Introduction
Since 2017, RERA has been the first name homebuyers reach for when a builder goes quiet. Now a buyers’ group wants the law itself rebuilt. The Forum for People’s Collective Efforts, or FPCE, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for a RERA overhaul that puts buyer protection at the centre. The letter was reported on 2 November 2026. Is the demand fair? Let us look at it calmly.
The Letter
FPCE is a pan India homebuyers’ body, and its president Abhay Upadhyay has long pushed for firmer enforcement. In this letter, the group asks the Prime Minister to begin a full review of how
RERA is structured, not just a patch here and there. It points to repeated enforcement failures and to projects that finish late, if they finish at all. Upadhyay has spoken of no tolerance for malpractice and for buyers being cheated.
The Core Argument
At the heart of the complaint is a clash of roles. The law, FPCE says, is expected to help the real estate sector grow and also to protect the people who buy from it. One framework cannot comfortably do both. When it has to choose, the group fears, promotion wins and buyers wait.
A New Name
So the proposal splits the job. Sector promotion would stay with the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry and development agencies. Buyer safety would move into a separate law, renamed the Real Estate Homebuyer Protection Act, and be run by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The RERA overhaul FPCE wants would focus that homebuyer protection law on transparency, builder accountability, stopping malpractice and quicker grievance redress.
Extensions as Routine
FPCE also objects to how project deadlines are handled. Extensions were meant as rare relief for developers facing real trouble. The body alleges they have turned routine, often granted without a hard look at whether the promoter was at fault. For a buyer paying rent and EMI together, every extra year costs real money. That is where the frustration is sharpest.
The Scorecard Problem
The group goes a step further. It suggests regulators may be judged by how many projects they register and how much activity they enable. If that is the scorecard, it argues, tough action against a builder can feel like swimming against the current. That is the group’s view, not a proven fact, and regulators may well disagree.
What RERA Has Achieved
Fairness means hearing the other side too. A Knight Frank and Naredco report from August 2025 said nearly 1.5 lakh projects and about 1 lakh agents had registered by mid 2025, with around 1.5 lakh complaints resolved. It also credited the law with calming speculation and rebuilding some trust. So the law has done real work. The argument is about whether that work is enough.
The Government’s Own Review
The timing is interesting. FPCE notes that the Housing Ministry has been consulting stakeholders on RERA changes and held an internal discussion on strengthening the framework on 27 October 2026. Earlier, in May 2025, the Prime Minister had asked state officials whether buyers were actually satisfied when complaints were marked disposed of. So the ground for a RERA overhaul is not empty.
What Buyers Should Do
None of this changes your rights tomorrow. A new law, if it comes, needs drafting, consultation and Parliament’s approval. Until then, check the project’s RERA registration number, read the agreement carefully and keep every payment receipt. If a builder misses the possession date, complain to your state authority early. Waiting rarely helps. A RERA overhaul, even a good one, cannot rescue a buyer who stayed silent.
Summary
FPCE has asked the Prime Minister for a RERA overhaul that separates the promotion of real estate from the protection of buyers. It wants a Real Estate Homebuyer Protection Act under consumer affairs, closer scrutiny of project extensions and regulators judged on results for buyers. RERA has registered lakhs of projects and settled many complaints, yet delays persist. Whether the government accepts such a sweeping change is unknown. Meanwhile, homebuyers should check registrations, document payments and complain early. Acting early usually keeps your claim stronger.
