Hiranandani upscale builders, Chennai

Hiranandani Realtors, when they came to Chennai announcing their township on the prestigious OMR Road in Egattur, people in Chennai were thrilled and rushed to book themselves a flat or at least to enquire about it!  Some of them had seen the project of the builder in Powai, Mumbai and other places.

As usual, when the customer approaches,  the builder offers only those flats which will find the least preference amongst the buyers and the flats that you want seriously comes with a premium on one pretext or the other saying its East facing or corner one or facing sea or facing club house etc..

Somehow, you want to be a part of this "considered Prestigious" group and settle for one that suits your requirements or in other words the apartment is thrust ed upon you by the young, charming sales group of the builder!

Everything is charged upfront by the builder saying that the facility that will be created will be like magic kingdom that will be world class!  You are robbed upfront for the club house, corpus fund, advance maintenance for 18 months at a pre determined high rate etc..  The construction agreement is so cunningly designed that you fail to read in between lines and forced to sign on dotted lines just in an enthusiasm to be part of this "prestigious living"?  you have no choice either!  You end up paying a neat Rs 25000/- towards advocate charges as well for signing on an agreement that is well prepared in favour of the builder, line by line binding us to forgo even the undivided share of property in the common area which normally belongs to the owner!  You are assured of copious ground water supply citing the lake in the back ground that keeps recharging the water table and reassured of ever lasting water supply.  The promise of fresh air is one thing that they are unable to cheat and thanks to mother nature!  Very cleverly, the builder erects boundaries concealing the crematorium that is hidden behind the structures to which the villagers around have an access and which can not be objected by the residents or the builder!  It is said that atleast there is one or two cremations everyday in this facility thats is adjoining the Hiranandani school and within the boundaries of living.

The building is ready for possession after a delay of nearly 18 months and when you ask for compensation for the delay in handing over, the staff promptly points out reasons such as recession in Economy, strike in some steel or cement plant, floods, fire, change in political scenario and everything that happened in the country because of which the building process slowed down!  On the other hand, they rightfully charge overdue interest on delayed EMI payments made by you.  If you resist or object, the property is not handed over and having spent several lacs through your nose, you deem it fit to at least take possession of the flat despite certain loss of capital thinking the value will appreciate sooner than later!

The Economy slides into recession mode and a family dispute between the brother and the sister of Hiranandani becomes inevitable and the project becomes an orphan with promoters  trying to milch everything that is possible out of the available resources.  The best way to generate more income is to squeeze the residents to pay more and more for the amenities which falls within the ambit of maintenance!  Hiranandani says that the club house charges are mainly for building the club house and if you want to utilise then you have to pay monthly maintenance over and above the general maintenance charged!  The corpus fund is not for the benefit of residents but for maintaining peripheral roads that goes within the complex!  The swimming pool subscription is payable on yearly basis in advance.  The story is endless and the residents are forced to face a war like situation.
Some people with guts and will to fight the builder have joined and formed individual associations for each tower and trying to contain or minimise the maintenance charges for the benefit of residents.
The builder wanted a whooping Rs4.50 /sq ft towards maintenance where as the association have fixed a private agency for RS 3.50/sq ft.  On hearing that the residents have decided to form their own association, the builder indulged in cheap tricks such as switching off the lifts by sabotage that left the top floor occupants high and dry!  The gen sets and other motors to pump water are in bad condition and requires AMC to function.  There is absolutely no water supply and requirements are bought through water tankers every day.  These are some of the several hardships caused and created by the so called reputed group of Hiranandani Realtors!

The association is contemplating to file suit against the builder for all such violations and hardships caused to the residents and creating hurdles for a smooth transition for control.  So much so that even the common area that is supposed to be part of undivided share of land for the owners is not given and eaten away by the builder.  The owner is now entitled only for the undivided share of his plinth area of the flat which is legally not right.  The worst part is that the Hiranandani school management have dismissed some teachers just because they happened to be part of  association formed by the residents revolting against the builders who are trying to arm twist the residents to cough up more and more for every facility and maintenance.

This blog is created only with a view to educate innocent investors wanting to invest in High rise buildings and particularly in Hiranandani upscale who are constantly advertising for their new upcoming projects in the same vicinity.  I appeal to all those people not to fall prey to such allurements and be matured enough to tackle things and understand the same clearly before entering into such agreements with such so called reputed builders, be it Chennai or in any part of the country.

I appeal to the Urban development Ministry to form guidelines for such building and construction activities bearing in mind the middle class investor or buyer who dumps all his money and takes home loan just to have Good living but ends up shattered with such happenings that's real in this realty sector!