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When Builders Don't Deliver on Time

Delayed possession is one of the most common property complaints in Delhi NCR, and it's rarely just bad luck. When you sign a builder-buyer agreement, the possession date written into it is a contractual commitment, not a rough estimate. If a builder misses that date without a valid legal excuse, that's a breach of contract, and you're entitled to remedies.

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, strengthened buyers' positions considerably. Every builder is now required to register their project with the state RERA authority and stick to the possession date declared at registration. If that date is missed, buyers are entitled to compensation, and in serious cases, a full refund with interest, without having to prove the delay itself; the delay is effectively its own evidence.

If you're dealing with a delayed project, your realistic options generally fall into three categories: exiting the deal entirely with a refund plus interest, staying in the deal while claiming compensation for the delay period, or filing a formal complaint with the RERA authority, which is designed to be considerably faster than standard civil litigation.

Due Diligence Before You Buy

The best property dispute is the one that never happens because proper checks were done before the purchase. Title verification, tracing ownership back through the property's history to confirm there are no gaps or unresolved claims, is the essential starting point. An Encumbrance Certificate confirms the property is free of pending loans, mortgages, or other legal claims registered against it.

For under-construction property specifically, checking RERA registration status tells you whether the builder has disclosed the project timeline, layout, and land title to the regulatory authority as required. Beyond this, confirming the property matches its approved building plan, checking for outstanding property tax or society dues, and verifying stamp duty and registration requirements are all part of a proper pre-purchase review. None of this is meant to slow down a legitimate transaction, a clean property clears all of these checks easily.

Power of Attorney and Property, a Combination That Needs Care

Property transactions involving a seller who's acting under someone else's Power of Attorney deserve extra scrutiny. The POA needs to be genuine, properly executed, registered where required, and still valid at the time of the transaction. It's also worth knowing that Delhi tightened its rules around this in July 2026, General Powers of Attorney given to anyone outside close blood relatives now face additional scrutiny from the Collector of Stamps, and may attract full sale deed stamp duty rather than the lighter GPA rate, specifically to prevent GPAs being used as a workaround for a proper, fully-taxed sale.

Landlord and Tenant Disputes

If you're a landlord dealing with a tenant who won't vacate, the law is clear on what you cannot do, forcibly removing someone, cutting utilities, or any form of self-help eviction is illegal, regardless of how justified your underlying claim is. The proper route involves a legal notice, establishing valid grounds under the relevant framework, whether the Delhi Rent Control Act or a standard rental agreement outside its scope, and pursuing eviction through the correct forum.

Tenants facing wrongful eviction have equally real protections, and understanding which legal framework governs your specific tenancy changes the entire strategy for resolving the dispute.

Disputes Over Property Passed Through the Family

Ancestral property disputes are among the most emotionally complicated matters we handle, precisely because they involve family relationships alongside legal ones. Daughters have equal, birthright claims to ancestral property under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, confirmed further by the Supreme Court in 2020, regardless of when they were born relative to the amendment. Partition suits, disputes over unauthorised sale or occupation by one family member, and questions around relinquishment deeds all fall under this category, and they benefit enormously from being addressed early, before positions harden and property changes hands further.

What We Help With

When to Reach Out

• Your builder keeps pushing back the possession date with no real explanation.
• You're about to buy a property and want a proper check before you commit any money.
• You're dealing with a tenant who won't leave, or facing eviction you believe is unfair.
• A family dispute has emerged over property that was meant to be shared or inherited.

How It Works

Frequently Asked Questions