Lower maintenance fees likely soon
THE SUN 22/05/2004

SHAH ALAM: Selangor's 200,000 high-rise dwellers may pay lower monthly maintenance fees in the near future, if the efforts of the
state government bear fruit.

The state will introduce a set of guidelines for developers to charge apartment owners more reasonable maintenance fees.

Selangor state executive councillor for housing Datuk Mohamed Mokhtar Ahmad Dahlan told the State Assembly sitting here yesterday.

The government could not implement the same rates for all apartments as they differed in terms of facilities offered.

Replying to Teng Chang Khim (DAP-Sungai Pinang) during question time, he said the guide-lines were being introduced following complaints from apartment owners that the developers charged them exorbitant maintenance fees.

Replying to Datuk Mad Aris Mad Yusof (BN-Cempaka), Mohamed Mokhtar said there were currently no low-cost flats that were deemed qualified to have management corporations, as none had achieved the requirements under Section 64 or 64A of the Strata Ownership Act 1985.

He said that as part of the preparation towards the establishment of such corporations, the Selangor Housing and Property Board had created a pre-management corporation.

Currently, apartment owners pay between eight and 12 sen a sq ft as maintenance Charges, and up to even 45 sen a sq ft for higher-end apartments.