House Buyers Group Formed

18/10/1999 Malay Mail

If you want to know your legal rights before buying a house, the newly-formed House Buyers Association is just what you need.

The association, formed last Saturday, does not aim to become a champion of house buyers but to ensure that their rights are protected and that the respective government agencies do their work.

Its pro-tem vice-chairman Kapt (r) Mohd Shah Daud said the association was formed following a seminar by the Selangor & Federal Territory Consumers' Association on Sept 25 which highlighted many problems of property buyers.

He said they would submit an application to register the association with the Registrar of Societies today.

He said the association would not only focus on problems faced by landed property owners but also owners of shop lots and strata properties such as apartment and condominiums.

He said the association was just like the Housing Developers' Association but it would look after the interests of property buyers.

"Our objective is to impress upon government agencies, including the Housing and Local Government Ministry and local councils, that buyers' rights must come first," he said.

He said government agencies would be pressured to ensure that when they approve a development project, they must follow the progress until the last document is signed.

He said the association would ensure that problems concerning house buyers would be solved quickly.

"We will also be monitoring and identifying new development projects and send our representatives for the launching of these projects to inform the buyers of their legal rights," he said.

Mohd Shah said the association aimed to make the future house buyers aware of their rights before buying a property.

He has received many calls from buyers wanting to become members of the association.

"As for the complaints, we advise them to fax to us. Once we are registered, all complaints will be looked into," he said.

The association has two lawyers in charge of its legal bureau.

It can be contacted at No. 31, Level 3, Jalan Barat, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100, Kuala Lumpur.

The Housing and local Government Ministry is not doing its job well in solving house buyers problems, the newly-formed House Buyers Association alleged today.

"That is the reason for forming this association," said, pro-tem committee vice chairman Capt (rtd) Mohd Shah Daud, adding that many house buyers had complained to the ministry directly and through its website.

"But not many problems have been solved. We found out about this during a seminar on housing problems, organised by the Selangor and Federal Territory Association last month."

Mohd. Shah said of late some of the problems had been solved…"that too after being pressured by many quarters including consumer associations.

"That is one of our objectives. We want to apply pressure on the ministry and also act as watchdog so that problems concerning house buyers will be solved quickly."

Among their other objectives, Mohd Shah said, was to advise their members accordingly. " Not many of them know where to go when they have a problem with their houses.

"Usually the Housing Ministry's job is done after the buyers has taken vacant possession of the property.

"After that any complaints pertaining to the property would come under the jurisdiction of the Land and Cooperatives Development Ministry. But not many people know that."

He said the ministries had all the acts and regulations to solve the problems but, more often that not, were slow in acting.

Among the common problems voiced by house owners was the non-issuance of the certificate of fitness and the lack of electricity and water supply.

There was also a case, said Mohd. Shah, where the developer absconded with some RM2 million in down payments from potential buyers."

"When he was brought to court, he was let off the hook. The house owners are still paying the bank loans but they have no property to show.

"How can the ministry allow this to happen? Someone has to do something and we feel the forming of this association is long overdue."

House buyers, he said were taking a high risk by booking a house. "They do not know what the end product would be like or if there will ever be an end product at all.

"Moving into their own houses should be a happy occasion … not in anger and frustration and with defects to their properties."

Mohd Shah said they would be writing to the Housing and Local Government Ministry to be allowed to sit in at a meeting on Oct 21 where amendments to the existing Acts and regulations would be discussed.

The pro-tem chairman is Datuk Zainuddin Bachik, secretary is Chang Kim Loong.

House owners with problems can contact the association at No.31 , Level 3, Jalan Barat, Off Jalan Imbi 55100.