The government, in its note, said that there are two existing acts enacted about 53 years ago, and that the laws have now become irrelevant with the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016, creating overlapping and often conflicting provisions. Also, Bengaluru urban development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said there is no specific body to look into apartment issues, adding that some of them are registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act and KRERA.

Gowda said the final Bill will be placed after collecting suggestions from all stakeholders before it is presented during the next session. “In pursuit of perfection, we don’t want to hold it back. Despite the Bill, there will be challenges and modifications in future which we are committed to doing,” he added.

Ownership rights, conflict regulation/h2>

The draft Bill will apply to all apartment complexes with more than eight units and brings enforcement squarely under the Urban Development Department. On ownership, the Bill mandates that project land, common areas, and facilities be transferred to apartment owners collectively, restricting apartment associations to a management and maintenance role rather than ownership.

It also spells out precise definitions for private area, super built-up area, and the calculation of undivided share, a frequent source of disputes between builders and buyers.

The Bill also highlights that apartments that have completed 30 years will need to submit a structural stability certificate, and renew it every five years thereafter. The Bill also lays out, for the first time, a detailed framework for the redevelopment of ageing apartment complexes, amid growing concern as Bengaluru’s earliest apartment blocks approach the end of their design life.

Redevelopment will require the consent of at least 75 per cent of owners, and those who don’t consent will be entitled to monetary compensation equal to at least twice the market value of their unit.