Strata title report out of alignment with facts

The Sun 08/03/2003

YOUR front page report "Strata title jam" (March 3, 2003) contains several errors.

It is not true that "official requirements do not allow private surveys to be used for issuing such titles".

The fact of the matter is that almost all the strata titles that have been registered and issued to date are based on surveys that had been carried out by private surveyors.

The Strata Titles Act specifically allows surveys to be carried out by private surveyors who are licensed by the Land Surveyors Board.

You quoted Deputy Land and Cooperative Development Minister Dr Tan Kee Kwong as having said that "developers should remit the survey fees as soon as buyers make their payment".

I assume that this refers to the payment made at the time of signing of the sale and purchase (S&P) agreement. In almost all cases, the apartment buildings would not have been built at the time of signing of the agreement.

The survey for the purpose of an application to subdivide a building for strata titles can only be carried out when the building is completed.

Tan is also reported to have said: "Our aim is to issue them (strata titles) even before the temporary certificates of fitness are issued before the purchasers get vacant possession". This is simply not practical.

Normally the period between the completion of the building and the handing over of the completed units to purchasers is a few months at most.

During this period it is just not possible to complete the survey, have the application approved, and finally have the titles prepared and issued.

Contrary to your report, the Strata Titles Act specifically allows for applications to be submitted even before permanent Certificates of Fitness are issued.

Such applications will be processed but cannot be approved until the Certificates of Fitness is issued.

If the above provision regarding CF is abolished, as the ministry is reported to be considering, then we will have strata titles being issued for buildings which have not been completed in accordance with the building bylaws.

I believe this will create problems for the purchasers.

If your article was based on "facts" supplied by the authorities, then it appears that the authorities do not know what is going on in their departments.

C.H.Ong

via e-mail