Home buying guides · 18-09-2026 · 7 min read · By Sorrel Buildcon

Agreement for Sale — 10 Clauses to Read Before You Sign

Why this document, and not the brochure, is the deal

Under the RERA Act, a promoter cannot accept more than ten per cent of the cost of the apartment as an advance without first entering into a written agreement for sale, and that agreement has to be registered. Everything before it — the brochure, the WhatsApp forward, the sales pitch — is persuasion. This is the contract.

Buyers routinely spend six weekends choosing a layout and six minutes reading the agreement. Reverse that ratio. You are signing a document that governs a payment schedule of two to four years, a possession date, a specification list and what happens if either side fails. Take it home. Read it with a pen. Ask a property lawyer for a two-hour review; it costs a fraction of one instalment.

The ten agreement for sale clauses below are the ones that decide who bears which risk. Read each one against the brochure and the cost sheet, and write your questions as a numbered email rather than asking them across a desk.

1–3: what you are buying, what it costs, when you pay

1. Unit description and area. Tower or block, floor, unit number, carpet area under the RERA definition and the super area. If only super area appears, ask for carpet area to be inserted — see carpet area vs super area. Check also the tolerance clause: what happens if the measured area at completion differs by two or three per cent, and whether the adjustment works both ways.
2. Total price and break-up. BSP, PLC, meter or utility charges, club or maintenance deposits, and a clear statement of what is extra. GST, stamp duty, registration and legal documentation charges are usually extra; at Sorrel Heights GST is 1% extra and government levies are payable at offer of possession — see price list & payment plan.
3. Payment schedule. Is it time linked or construction linked? A construction-linked plan ties your money to visible progress, which is generally safer for a buyer. Check whether the stages are defined precisely enough to be verifiable — "on casting of fifth floor slab" is verifiable; "on commencement of finishing" is not. Read how the BSP payment plans work.

4–6: dates, delay and what is actually being built

4. Possession date and grace period. Find the exact date, then find the grace period and the force majeure definition. A twelve-month grace plus a broadly drafted force majeure clause can move a firm-sounding date a long way. Compare the date with the completion date declared to the authority, which you can check yourself — see how to verify a UP RERA project.
5. Interest on delay, both ways. Most agreements set out what you pay if your instalment is late; the Sorrel Heights terms, for instance, state that timeliness of payment is essential and delays attract interest at 18%. The clause you must read just as carefully is the mirror: what the promoter pays you for delayed possession, at what rate and from what date. Under the RERA Act the rate of interest payable by promoter and allottee is meant to be the same — check that your draft reflects that.
6. Specifications. The agreement should carry a schedule of specifications that matches the brochure, item by item. Look for substitution language such as "or equivalent": it is normal, but it should be qualified by equal or better quality. Put the brochure next to the schedule and tick each line — the Sorrel list is on Sorrel Heights specifications.

7–10: after handover, exit, and disputes

7. Defect liability. The RERA Act gives an allottee five years from the date of possession to report structural defects or defects in workmanship, quality or provision of services, which the promoter must rectify at no cost. Confirm the clause says five years and does not narrow the definition to structure alone.
8. Cancellation and refund. What is deducted if you cancel, how long the refund takes, and whether taxes already paid are refundable. Also read what happens if the promoter cancels your allotment for default — how much notice you get and whether you can cure the default.
9. Transfer, nomination and resale before possession. Is assignment allowed, at what fee, and does the promoter's consent depend on your account being clear? Investors and families who may need to exit early should read this before, not after.
10. Dispute resolution and jurisdiction. Which forum, which city, and whether an arbitration clause sits in front of your statutory right to approach the authority. Your RERA remedy exists regardless; be clear about the sequence.

A clause-by-clause reading table

How to read it in one sitting — a practical method

Print the draft. Read it three times with a different purpose each time.

First pass, twenty minutes: read only the schedules at the back — payment plan, specifications, unit plan. That is where the commercial reality lives.

Second pass, an hour: read the body and mark every date, every percentage and every rupee figure with a highlighter. Then list them on one page. Inconsistencies between the body and the schedules show up instantly this way.

Third pass: read only the clauses that describe what happens when something goes wrong — delay, default, cancellation, force majeure, dispute. This is the half of the agreement nobody reads and the half that decides how much a problem costs you.

Then send your numbered questions by email and keep the written reply with the file. Our note on questions to ask a builder gives you a starting list.

What the Sorrel Heights documents say

The Sorrel Heights terms state that other terms of sale are as per the application form and the company's standard allotment letter, that timely payment is of the essence with interest at 18% on delays, that GST is 1% extra, and that registration charges, stamp duty, legal documentation charges and other government levies are extra and payable at the time of offer of possession. Prices are approximate and indicative, shared by Sorrel Buildcon and revised from time to time — ask for the current sheet on price list & payment plan.

Read the application form and the allotment letter alongside the agreement, because they are incorporated by reference. The sequence in which each document appears is set out on the buying process, and the company details you should match are on customer trust factors.

Ask for the draft before you pay anything

You are entitled to read the agreement before committing serious money. Ask Sorrel Buildcon for the draft along with the current price list & payment plan sheet, check the layout and unit description against the floor plans, and sit down with the team through contact the Sorrel team — D-161, Sector 3, Greater Noida West, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. A builder that hands over the draft without hesitation has already told you something useful.

Clauses that often cause disputes

• Force majeure — what events allow the builder to extend possession, and for how long.
• Escalation — whether the price can rise for any reason after booking.
• Parking — whether a slot is allotted and where.
• Maintenance — when charges start and who manages the building.

How to read it without a law degree

1. Highlight every number: dates, percentages, amounts.
2. Put the payment schedule into a spreadsheet with your loan disbursement.
3. List every "may" and "at the discretion of" — these are flexible for the builder.
4. Ask questions in writing and keep the answers.

Before you sign

Get the final version at least a few days before signing. Compare it with the application form and allotment letter, and with the Sorrel Heights specifications list. If you use a home loan, your bank's legal team will also review it — ask them to share any concerns with you.

Facts about Sorrel Heights on this page come from the official brochure and Sorrel Buildcon. General guidance is for information only — confirm rules and rates with the relevant authority before you act.