LETTERS: The National Housing Policy (2018 to 2025) aims to drive the national housing sector towards people owning sustainable, livable, high-quality and inclusive habitats.
Among the policies are the provision and maintenance of high-quality housing, which is affordable to the public.
It is the responsibility of homeowners to ensure that the homes are in good condition and in accordance with specifications. Owners must examine the homes' compliance with the specifications as stated in the sale and purchase agreement.
After that, homeowners need to identify defects. Inaccurate specifications, as well as defects, can ruin the excitement of home ownership.
Thus, a home inspection is required following the handover.
This is to identify issues with the house's specifications as well as defects during the defect liability period (DLP).
Defects discovered during the DLP are the developer's responsibility.
The minimum liability period is 18 months, and the maximum period is 24 months, as specified in the home purchase agreement.
Failure to report defects at an early stage will lead to more problems once the DLP expires.
Many homeowners are not aware of the existence or benefits of DLP.
Homeowners can perform inspections to ensure compliance with specifications and the identification of defects.
However, a lack of knowledge and skills will make it difficult to do it appropriately.
Otherwise, the services of a qualified and experienced building surveyor can overcome homeowners' concerns.
Homeowners can hire building surveyors who are qualified and recognised by the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia and the Malaysian Association of Registered Building Surveyors. Their experts will look at hidden defects from a difficult point of view. This will provide advantages and benefits to homeowners.
In addition, homeowners will be assisted in compiling a list of defects.
This report can be used as a reference and as evidence when submitting a defect repair claim with developers during the DLP.
This report also can be used as a reference for homeowners in the case of latent defects or claims related to structural damage in the future.
Apart from the professional services by registered building surveyors, the government, through the Housing and Local Government Ministry, established the Housing and Strata Management Tribunal (TPPS) to protect the rights of homeowners.
Among the types of houses involved are terraces, semi-detached, bungalows, apartments, condominiums and townhouses.
TPPS consists of the Tribunal for Homebuyers' Claims (TTPR) and the Strata Management Tribunal (TPS).
TTPR's function is limited to claims made by homebuyers on housing developments based on sale and purchase agreements only in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.
The types of technical claims that can be filed involve house plans, compliance with specifications, joint defects and building materials.
Non-technical claims involve the assignment of vacant title, return of deposit and consequential claims as stipulated in the sale and purchase agreement.
To summarise, homes are assets that must be cared for from the moment they are bought. The ideal homes must be sustainable, environmentally friendly, livable and provide a safe habitat.
If they are not properly managed, their operating and maintenance costs will rise dramatically. Now is the time to inspect your home.
DR IRWAN MOHAMMAD ALI
Senior lecturer,
Department of Built Environment and Technology,
Universiti Teknologi Mara, Perak
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times