FIJIANS hoping to purchase a new or existing property can seek advice from the Consumer Council of Fiji on steps they can take to ensure they make the right decision with their purchase.
Consumer Council of Fiji chief executive officer Premila Kumar said the council advised consumers on a regular basis to always buy a home or piece of land within their budget.
“Consumers need to look at the condition of the house that they are buying or the land and see if it’s worth what they are paying for,” she said.
“When building or buying homes it is equally important to get the valuation done and conduct a background research on the property first before buying it.”
She said the council handled complaints related to properties during and after it’s purchased.
“The council has been receiving complaints from past years when it comes to real estate agents; solicitors involvement in concluding the deal, engineers for cyclone certificate, valuers, and bankers delaying the process,” she said.
“The council had set up Debt Management and Consumer Advisory Unit to assist consumers with home loans and mortgage-related issues.
“The council has an Alternative Dispute and Resolution (ADR) division that looks into all consumer complaints and mediates when the need arises.”
She said complaints received via the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) were addressed by the respective NCH Division.
“The council intervenes when formal complaints are lodged at the council. Complaints are lodged through National Consumer Helpline on toll-free number 155. “They also email complaints@consumersfiji.org or visit council office to register their complaints,” she said.
When purchasing a piece of land or a home, it is important that proper checks on the following are done prior to obtaining your loan:
? Check the title of the property to ensure the property is under the rightful owner;
? Establish the type and size of land ( freehold, crown lease, native lease, housing authority sublease);
? Ensure any outstanding land rates/ground rent/town and city rates are cleared;
? No caveats held on the property;
? Description of the property is as on the title or as per the record;
? Engineer’s certificate is current and so is the valuation report; and
? Utility bills are cleared.
