India, Sept. 21 -- A 40% increase in common area maintenance (CAM) charges at Noida's Cleo County housing society has triggered multiple protests by its residents since September 5, putting the spotlight on a wider problem that has surfaced repeatedly in India's large gated communities about what happens to maintenance, common funds and shared facilities after homebuyers take possession.

A similar dispute has been running for weeks in Gurugram's Sector 37D. HT reported on August 24 that residents of BPTP's Park Serene, Park Generation and Park Spacio said CAM charges had risen from Rs.3.57 to Rs.4.27 per sq ft, a roughly 20% increase. They also alleged that the builder charged a 20% management fee on top of another 5% levied by a private...