Vatika Group seeks 1% of flat price for registry, homebuyers cry foul

Homebuyers of four housing societies and independent floor owners in Gurgaon, all owned by Vatika Group, on Wednesday complained to the district town planner (DTP) against the developer for delaying the registration of their properties despite getting the occupation certificate in 2016. At a meeting with the DTP under the CM Grievance Redress and Monitoring System Cell, the residents of City Homes, Lifestyle Homes, Seven Lamps, G21 and independent floors alleged that the Vatika Group was demanding 1% of the sale price as administration facilitation fees to execute the registry, despite a cap of Rs 15,000 on the same. According to the complaint to the DTP, which contained the signatures of 405 buyers, the builder is verbally asking investors to give a “no-objection letter” to pay 1% of the sale price over and above the stamp duty and registration charges even though there is no mention of the same in the builder-buyer agreement. It also says the builder is charging the transfer fee from flat owners on the resale of flats, and the amount is equivalent to government stamp duty. The DTP has now instructed the builder to comply with its directive. “We have asked the builder to adhere to the previous order issued (in April) by the Allottees Grievance Redressal Forum, which has put the cap of Rs 15,000 on the administrative charges for the registry wherever the percentage is not mentioned in the builder-buyer agreement,” said RS Batth, DTP (planning).