Apartment act to help flat-owners

More than 22 lakh apartment owners in the capital will get exclusive rights on their individual flats and can sell or buy them easily if the Delhi Apartment Ownership Act 1986 is implemented effectively.

More than 22 lakh apartment owners in the capital will get exclusive rights on their individual flats and can sell or buy them easily if the Delhi Apartment Ownership Act 1986 is implemented effectively.

HT Image

The Act, however, remains in the cold storage despite the Delhi High Court’s rulings in May and July this year.

Though the Act was notified way back in 1986, and again a year later, its provisions are yet to be implemented. The Act will help those who have bought ‘builder flats’ on plots. At present, the ownership of the land is mutual and it is difficult for an individual flat-owner to change the title of the flat from leasehold to freehold. This makes it tougher for them to sell these flats.

With the Delhi government putting a ban on the sale of properties on general power of attorney, such transactions have become more difficult. The Delhi Residents’ Front, a federation of associations of apartment-owners, has been spearheading a campaign for the proper implementation of the Act.

A delegation of the front has also submitted a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, demanding that the Act be thoroughly publicised by land-owning agencies such as the Delhi Development Authority.

The front also wants promoters or group housing societies to hand over the charge of residential complexes to the apartment associations, so that flat-owners have a greater say in the management of the housing societies.