MahaRERA Defines Guidelines for Carpet Area

What is Carpet Area as per RERA?

On 14 June 2017 MahaRERA official website has notified a circular on calculations of carpet area as defined under the section 2(K) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. The government of Maharashtra, on 8th March 2017, notified rules under the act of RERA with a vide notification for regulations and promotions of real estate sector in the state of Maharashtra. Under section 2(k) of the real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, carpet area of the apartment to be sold by the promoter is defined as “Carpet Area” which means the net usable area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by external walls, area under service shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area and exclusive open terrace area, but including the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment.

How to calculate carpet area as per RERA?

The net usable area within the outside walls of an apartment is considered as carpet area, excluding the balconies, verandah or open terrace and shafts. Internal walls are to be considered in carpet area. 

As explained in the circular on MahaRera official site: For the purpose of this clause, the expression “exclusive balcony or verandah area” means the area of the balcony or verandah, as the area may be which is appurtenant to the net usable area of the apartment, meant for the exclusive use of the allottee and “exclusive open terrace area” means the area of the open terrace which is appurtenant to the net usable area of an apartment, meant for exclusive use of the allottee.

“Internal partition walls” and “external partition walls” are given different interpretation by different professionals and architects. To understand these terms better the circular clarifies these terms to have uniformity in the calculation of carpet area of an apartment across all projects that are registered with MahaRERA.

“Walls” would mean walls made of reinforced Cement concrete (RCC) or plain concrete or sheer walls or walls made of bricks, blocks, precast material or dry walls or walls made of any material or composition of one or more any of the materials shall include column(s) within or adjoin or attached to the wall.

What is Enclosed Balcony as per RERA?

A Balcony that is not open and is usually with windows instead of open air. It is a platform elevated from the wall of a building, supported by columns and enclosed with walls with few windows. As per RERA the net usable floor area of an apartment is to be considered while buying a property. In this net usable area of a flat terrace and balconies are to be considered, and enclosed balconies are considered to be part of carpet, as anything inside the outer walls of an apartment is considered into carpet area. Now developers mention enclosed balcony under utility area name.

For the purpose of calculation of carpet area under the clause 2(k) of the real estate (Regulations and Development) Act, 2016, all walls which are constructed or provided on the external face of the apartment shall be mentioned as “external wall”.

All walls or independent columns constructed or provided within the apartment shall be regarded as “internal partition walls”. 

This order is supposed to into force with effect from the date of commencement of the Real Estate (Regulations and Development) Act, 2016.

Source: https://maharera.mahaonline.gov.in/Site/58/Orders-and-Circulars-of-MahaRERA