HOUSING-related complaints filed before the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) in Central and Eastern Visayas have gone down by 80 percent since 2012, a top official of the agency said.
HLURB Eastern and Central Visayas Director Alixes Roy Lopez said the figure is a reflection of the improved transparency of developers and the conscious effort of homeowners to monitor construction.
Common complaints received by the agency include substandard housing units, substandard land development and substandard construction materials used for both house and lot and condominium projects.
Prior to the strict implementation of the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Association or RA 9904, the agency received at least 20 complaints in a month, said Lopez.
“But now complaints decreased by 80 percent. The Magna Carta was an effective instrument in establishing harmonious relationship between homeowners, the association and the developers,” said Lopez.
The HLURB regional chief encouraged buyers to monitor their investments, especially in the construction phase, to make sure their houses are well built.
“Whether it is a big or small-scale house unit, you need to monitor it because it is your investment,” said Lopez.
Prior to buying properties, Lopez also urged buyers to check with HLURB if the developer already has a license to sell and if the proposed development already has road access and other important amenities like potable water and guaranteed power.
“This way, we will be able to improve transparency among developers and help buyers become smarter when buying properties,” said Lopez.
With the election time nearing, Lopez also disclosed they expect a slowdown of output (in terms of new licenses) but he expects a recovery after the election.
“Private investors may put on hold plans to expand projects, as they are on a wait-and-see stance on the results of the election,” said Lopez, adding that they have seen the same pattern in the past years.