Buying an SRA Flat in Mumbai: The Lock-In Period and the Checks That Protect You
SRA rehabilitation flats can't be sold during a lock-in, reduced from ten to five years in December 2023. How to check a flat before you pay.
Flats built under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) are often priced well below market, which attracts first-time buyers. They come with conditions that can cost you the flat if ignored.
The lock-in
- An SRA rehabilitation flat can't be sold or transferred during a lock-in period.
- The lock-in was ten years. It was reduced to five years by a state decision on 20 December 2023, as reported.
- The exact period can depend on the scheme and allotment date, so establish the start date from allotment records.
What happens if a sale breaks the lock-in
- It's treated as unauthorised, and the buyer can face eviction without compensation.
- SRA has issued eviction notices against occupants of illegally sold tenements under the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971.
- Registration offices have been asked not to register such sales without an SRA NOC.
- A later resale doesn't fix an earlier unauthorised transfer.
Later resale doesn't cure an earlier unauthorised sale. If the first transfer broke the lock-in, every buyer after inherits the problem.
Checks before you pay anything
- Allotment date. Confirm from SRA records when the flat was allotted and that the lock-in has ended for this flat.
- SRA NOC. Make the deal conditional on an SRA No Objection Certificate for the transfer.
- Seller's standing. The seller must be the recorded allottee or a lawful successor.
- Chain of documents. Look for any earlier transfer during the lock-in.
- Lawyer review. Use a lawyer experienced in SRA transactions.
- Conditional payment. Tie payment and possession to SRA clearance and clean registration.
Never accept
- A power of attorney or notarised agreement instead of a registered sale during the lock-in.
- A promise that the NOC will come later.
Related reading
Looking at an SRA flat? We'll help you check the paperwork before you commit. Book a video call.
Sources
- PropNewz: SRA flat lock-in and buyer cautions (September 2026)
- Citizen Matters: State halves lock-in period for SRA housing
General information, not legal advice. Confirm the lock-in for your flat with SRA.
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