Housing tribunal can hear claims above RM25,000
The Sun 29/6/2004

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tribunal For Homebuyer Claims will be empowered to handle claims related to the sale and purchase of houses exceeding RM25,000, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said Tuesday.

However, the ceiling for the claims was still being studied and would be fixed later, he said after launching the book, Tribunal For Homebuyer Claims -- A Housebuyer Guide, at his ministry here.

He said beginning September, the tribunal would send representatives to hear buyers' complaints against developers in Penang and Kedah.

As of last Saturday, 6,604 cases had been registered with the tribunal, of which 3,354 cases had been resolved and 3,250 cases expected to be settled soon.

Action would be taken against the 66 developers who refused to settle the awards given to the buyers, he added.

Ong said the Housing Developers Act 1966 would also be amended to include serviced apartments, which are considered residential property, under the Act.

Meanwhile, National Housebuyers Association secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said the tribunal should be given the power to hear claims up to RM50,000.

He said that since house buying was very crucial and the prices of houses were much higher compared with other consumer products, the figure at RM50,000 would be fair and reasonable.