Give buyers a better choice

NST 08/03/2006

I HAVE bought property from developers in five different locations in Malaysia and, in each case, I had a traumatic experience ensuring the property was in ship shape condition and that defects were fully rectified during the warranty period.

Today, with the influx of foreign labour and the existence of dubious sub-contractors, most buyers have been at the receiving end of "shoddy workmanship and fictitious certification".

The comment that "we developers have to grease the palms of the officers" is not proper.

To condone this practice is not only an offence but will only allow this culture to grow. The end result will be more expensive houses.

In all cases of certification and quality control, the approving authority is always a government agency.

Experience has shown that when professional bodies carry out their own regulatory control and policing, complaints from the public seldom receive the necessary action or prompt response.

The latest comment, comparing the sale of a house to selling chicken is an incorrect analogy and absurd.

A more comparable example could be of selling a car.

In the car industry, before getting a product into the market, there are 15 government agencies and regulatory bodies involved in the approval process.

Then you will have to contend with a host of contractors and component manufacturers.

In the end, customers have a choice to buy a quality product, completely built up and even get to test drive it.

If developers are really interested in promoting their properties, please build and sell completed houses.

Buyers will then have the freedom to buy quality houses, free of defects or encumbrances.

The argument that prices of houses will go up is flawed reasoning since in a democratic society, free market forces and economic conditions will always determine the final selling price.

It is time that the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association played a more proactive role to regulate their members and gave the general public a fair shake. The Government should enforce the concept of "build and sell".

K.S.  Stephen

Petaling Jaya