RERA
A RERA record versus a developer brochure, and what a phase mismatch means
How a regulator's record and a marketing brochure differ, why a brochure for one phase does not prove another, and what to do when the two do not match.
Short answer
A RERA record is the regulator's file on a project, and a brochure is the developer's marketing document. A brochure for one phase does not prove the details of another phase. RERA Bangalore shows a brochure only when its file prints the project's exact registration number or the developer's page confirms it. Otherwise it offers Request brochure.
Two documents, two purposes
A RERA registration record and a developer brochure describe the same project, yet they exist for different reasons. The record is a regulatory filing. It identifies the promoter, the registration number, the phase, the status and the proposed completion date. A brochure is a marketing document. It is designed to attract interest, and it usually mixes facts with artist impressions, aspirational photography and rounded numbers.
Neither is useless. The skill is in knowing what each can be trusted for. Use the record for identity, status and dates. Use the brochure for the developer's stated intentions about layout, amenities and specifications, and then ask for those to be written into the agreement for sale.
What a record can tell you
The record answers questions that have a binary or dated answer: is this registration valid, which phase does it cover, what completion date was declared, and who is the promoter. Because it comes from the regulator, it is the better reference when a statement elsewhere seems to conflict with it.
The registration particulars that the Act lists do not include a current price. Promoters do update the number and types of units booked each quarter, but that is not a live availability list. That is why our guide on prices says a price is shown as not verified unless we hold a developer's asking price with its check date. A missing price on a record is normal and does not suggest anything wrong.
What a brochure can tell you, and what it cannot
A brochure is a good place to learn the developer's intended unit types, stated sizes, amenity list and general layout. It is not a promise unless the agreement for sale repeats it. Images are often marked as representative, and the same page may contain a disclaimer that dimensions, specifications and amenities can change.
Be especially careful with area. The RERA Act defines carpet area and requires the carpet area of apartments for sale to be declared when a project is registered, yet brochures often quote super built-up area. If you compare two projects on brochure areas alone, you may be comparing different measures. Ask for the carpet area on the cost sheet, as our guide on carpet area explains.
What a phase mismatch is
A phase mismatch is when a brochure, a listing or an advertisement refers to one phase of a project while the registration number printed on it, or the number you are given, belongs to another. It happens easily in large developments, because the project name stays the same while the phase, the tower and the registration change. The Act treats each phase as a stand-alone project that is registered on its own.
It can be innocent. A brochure printed for phase one may still be handed out when phase three launches. It can also confuse a buyer into believing that a flat in a new, not yet registered phase is covered by an older registration. Either way, the number on the paper does not prove the registration of the flat in front of you.
How RERA Bangalore handles the match
We show a brochure only when its own file prints the exact registration number of the project, or when the developer's page confirms it. Otherwise we show a request button, and an advisor can send the right brochure. Our guide on why a project says request brochure gives the same rule in short form.
We also keep each listing tied to one registration and phase. If a project name matches but the registration is ambiguous or absent, the listing is shown without a link, and we state the gap. This costs us some convenience, and it keeps the page honest about what is established.
What to do when the two do not agree
Start by asking which phase the brochure describes and which registration number covers the tower you want. Ask for the answer in writing. Then check the number on the official portal, and compare the completion date, the status and the project name against the brochure.
- If the brochure's number matches the record and the phase, the paper is consistent. Continue with your other checks.
- If the number belongs to a different phase, ask for the brochure and the registration for your phase.
- If no registration exists yet for the phase being sold, do not pay a booking amount on the strength of an older number.
- If the completion date differs, rely on the record and on the date in the agreement for sale, and ask for any gap to be explained.
- If the amenity list or sizes differ from what you were shown, ask for the sanctioned plan and for the final specification to be attached to the agreement.
Keeping your own comparison table
A simple table with four columns helps: the claim, where it was made, what the record says and what the draft agreement says. Rows might be the registration number, the phase, the completion date, the carpet area and the car parking terms. Any row where the columns disagree is a question for the promoter.
The same table is useful when you compare two projects. Our compare tool lays out records side by side, and the table lets you add the items that only the seller can supply.
What we cannot tell you
- We cannot tell you which phase your brochure describes if the file does not print a registration number. Only the developer can confirm that.
- We cannot verify the claims inside a brochure, such as amenities, specifications or views. Treat them as the developer's statements until they are in the agreement.
- We hold a copy of the regulator's data, not the live portal. Confirm any registration on the portal before relying on it.
Common questions
- Why does a project say Request brochure?
- We show a brochure only when its file prints that project's exact RERA registration number, or the developer's page confirms it. Otherwise an advisor can send the right one.
- Does a brochure for one phase prove the registration of another?
- No. Each phase has its own registration, so the number must match the phase you are buying.
- Which should I trust if the brochure and the record differ?
- For identity, status and dates, trust the record and the agreement for sale. Treat brochure claims as statements to be written into the agreement.
- Is the price on the record?
- No. The registration particulars the Act lists do not include a current price, and a booking count is not a live availability list.
Sources
Read against these official sources on 18 Oct 2026. Rates, fees and procedures change, so check the current position on each site.