Beware of crooks, house buyers told

 04/11/2003 The Star By Mazwin Nik Anis

JOHOR BARU: Buyers have been warned about crooks who are out to cheat them by claiming that they can help them buy a low-cost house for a fee of RM5,000.

State Housing Committee chairman Samat Aripin said many low and medium-cost houses were readily available in the market and there was no need for buyers to pay extra to secure a house.

Those who had been approached by such individuals should report the matter to the police or the state Housing Department, he said.

“I hope buyers will check information given by the ‘middlemen’ as there might not be any house available for them although they have parted with their money.”

“I will also investigate to determine if any department staff is involved in this and appropriate action will be taken against the culprit,” he said in an interview here yesterday.

Of late, individuals claiming to be brokers or middlemen have been selling low-cost houses to those who are not entitled to buy such units.

The middlemen claimed they could help buyers acquire units costing RM35,000.

Samat said under the state’s public housing programme, 260,000 units of low and medium-cost houses would be built and 50,000 had been completed and occupied.

Samat said those earning RM2,000 a month were entitled to buy units costing RM25,000 while those earning between RM2,500 and RM3,000 a month were eligible to buy houses costing RM50,000 and RM80, 000, respectively.