The size of an advertisement or the fact that it was published free of cost does not absolve a real estate developer of its obligation to prominently display mandatory RERA registration details, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has ruled while imposing a ₹15,000 penalty on a Pune-based developer.
The authority observed that a promoter remains responsible for complying with its directions regardless of whether the advertisement is paid or published free of cost.
The MahaRERA registration number and website address must be displayed in a font size equal to or larger than that used for the project’s contact details and address, the regulator said.
The order pertains to the regulator initiating suo motu proceedings after noticing that an advertisement was published in violation of its April 2025 rules and norms.
What are MahaRERA’s rules on advertisements?
MahaRERA made it compulsory in April 2025 for developers and real estate agents to prominently display the project’s MahaRERA registration number and a QR code linking to its RERA webpage in all advertisements. Non-compliance may lead to penalties of up to ₹50,000, it had said.
MahaRERA had noted that on several websites, the QR code and registration number are either not displayed correctly or are not visible due to poor colour contrast and small font size. The authority warned developers and real estate agents that non-compliance could attract penalties of up to ₹50,000.
“The font size of the MahaRERA registration number and website address in advertisements or promotions shall be equal to or larger than the font size used for the project’s contact details and address. However, if the contact details are mentioned in different fonts, the MahaRERA registration number shall be equal to or larger than the largest font used for contact details and address in the advertisement,” reads the MahaRERA order dated April 8, 2025.
MahaRERA notice and the developer’s response
MahaRERA issued a suo motu notice to the Pune-based developers, alleging violations of the above-mentioned rules in the advertisement.
The developer, in its reply, argued that it had provided all mandatory details, including the MahaRERA registration number, disclosures, and a QR code, to a professional advertising agency.
The developer contended that a larger advertisement published as part of the same campaign carried all required disclosures, while the smaller advertisement under scrutiny was a free classified advertisement issued as part of a promotional scheme.
According to the developer, any deviation was unintentional and occurred at the agency level.
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MahaRERA’s order
MahaRERA observed that although the QR code, registration number, and website address were included in the advertisement, the font size of the registration number and website address was smaller than that of the project’s contact details, contrary to the requirements under the April 2025 order.
“The ground taken by the respondent that the smaller advertisement, which is the subject matter of the present proceedings, was published as a classified advertisement free of cost as part of promotional scheme linked to the larger advertisement forming part of the same advertising campaign cannot be considered,” the MahaRERA said in its suo motu order.
“The advertisement published by a promoter, whether it might be with cost or free of cost, doesn’t escape the promoter from the breach of the directions issued by the Authority,” the order said.
Holding that the developer had violated the Authority’s directions, MahaRERA imposed a penalty of ₹15,000 under Section 63 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.
The Authority directed the promoter to pay the penalty within 15 days, failing which the amount would be doubled, subject to a maximum of ₹50,000.
