Fraudulent manner used to gain housing titles, probe told

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday 9th May 2013

 THE Public Accounts Committee has been told of the fraudulent manner in which housing titles were being given to purchasers through various home ownership schemes by the National Housing Corporation.

A report by the auditor-general found that purchasers of properties that have been paid off were still waiting for their titles to the properties. 

“NHC had not reviewed the status of the files of mortgages of applicants who had paid the contract amount in full and are waiting for the transfer to be completed by NHC,” the report stated.

It said as the rental/mortgaged amount was deducted by the Department of Finance and not released to the NHC, it refused to transfer the titles until mortgage money was transferred or compensation paid. 

PAC chairman and Bogia MP John Hickey told NHC managing director John Dege yesterday: “When NHC signs a contract with a purchaser, it’s legally binding but I don’t understand why you signed the legal contract and you fail to meet your obligation.”

Hickey said he received a lot of complaints from purchasers of properties who had paid for the properties but not given the titles.