{
  "id": 4810933,
  "title": "K-RERA relief for flat owners over water leakage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/k-rera-relief-for-flat-owners-over-water-leakage",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-01T07:11:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/real-estate/builder-must-fix-recurring-water-leakage-permanently-but-homeowner-cant-dictate-which-contractor-or-brand-to-use-karnataka-rera-gives-relief-to-bengaluru-top-floor-flat-owner/articleshow/133671119.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA) has ruled that a builder must cover the cost of waterproofing repairs for a top floor apartment in the SMR Vinay Astalla housing society located in Bengaluru North. The problem stems from water leakage causing damage to the apartment, including dampness, cracks, plaster damage, and peeling paint. The homebuyers, Mr. Basavaraj Jalihal and Smt Swathi M, are entitled to have the issue permanently resolved and have the right to reopen the case if the repairs do not meet their satisfaction or if water leakage occurs again.\n\nK-RERA has informed the homebuyers that they do not have the authority to dictate which contractor or brand should be used for the repairs. The builder claims to have spent Rs 74,623 on roof repairs, but the RWA's maintenance office was notified about the latest water leakage issue. K-RERA instructed the homebuyers to monitor the situation during the rainy season to determine if the repairs are effective. If the issue persists, the homebuyers can take legal action against the builder.\n\nThe homeowners purchased their flat in February 2022 and began experiencing water leakage shortly after moving in. They reported the issue to the builder via WhatsApp in October 2022 and again in 2023, 2025, and March 18, 2026. The builder hired a contractor to perform repairs, but the problem continued to reoccur. The homebuyers requested K-RERA to order the builder to use either Dr Fixit or Asian Paints and provide a 10-year warranty for the remedial work. In response, the builder claimed that the contractor performed temporary repairs by applying sealant, but did not address the underlying cause of the leakage.\n\nUpon reviewing the case, K-RERA granted the builder a second chance to prove the effectiveness of the latest repairs. If the water leakage reappears or stops, the homebuyers have been instructed to reopen the case. Rohan V. Tigadi, Principal Counsel at TLaw Chambers, Bengaluru, explained that under Section 14(3) of the RERA Act, the builder has a 5-year liability to repair any structural, workmanship, or quality defects brought to their notice by the homebuyers within 5 years of possession. In this case, possession was granted in February 2022 and quality defects were identified in October 2022.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "K-RERA mandates builder to cover waterproofing repair costs.",
    "Homebuyers entitled to permanent resolution of water leakage issue.",
    "K-RERA gives builders 5-year liability for structural defects."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}