Scrutinise S&P agreement before buying property

The Star 15/08/2001 By Angela Rao

HOUSEBUYERS are advised to scrutinise the conditions out in their sales and purchase agreement before the sale is sealed.

City Hall deputy director-general (operations) Ruslin Hasan said this would save them the hassle of being caught in problems in when buying properties.

"Some of the liabilities such as payment and arrears owed by the former houseowners are either borne by the buyers or the auctioneers.

"However some people fail to check their documents and then regret it, he said in response to complaints raised by A. Plendran, who bought a house in Bandar Tun Razak through an auction in 1994 but has been unable to sell the unit as the former owner had not settled RM600 in assessment charges.

"As far as we are concerned, it is the houseowner's responsibility to look into all these matters before they buy a house under auction.

"We do not entertain such cases because it doesn't matter who owns the house now but the main issue is that the assessment charges had not been paid," Ruslin said.

Plendran said he did not check the agreement for the conditions.

"I am now in the process of selling off the property but I can't sell it as the lawyers are concerned about the arrears," he said.

He, however, has decided to take the matter to court as he felt it was unfair for him to pay RM600 in arrears when he did not live in the house during that the said period.