India, March 22 -- A Bengaluru-based homebuyer looking to buy an apartment said he was asked to pay an additional Rs.2-2.5 lakh for parking over and above the apartment's base price of about Rs.85 lakh. The charge was presented as mandatory despite already paying for common areas, raising concerns over transparency and possible overcharging.

Legal experts point out that developers cannot charge separately for stilt or open parking as independent saleable units, citing the Supreme Court's ruling in the Nahalchand Laloochand Pvt Ltd vs Panchali Cooperative Housing Society Ltd case, which held that such parking spaces are part of common areas and cannot be sold separately, though their cost may be included in the overall flat price.

"This ...