The Penang Municipal Council will be asked to formulate guidelines to ensure developers inform potential buyers of highrise units of any amendments made to building plans of their units.

Council's licensing and petty traders committee alternate chairman Wong Mun Hoe said yesterday that developers would only show their purchasers the original building plans approved by the council and not any subsequent changes to architectural designs and layout.

"In many cases, buyers feel cheated when the completed units do not meet the specifications of the original plan,'' he told newsmen during a visit to Lavinia Apartments and Taman Sri Nibong here.

He said developers must not be allowed to get away with making amendments as they like to suit their budget at the expense of the buyers.

"The council must examine the problem since it knows that such a problem exists and seek a mechanism to control it,'' he said, adding that he would propose the guidelines at the next council meeting.

Wong also said that it was now compulsory for developers to list down common properties in highrise blocks before the council would approve the building plans.

He said this was to avoid future disputes between the developer and the management committee over the usage of common properties.

Wong and council's landscape and beautification committee alternate chairman Goh Kheng Sneah visited the Lavinia Apartments and Taman Sri Nibong to look into residents' woes.

Wong said he would help the 4,000 Taman Sri Nibong residents to form a residents committee to identify problems faced in the area and to highlight them to the relevant authorities.