I have bought a flat in an under-construction highrise. The brochure and the model of the buildings displayed in the developer’s office show two windows in one of the bedrooms. In an on-site sample flat, I found one of the bedroom windows missing. Instead, there was a rectangular opening in the middle of the wall (looked like space for an AC) and a ventilator. The developers neither informed the customers nor responded to my letters. What should I do?

Arup Kumar Dutta, Calcutta

Generally, the brochure does not form any contractual obligation. The developer keeps the right to change and add without informing the buyer, too. However, if you had a contractual obligation with the developer, you may file a complaint under the Promoters Act and move the consumer court.

Name some real estate companies that are building apartments in Rajarhat.

Jayati Gupta, Calcutta

You can check out www.wbhidcoltd, the website of Hidco, the company which is executing the New Town project. You can also visit www.credaibengal.com, the website of the association of real estate developers.

I bought a flat in a 39-apartment building. The flats are of different sizes. An association has decided on a temporary service charge of Rs 450 a month, irrespective of the size of the flat. A meeting on March 19 will finalise the method of calculation. Is there any rule book on how to fix the rate?

Samir Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

There is no rule book. Maintenance charges depend on each flat’s size. (See last week’s Q&A)

Our building has 18 flats of different sizes. The association has been charging maintenance at 50 paise a sq ft of super built-up area. Our flat is big, so we have to pay more. This charge is for guard’s salary, lift, staircase power bills. If everybody gets the same benefit, why should we pay more?

Sunny De, Calcutta

Maintenance charges are fixed on a proportionate basis, irrespective of how the money is used.

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