Housing projects: Compile data to identify problems
17/07/2007 By: V. THOMAS, Sungai Buloh, Selangor

IT is necessary for the various authorities and associations to collect all available information on the reasons for the problems plaguing the housing industry, especially the delay or abandoning of housing schemes that have led to much anguish and loss to thousands of housebuyers nationwide.

Data collected from those involved in the housing industry — developers, municipal councils, district offices, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association, housebuyers’ association, banks, construction contractors, law firms, etc — could give the authorities a better picture of the housing industry’s woes.

As it is, information and reasons for the delay or abandoning of housing projects is scarce, fragmentary and subjective.

They cannot be used by prospective housebuyers as a guide to gauge the viability of housing schemes.

The situation is equally bewildering to the man in the street as to why one or two phases of some projects succeed, but subsequent phases are mired in problems.

Even well-established developers are known to delay or abandon their housing schemes altogether.

Mere blacklisting will not solve the troubles facing the industry.

If those involved in the industry can compile data to find out the causes, then possibly much of its woes could be averted.

Whatever data collected would be an invaluable yardstick to all — even to other housing developers — about the pitfalls that could lead to problems in completing their houses.

The relevant parties should provide the information from the last 10 years to help housebuyers when they make their lifetime investment of buying a house.

It could also enable the government to shore up the housing industry, by way of remedial action and new legislation to protect housebuyers.