Order on Realty Portals Listing as Agents Upheld by The Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal

Update from Mumbai:
A tribunal for property-related appeals in Mumbai has upheld Maharashtra's real-estate authority's 2019 decree requiring property-listing websites to register as agents with the state regulator.

The Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (MREAT) has requested that the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) reconsider the case.

In October 2019, the real estate authorities requested that online portals register as real estate agents.

The online portals contested this decision on the grounds that they did not facilitate sales, but rather provided information via adverts.

In October of 2019, MahaRERA requested that websites register as real estate agents.

Additionally, property websites said that they requested prospective buyers/sellers to confirm the specifics of a project with various agencies, including those governed by MahaRERA. In July of 2018, the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a consumer organisation, filed a complaint with MahaRERA alleging that online portals must be registered as real estate brokers with the authority.

On February 8, 2019, after the end of parties' arguments, MahaRERA held a comprehensive hearing and closed the case for orders. In response, MahaRERA has issued Suo moto hearing letters to a number of online real estate advertising and associated activity websites.

The authority had published a notice inviting interested parties to attend and make comments or suggestions. In response, real estate developer associations such as NAREDCO, CREDAI-MCHI, and NASSCOM emerged.

Conclusion:

The order on real estate portals, listing as agents has been set aside by The Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal.