House buyers continue to be at the
receiving end
25/05/2004 The Sun By
Koh Bak See,
Penang
THE housing and local government minister has said that no
certificates of fitness (CFs) will be issued until houses are
completed.
I would like to laud Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting for his concern for
house buyers who are constantly cheated by unscrupulous housing
developers and his determination to take the necessary steps to
resolve the buyers' problems.
However, going by the ministry's record, I doubt that Ong will
achieve any satisfactory solution to the problems.
Two other serious lapses by the local authorities are:
Approval of the "E Form" even before the houses are fully completed;
Approval of CFs for housing developers without connecting water and
electricity supplies.
Although the minister is aware of the malpractices in his local
authorities, such illegal activities continue regardless.
In view of this, I hope the prime minister would ensure that the
Housing Ministry punishes the lawbreakers in the various local
authorities, and compels the developers to strictly adhere to the
following guidelines:
Put in sufficient funds to follow the build-then-sell concept of
development.
Refrain from handing over uncompleted projects to house buyers based
on absurd terms of vacant possession.
Adhere strictly to the sales and purchase agreements and honour late
delivery payments.
Immediately redeem the mortgaged land and houses charged to the
financing banks or institutions once the outstanding sum is fully
paid by houses owners.
Make available the management accounts of the apartments for owners'
viewing.
Help tenants to form a joint management committee to manage the
common property.
Obtain strata titles for the house buyers as stipulated in the
regulations within the specified periods.
Finally, the minister should educate the residents of high-rise
buildings to accept the concept of sharing facilities, and use the
necessary laws to coerce the house owners to pay up their monthly
maintenance fee regularly, so that the developers or their appointed
management agents have sufficient funds to manage the common
property well. |