No GST Burden on Apartment Residents: Finance Ministry Clarifies Rules to Ease Confusion

The Finance Minister of India (Nirmala Sitaraman) has notified parliament that individuals residing in apartments are not required to adhere to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regulations. This advantage is also applicable to those individuals paying monthly maintenance fees over Rs. 7500. The responsibility of adherence is completely on the apartment association and not on residents.

The Finance Ministry highlighted, “No GST compliance requirements have been placed upon the residents of apartments, irrespective of the monthly maintenance amount paid.”

Below are the key highlights of what the Finance Minister said in a written reply to Lok Sabha:

• If the aggregate turnover limit exceeds Rs. 20 lakh (In special categories, the limit is Rs. 10 lakh) in a financial year, the apartment associations must register under GST.
• If the monthly maintenance per individual in the apartment exceeds Rs. 7,500, then they are exempted from GST.
• Apartment residents are not responsible for GST payment or registration.
• Apartment residents are not required to issue any certification or declaration regarding the liability of GST.

The Finance Minister also emphasized that those who fail to pay GST have also been awarded with an option of paying a reduced or no penalty if the amount that needs to be paid is cleared within a stipulated time. Furthermore, to enhance adherence and awareness, initiatives such as Taxpayer Samvad, workshops, and awareness programs are regularly organized.

The motive behind this action is to eliminate confusion among residents of apartments and housing societies related to the tax responsibilities and ensure GST compliance.