The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) on Wednesday cautioned homebuyers against relying on super built-up area figures while purchasing flats, saying carpet area which makes the actual usable space inside a residential unit, should be the basis for any buying decision.UP RERA said the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, mandates carpet area as the “standard basis” for disclosure and sale of apartments. Developers are required to list the number, type and carpet area of their flats on the UP RERA portal.“The carpet area reflects the actual area available for use by the homebuyer. Buyers should evaluate residential units on this basis to make informed decisions,” the authority said, as quoted by news agency PTI.While details of exclusive balconies, verandas and open terraces must be disclosed, UP RERA clarified that super built-up area figures are not mandated under the law, yet “flats are often promoted” on that basis.Super built-up area includes a proportionate share of common spaces such as corridors, staircases, lifts, lobbies and clubhouses. “Super built-up area can sometimes hide the difference between the advertised size and the actual usable space available inside the flat,” the authority warned.UP RERA urged buyers to verify project details, including carpet area, on its portal before finalizing any property deal, saying the move aims to bring greater transparency to the real estate sector and shield homebuyers from misleading information.What is carpet area and how is it different from built-up area?Carpet area refers to “the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under service shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area, and exclusive open terrace area, but includes the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment,” as per Section 2(k) of the RERA Act, 2016.As the name suggests, it is the area of an apartment where a carpet can be spread. On the other hand, built-up area is the total physical footprint of a property that includes the thickness of walls, balconies and so on.What is the purpose of carpet and built-up area?Built-up area is used to measure the total dimensions of a property, whereas, carpet area denotes only the usable dimensions.Super built-up area, on the other hand, also includes common areas: lift, staircase, swimming pool, gymnasium, lobby and so on. The build-up area of a property will always be greater than its carpet area.Claim of no supply crunchUttar Pradesh’s real estate regulator also recently said that more than 1.15 lakh residential and commercial units are currently on sale across the state, pushing back against supply shortage claims and cautioning buyers against rushed investment decisions.The authority took aim at narratives pushed by some developers and brokers; that prices are set to spike or that inventory is running out, warning that such claims can pressure buyers and may not accurately reflect market conditions.
