Among the many customer- friendly features of Real Estate Bill (Act), one is the abolition of Super Built up area. Now buyer has to pay only for carpet area which as defined under the Act is:

Carpet Area is the net usable floor area of an apartment excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under services shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area, and exclusive open terrace area, but includes the are covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment.

Though implementation of this definition will result in an escalation of per square feet cost of the apartment but the buyer will have the satisfaction that he has paid for the actual area under his possession, not for the superfluous area which he intends to use rarely. In market parlance,

Super Built Area is the built up are plus proportionate area of common areas such as the lobby, lifts, shafts, stairs etc. Sometimes it may also include the common areas such as swimming pool, garden, club houses etc.

Generally, CARPET AREA is around (70 to 80)% of SUPER BUILT UP AREA. But note that this percentage varies from project to project and builder to builder. Payment is made on “SUPER BUILT UP AREA”.
Prior to this act, Super Built Area was calculated in the manner given below:
If CARPET AREA is 600 sq ft. What would be SUPER BUILT UP AREA?
Let’s assume the ratio is 75:25.
Means CARPET AREA is 75% of SUPER BUILT UP AREA.

SUPER BUILT UP AREA = 600 + 25% of 600 = 600 + 150 = 750 SQ FT

So the payment will be made for 750 sq ft, not 600 sq ft.

Thus the buyer had to make an additional payment of 150 sq ft
Any violation in this regard will entitle the buyer to file a complaint against the builder before Real estate regulatory Authority having its bench in every state of India .

Apart from clarification on Super Build up Area in Apartments, Real Estate Regulatory Act has come up with many measures which will strengthen the buyer’s faith in Realty sector in coming days.