New rule for faster issuance of strata titles

The Sun 13/09/2003 By Arion Yeow

Kuala Lumpur: Land offices have been directed to allow developers to apply for certificates of fitness (CFs) as soon as they receive their developer's licence and start selling.

Deputy Land and Cooperative Development Minister Dr Tan Kee Kwong said yesterday the directive to fast-track the process for CFs and allow strata titles to be issued sooner is a move to protect house buyers.

"The land office will accept the application but not approve it until the necessary requirements have been satisfied. This will speed up the process considerably." Tan said in a joint press conference with Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Peter Chin at the latter's ministry yesterday.

Presently, it takes about one to one-and-a-half years from the time of application to get strata titles. According to Tan, some Land Offices have already implemented the new procedure and the response has been "very good and encouraging".

On errant developers delaying the strata title process, Tan said his ministry is exploring the possibility of making developers pay surveying fees before occupants move in.

Presently developers are only required to apply for strata titles within six months of obtaining CF but irresponsible and unscrupulous ones can delay the process by not paying the Land Surveyors' Board's suveying fees.

He said developers can apply for strata titles before the floors of a building are built.

"As an example, the developer of a 20 storey building paid the Land Surveyors' Board and had its building surveyed after every five floors is built.

This allowed the Land Office to issue strata titles within three months of the occupants moving in."

Tan also said recent efforts by the government to fast-track the CF and strata title process has yielded results.

"New development projects are not troublesome as the authorities have a checklist and work closely with the Land Offices," he added.