Housing tribunal for Penang
21/05/2004 The Sun

PENANG: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is considering setting up a House Buyers Claims Tribunal (HBCT) in Penang to handle house buyers' problems in the northern region.

State housing, culture, arts and heritage committee chairman Syed Ameruddin Syed Ahmad (BN-Bayan Lepas) said he met the ministry's officials recently who revealed that they currently do not have the personnel to expand the tribunal to outside Kuala Lumpur but is considering the option in the near future.

He said the officials, however, clarified that HBCT, which became operational in 2002, will be temporarily transferred to Penang if there are more than 100 cases.

"The public here can now have their problems heard by the tribunal for consideration and they do not have to go to Kuala Lumpur anymore," he said in his winding-up speech at the state assembly meeting yesterday.

Syed Amiruddin said tribunal hearings may commence in two months.

Ameruddin also said two types of claims can be made to the tribunal, which are on technicals including house defects and not following specifications as stated in the sales and purchase (S&P) agreement.

"The other is on non-technicals which are more on the delays and late house delivery by the developers," he said.