Outlook Money
Those residents who live in the housing societies pay monthly maintenance fee for the upkeep of the areas and services.
Under the tax rules, a society managed by a registered Residents Welfare Association (RWA) or cooperative housing society has residents who are exempt from paying GST on maintenance fees.
The conditions to be met are as follows: RWA's total turnover should be less than Rs 20 lakh (Rs 10 lakh in some states), and the monthly maintenance per unit should not exceed Rs 7,500.
If the maintenance charges per apartment exceed Rs 7,500 and RWA's turnover exceeds Rs 20 lakh, then GST is at 18 per cent.
GST is applied to the entire maintenance amount that is paid.
A GST registration under Service Accounting Code (SAC) is important for the builders to obtain, when they provide services related to building maintenance and renovations.
It is important for the residents to check that the maintenance bills they pay are complying with the GST laws and that the builder or RWA is registered appropriately.