Numerous violations at apartment buildings in Vinh City have angered residents.
The recent protests and demands for rights by residents of the Bong Sen apartment building in Quang Trung ward (Vinh City) are not new. Many other apartment buildings in Vinh City have violations that affect the rights of residents.
Numerous violations
The Bong Sen apartment building, constructed in 2011 by Nghe An Tourism Joint Stock Company, is a 22-story building housing 140 households. Although the apartments were handed over to residents in 2013, the developer has yet to establish a Management Board, leading to many management and maintenance issues remaining unresolved.
A resident of this apartment building expressed frustration that the lack of an official Management Board has resulted in unclear handling of the 2% maintenance fee. Furthermore, after many years of use, several aspects of the building have seriously deteriorated and have not been repaired in a timely manner. The elevators frequently break down; the drainage system is in disrepair... significantly impacting the residents' daily lives.
Residents also complained that the developer has not yet provided a community center in accordance with legal regulations, causing inconvenience for residents' collective activities.
The Bao Son apartment building on Le Loi Street (Hung Binh Ward) is another problematic case that has caused public outrage. Since 2016, Bao Son Investment and Tourism Group Joint Stock Company (the investor) has been constructing this apartment building under the name "High-class commercial and residential building". The building has 31 floors and a construction area of 1,940.0 square meters.2Low-rise (terraced) houses with 4 floors and a mezzanine, a total of 13 plots, with a construction land area of 1,101.1m².2.
It is noteworthy that after construction was completed, more than 500 apartment units were handed over and residents moved in. However, subsequent inspections by authorities revealed that the project's legal documents lacked an investment policy decision from the Provincial People's Committee. Therefore, the investor and relevant agencies proceeding with investment preparation and project implementation without an investment policy decision is contrary to the law.
This is precisely why the building has been unable to obtain the acceptance certificate from the competent authority – specifically the Ministry of Construction – and therefore cannot proceed with the next steps to issue land ownership certificates to residents.
Similarly, the Vinaconex 9-CT B apartment building is located at the intersection of Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Boulevard and the 72m road, in Hamlet 19, Nghi Phu Commune (Vinh City). This project is invested by Construction Company No. 9, headquartered in Hanoi. Although they bought apartments and moved in more than 10 years ago, to date, about 70 households here have not yet been granted Certificates of Land Use Rights, Ownership of Houses and Other Assets Attached to Land... In addition, residents are also frustrated with the damaged and leaking roofs of the apartment building; the elevators are long-term malfunctions; and the maintenance budget has not been clarified, so for a long time, residents have had to contribute money to repair the damage themselves...
The province currently has approximately 110 real estate development projects with apartment buildings, comprising over 140 buildings. Of these, more than 95 buildings have been constructed and put into use, providing nearly 15,000 apartments to meet the housing needs of the people.
However, in reality, many shortcomings still exist regarding apartment projects, leading to disputes and complaints that affect people's lives. In particular, the progress and quality of technical and social infrastructure, maintenance, public sanitation, and fire safety systems in many apartment buildings have deteriorated and do not meet regulations. The lack of parking spaces in apartment buildings, forcing residents to encroach on sidewalks and roads for parking, has also become a serious problem, causing urban disorder, environmental pollution, and affecting the city's aesthetics.
Strengthen management
On November 5, 2021, the People's Committee of Vinh City issued Decision No. 5694/QD-UBND approving the Project "Administrative Management of Apartment Complexes and New Urban Areas in Vinh City for the period 2021-2025".
This project aims to improve the quality of management and operation of apartment buildings and new urban areas in the city. It reviews compliance with construction permits for apartment projects related to the issuance of land use rights certificates, ownership certificates for houses and other assets attached to the land, which affect the legitimate rights and interests of residents. At the same time, it contributes to resolving disputes and complaints that have occurred recently.
However, given the long-standing shortcomings, resolving pressing issues that directly affect the rights and interests of the people is proving very difficult.
Recently, on October 1, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 8532/UBND-CN regarding the implementation of the Housing Law, the Government Decree on the renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings, and ensuring apartment building safety during the rainy and stormy season. Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee requires project investors to strictly comply with regulations on the management and use of apartment buildings in accordance with the law. This includes paying attention to organizing apartment building conferences to establish management boards; preparing and handing over apartment building documents; and handing over maintenance funds to the management board.
Strengthen the maintenance of construction works in accordance with the law; review, inspect, and take measures to reinforce and brace common areas of old apartment buildings that may become unsafe during natural disasters, storms, and floods, such as roofs, elevated water tanks, and gypsum ceilings, to ensure absolute safety for people and property.
The Provincial People's Committee has instructed the Vinh City People's Committee to regularly review and immediately implement solutions to relocate residents from old, dangerous, and dilapidated apartment buildings that are subject to demolition according to regulations, and to arrange temporary housing for relocated households to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
It is evident that the frustrations faced by apartment buyers in Vinh City are preventable. The key is for state management agencies to regularly review and inspect developers who are behind schedule; failing to fulfill financial obligations; owing taxes; lacking legal procedures; and failing to promptly issue land ownership certificates to residents after transfer of ownership. By strengthening inspections, detecting and strictly handling cases of legal violations when apartments are not yet eligible for sale, and even resolutely preventing residents from moving in before meeting the necessary conditions, the resulting frustrations will be mitigated.
