R
Rajiv Kapoor
posted on 13 MayBuilder hidden charges are a complete scam
My EMI vs rent math is finally making sense, looking at 2BHKs in Sarjapur Road, around 1.3 Cr. But yaar, hidden charges ka bahut sun raha hoon. Prestige ya Godrej ke projects mein possession ke time PLC, EDC, maintenance deposit, sab extra maangte hain? Matlab, initial cost se bahut upar chala jaata hai. Is this normal? How to avoid these surprises? Koi builder like Brigade ya Sobha better hai transparency mein?
#hidden-charges#sarjapur-road#builder-transparency#2bhk#first-time-buyer
Comments
It's a tough market right now, especially for first-time buyers in Bengaluru. Property prices have been steadily increasing, and builders know people are desperate to get on the property ladder. My advice would be to factor in at least 10-15% over the quoted base price for all these extras. Don't just compare base prices; ask for the *all-inclusive* price, including parking, amenities, and two years of maintenance. Sometimes, smaller, local builders in areas like Adigara Kallahalli might be more flexible with these charges, but then you compromise on brand value and delivery timelines. There's no easy way around it, unfortunately.
While it's frustrating, some of these charges like GST, stamp duty, and registration are government-mandated and unavoidable. The trick is to distinguish between those and the builder's own 'premium' charges like PLC (Preferential Location Charges) or floor rise. RERA states that builders need to disclose all charges, so always demand the RERA agreement copy and a detailed breakup. Has anyone had luck getting a transparent breakup from Brigade or Sobha?
Yeah, big builders also play this game. It's just more polished, that's all.
My brother booked with Sobha a few years back. While they are generally considered premium and professional, they still had charges like 'Clubhouse Development Fee' and 'Utility Infrastructure Charges' that weren't immediately obvious from the initial brochure price. His 2.5 Cr flat eventually cost him around 2.8 Cr by possession, including stamp duty and registration. So, even with big names, be prepared for that extra buffer. Always ask for the final, *final* figure, as U4 rightly pointed out.
I visited a Brigade project in Sarjapur Road last month. They were definitely more upfront about charges compared to a smaller builder I saw near Agrahara Layout. But even there, some charges were mentioned as 'approximate' and subject to change. Transparency is better, but not 100%.
My cousin booked a flat in Akshayanagar two years ago, thinking he got a great deal. On paper, the base price was competitive. But by possession, he ended up paying almost 15% more than the initial quoted price because of EDC, IDC, GST changes, and then IFMS (Interest-Free Maintenance Security) and society formation charges. Builders often club these under 'statutory charges' or 'development charges' in the fine print. It's not just Prestige or Godrej, almost everyone does it. You really need to ask for a *total cost sheet* including all possible charges, not just the base price.
Haan yaar, same experience. How do you even know about these charges beforehand? Is there a checklist or something?
Exactly! As U6 mentioned, ask for the 'Agreement Value' and then a separate sheet for 'Other Charges' which includes everything from PLC, EDC, legal fees, amenity charges, maintenance deposit, and even utility connection charges. Don't sign anything until you have this in writing, and get it vetted.
Checklist toh nahi, but you have to specifically ask for the 'all-inclusive cost sheet'. They won't give it readily, you have to push for it.
Totally feel you, bhai! I'm also looking in Sarjapur Road and the 1.3 Cr for a 2BHK seems okay, but then they hit you with these 'additional charges'. Had a site visit for a Godrej project near Aavalahalli, and the sales guy casually mentioned 'clubhouse membership' and 'corpus fund' which were like 3-4 lakhs extra. It's like they hide it till the last minute.