this in the complaint bearing no. 4031 of 2019
titled as Varun Gupta V/s Emaar MGF Land Ltd. wherein the
authority has held that the registration of property at the registration office
is mandatory for execution of the conveyance (sale) deed between the developers
(seller) and the homebuyer (purchaser). Besides the stamp duty, homebuyers also
pay for execution of the conveyance/sale deed. This amount, which is given to
the developers in the name of registration charges, is significant. The authority considering the pleas of the
developer-promoter directs that a nominal amount of up to Rs.15000/- can be
charged by the promoter – developer for any such expenses which it may have
incurred for facilitating the said transfer as has been fixed by the DTP office
in this regard. For any other charges like incidental/miscellaneous and of like
nature, since the same are not defined and no quantum is specified in the
builder buyer’s agreement, therefore, the same cannot be charged.
In the present
complaint, the respondent has charged an amount of ₹ 12,000/- towards
administrative charges which is less than 15,000/- therefore, the complainant
is liable to pay the same.
·
Electrification
charges
The authority has decided
this issue in the complaint bearing no. 4031 of 2019 titled as Varun
Gupta V/s Emaar MGF Land Ltd. wherein the authority has held that the
promoter cannot charge electrification charges from the allottees while issuing
offer of possession letter of a unit even though there is any provision in the
builder buyer’s agreement to the contrary.
iii.
Direct the respondent to return entire amount of Rs. 1,50,000/- plus
taxes charged for open car parking.
The authority has decided this issue in the
complaint bearing no. 4031 of 2019 titled as Varun
Gupta V/s Emaar MGF Land Ltd. wherein the authority has held that
open parking spaces cannot be sold/charged by the promoter both
before and after coming into force of the Act. However as far as issue
regarding covered car parking is concerned where the said
agreements have been entered into before coming into force the Act, the matter
is to be dealt with as per the provisions of the builder buyer’s
agreement subject to that the allotted parking area is not included
in super area.
In the present complaint, the respondent has
charged Rs.1,50,000/- towards one stilt car parking as per clause 1.2(a)
and 1.3 and the same are reproduced below:
1.2 Sale Price for Sale of Unit
(a) Sale Price
(i) The sale price of the Unit
(“Total Consideration”) payable by the Allottee(s) to the Company includes the
basic sale price (“Basic Sale Price/BSP”) of Rs. 102102480/-, EDC of Rs.
55718.4/-, PLC of Rs. 288000/- and exclusive right to use one stilt car parking
which shall be Rs. 1,50,000/-………………………
1.3 Parking Space
a)
The Allottee(s) agrees and understands that the exclusively reserved one car parking space
assigned to the Allottee shall be understood to be together with the
Unit and the same shall not have any independent legal entity detached or
independent from the said Unit. The Allottee(s) undertakes not to sell/
transfer/deal with such exclusive
reserved car parking space independent of the said Unit. In case
the Allottee has applied for additional parking space, same shall be
subject to availability at the then prevailing rates and the same shall also be
subject to this condition. However, such additional parking space can
only be transferred to any other allottee in the building/project.
In the instant matter, the subject unit was allotted to the complainants
vide allotment letter dated 06.04.2011 and as per the said allotment letter,
the respondent had charged a sum of Rs.1,50,000/- on account
of car parking charges. As per clause 1.2(a)(i) of the buyer’s
agreement 30.04.2011 the allottee had agreed to pay
the parking charges for covered car parking. The cost
of parking of Rs.1,50,000/- has been charged exclusive to the basic
price of the unit as per the terms of the agreement. The cost
of parking of Rs.1,50,000/- has already been included in the total
sale consideration and the same is charged as per the buyer’s agreement.
Accordingly, the promoter is justified in charging the same.
Matter stands disposed off. Detailed order will follow. File be
consigned to the registry. |
K K KHANDELWAL VIJAY KUMAR GOYAL |
View Order |
05-Sep-2022 |