Association: Make developers list buyers
29/10/2001 The Star By Clarence Chua
PETALING JAYA: It should be made mandatory for developers to exhibit the
list of purchasers, their addresses and phone numbers on the notice board
at the Local Government and Housing Ministry or the sales office, said the
House Buyers Association.
HBA secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said the proposal was to ensure that
developers indicate the actual units sold.
“This will prevent developers from creating a ‘hot’ demand to entice buyers.
What happens is that during a launch the developer will put pins on the
plan indicating that those units have been sold.
“If the buyer is really interested, it would then offer him that lot at
a higher price by accepting to ‘negotiate’ with the other buyer,” he said,
adding that the association had received 70 such complaints in the last
two years.
Chang said exhibiting the list would allow buyers to know each other, making
it easier to form a pro tem community to monitor the development of their
houses.
“Housebuyers actually pay for the development of their houses through progressive
payments. They have the right to know if their houses are built accordingly.
“If the project remains idle for one year and there is no sign of progress,
the pro tem community can then inform the Housing Ministry and local authorities
for further action,” he said.
The HBA, Chang said, also suggested that all things agreed upon signing
of the sale and purchase agreement should fall under the jurisdiction of
the newly proposed housing tribunal.
“We do not understand the rationale of capping the monetary claims at RM25,000
because there are numerous things that cannot be quantified.
“How do we attach a figure to a defective swimming pool, or failure to procure
the certificate of fitness or on stalled projects?’’
He added that most housebuyers could not afford legal suits.
