Construction defects threaten safety of some new properties: Report

Published: 22 September 2024

Investors demand a specialized committee to protect owners’ rights

NT Bureau
Doha

A number of investors and property owners have accused some companies and real estate developers of not adhering to the standard criteria and specifications in construction, and nor do they care about the quality of the materials and the method of implementation, and ensure the safety of the structures before delivery.

Talking to Al Sharq daily, they pointed out their agony after discovering many construction defects such as cracks, fissures and leaks in their apartments, and other defects that affect the safety and value of the building, some of which may appear shortly after the completion of construction.

They told the daily that real estate developers were procrastinating until the warranty period ended without making actual improvements to the apartments and the building, pointing out the importance of having a clear and easy mechanism for owners to file complaints and obtain compensation in the event that they discover any defects.

They called for specific procedures for filing complaints and adjudicating them quickly and effectively. They called for the necessity of having a specialized committee or body to file complaints to ensure the quality of work.

They called on everyone to be careful when dealing with developers and to ensure their rights and duties to ensure a safer and more transparent investment experience.

Dr. Khalid Abdullah Al-Mohannadi, a lawyer at the Court of Cassation and an expert in real estate development cases, explained that the real estate sector has been exposed to several problems, most notably the entry of non-serious real estate development companies and speculators who aim to seize buyers’ money through contracts containing unfair terms that harm their rights.

Al-Mohannadi pointed out that some of these contracts include manipulation of the terms of implementation and delivery or final areas, which leads to a loss of confidence in the field of real estate development.

He also pointed out that some developers’ violation of the agreed contracts, whether in terms of delivery dates or quality of implementation, may lead to the collapse of this sector.

Engineer Mohammed Hassan Al-Naimi, a member of the Qatar Society of Engineers, believes that first, the contracted company must be credible, and have a number of well-executed projects, or have received praise from its clients. He pointed out that it is necessary to be patient before contracting and to seek the help of legal offices to review the contract with those companies before approving it, in order to consider the extent to which the contract protects the interests of each party and achieves the objectives required by the contractor.