UP RERA has barred builders from taking blanket consent from homebuyers for changes to sanctioned building plans without first disclosing the proposed modifications in writing, a move aimed at preventing promoters from securing open-ended approval for alterations to registered projects.
The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority said promoters must explain the nature of any proposed change before seeking consent from allottees. The disclosure must specify how the modification would affect the carpet area of individual housing units, common areas and other spaces, including any additions or deletions proposed in the project.
Under the guidelines, builders seeking approval for major changes to sanctioned plans must obtain written consent from at least two-thirds of the allottees covered by the provision. The authority said the requirement applies to buyers with whom an agreement for sale or a builder-buyer agreement has been executed.
The directive follows observations that some promoters were obtaining general consent from homebuyers without explaining the changes they intended to make. According to UP RERA, such blanket approvals could give builders unrestricted freedom to alter approved plans without ensuring that buyers understood the effect on their homes or shared facilities.
UP RERA has also prescribed a standard consent format for the process. Promoters will be required to submit dated consent documents along with a list of allottees containing their addresses, mobile numbers and email IDs. The information will allow the authority to verify whether the required consent has been obtained from eligible buyers.
UP RERA chairman Sanjay Bhoosreddy said obtaining general or blanket consent without disclosing complete details of proposed modifications was unacceptable. He said the guidelines were intended to ensure that homebuyers make informed decisions and that promoters comply strictly with Section 14 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act.
Section 14 governs changes to sanctioned plans and project specifications after allotment. For homebuyers, the regulator’s directive places the focus on the information provided before consent is recorded, rather than treating a broad approval as sufficient for every subsequent modification. The requirement to identify the effect on carpet area and common spaces also links the consent process to the physical and functional features buyers agreed to purchase.
The new format and verification requirements give UP RERA a documented basis to examine whether consents are dated, attributable to individual allottees and connected to a clearly described proposal. The authority’s next step will be to apply these requirements when promoters submit requests involving major changes to sanctioned building plans.
