Rehda lauds move to expedite CF issue

NST-PROP 30/8/2003

The Government’s move to reduce the number of technical agencies required to certify residential properties for the issue of Certificates of Fitness for Occupation (CFs) has been welcomed by the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda).

“By requiring clearance from only one technical department and placing greater reliance on self-certification by professionals, the process of issuing CFs should be significantly speeded up,” Rehda president Datuk Jeffrey Ng said.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting announced recently that developers would from now be required to obtain certification only from the Department of Sewerage Services, before submitting their applications for CFs to the local councils.

Previously, the developers had to obtain the nod from this department as well as the Fire and Rescue Services, the departments of Waterworks, Public Works and Drainage and Irrigation, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and Telekom Malaysia Bhd before going to the local councils for the CFs.

Ong said Telekom was dropped because it had nothing to do with building fitness, while developers would have to enter into service-level agreements with Waterworks and TNB before starting their projects, instead of after completion.

As for the Public Works and Drainage and Irrigation, the architect or engineer submitting the building plans must make a self-certification, thus eliminating the need for officers from these departments to provide the approvals.

Although the new ruling shifted the onus of responsibility solely on the developer, the minister said, it would in no way shortchange owners since the architects and engineers were regulated by their respective Acts and ethics boards.

Rehda’s Ng agreed, saying that the streamlining should enhance the efficiency of the housing delivery system.

“Self-certification will ensure that the certifying professional accepts full responsibility for the building’s safety and fitness. It is also in line with the promotion of good governance, with less finger-pointing by all the agencies involved,” he said.

With the implementation of the new approval system, Ng added, house buyers would no longer have to wait a long time for the CFs to their houses as the certificates would be issued within 14 days of delivery of vacant possession.