IPOH: A group of homeowners of a housing project in Batu Gajah are demanding its developer to hand over the keys immediately after they were unable to occupy their homes despite the project's completion of more than a year.
The group, representing the 54 buyers of an apartment block, consisting mostly of civil servants, claimed to be burdened as they have to pay monthly instalments for their housing loans even though the houses they purchased were not able to be occupied.
The group's spokesperson, Mohd Noor Tarmizee Zainol, 37, claimed that several houses there have also been illegally occupied by foreign nationals, believed to be construction workers from other projects nearby.
He said in November 2022, they received a letter informing them of the handover of vacant possession keys from the developer even though the project had not yet received a Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) as confirmed by checks with the Batu Gajah District Council (MDBG).
He said a police report was lodged on Dec 17, 2022, after the developer informed that they would not be responsible for any damage to the houses if buyers did not collect the keys within 30 days, followed by another report on Oct 13, last year, after the developer again, failed to produce a valid CCC.
He alleged that the Public Sector Housing Financing Board (LPPSA) had already settled payments to the developer last October as they believed the project was completed and ready for vacant possession handover.
Mohd Noor Tarmizee, who had paid over RM60,427 in instalments for the house through salary deductions for more than three years, said he is burdened with monthly instalments of about RM1,400 for a house worth RM220,000.
Another buyer, Abdul Mukmin Mohammad, 31, said that houses there have been occupied by foreign nationals since last November.
"Foreign nationals are occupying two vacant houses there, which are feared to affect the living conditions there," he said.
A response from the housing project developer is still awaited.