Dr Azimuddin: 'The board's powers include the settling of disputes'

KUALA LUMPUR: Residents of apartments and condominiums can soon bring complaints they have against the buildings' managements to the Strata Titles Board. 

“By August, the boards in Penang, Johor and Malacca should be operational,” said Land and Mines Department director (strata titles section) Dr Azimuddin Bahari. 

He said the three state governments had already approved the formation of the boards, and were “on the verge of gazetting the rules” for the boards. 

He added that the Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Department was still looking for the right personnel to sit on the board. 

The Strata Titles Act was amended in Dec 1, 2001, to include the formation of a board in every state. 

The board is empowered to look into disputes between residents and the management corporation in charge of their building. 

Some of the board's powers include the settling of disputes such as cost of repairs involving defects in a parcel, the sub-divided building or its common properties. 

“For example, if the management makes repairs in the premises and charges the owner exorbitant rates, the owner can bring the matter to the board,” Dr Azimuddin told The Star in an interview. 

He added that the board could also vary interest rates if the management had imposed an unreasonable rate on late payment of maintenance fees. 

Last year, 29% of complaints received by the National House Buyers Association (HBA) from over 37,810 owners were related to the problem of strata titles. 

HBA secretary general Chang Kim Loong said of the 29%, at least one fifth, or more than 2,000 complaints, could be resolved with the formation of the board.