Hyderabad: Abnormal delay in construction of apartments and villas by big construction firms and small-time builders has been causing untold misery to flat buyers and original landowners in cities like Hyderabad, Vizag and elsewhere in AP. There are several cases of consumer forums fining big builders like Alien Developers and Maytas. Cheating cases have been booked in some instances. Despite that, builders continue to delay the construction causing misery to buyers who paid money.
Recently, in a judgement, the Hyderabad consumer forum found fault with a builder who delayed the handover of flats, and asked him to pay compensation to landowners. More and more flat buyers are knocking on the doors of the forum for relief.
The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Reddressal forum-3 passed the order in a complaint filed by M Narsimha Rao and M Sadodith, residents of Prashantinagar in Saidabad against builder SP Haridayal’s construction company. The forum ordered builders to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the delay and hand over possession of the completed flats that are due to landowners as their share immediately.
In 2010, a development agreement was struck for completion of the flats in 18 months from the date of obtaining permission with a grace period of three months. The complainants alleged that the builder failed to comply with the terms of the development agreement and failed to deliver the constructed space within time. The builder failed to complete the flooring, fix doors and windows and do electrical work.
In another case, Amitendu Patnaik, a resident of Erragadda, complained against Sanathnagar enterprises in Hyderabad consumer forum 3. The complainant booked a flat “Casa Paradiso” of the Lodha Group in Sanathnagar for Rs 46 lakh and the complainant was promised it would be delivered in 2012.
The complainant alleged that there was delay in getting possession of the flats and that he had paid excess amounts. The forum ordered the builder to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh as well as costs.
