VietNamNet Bridge – Based on National Assembly deputy Nguyen Si Cuong’s opinion that some Hanoi citizens had to pay black fees of VND8 million ($400) to get the red book (land ownership certificate), Hanoi Party Chief Pham Quang Nghi directed relevant agencies to verify the information.

The apartment block in Nam Tu Liem District where local residents accused the investor of asking them to give black fees for getting the red book.

At a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee in late September, Cuong - permanent member of the NA Law Commission - pointed out problems related to the granting of “red books” in Hanoi, particularly housing projects.

According to Cuong, many apartment projects in Hanoi have been completed and handed over to users for years but the users have not had the red book.

"The red books for apartments are not granted individually or directly to apartment buyers but to the entire blocks of apartments, via the project developer. Many apartment buyers said that at the meetings with project developers, they were asked to pay VND8 million as black fees for quickly getting the red book. Many people did not pay the fees and have been waiting for the document in vain while those who paid the black money would be granted with the red book. Some went to the Department of Natural Resources to ask about their cases but they did not get any information," said deputy Cuong.

"People suspect collusion between the apartment project developers and government agencies. Does the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources know about it?" Cuong asked Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Minh Quang.

Hanoi Party Secretary Pham Quang Nghi asked the Hanoi inspectorate to investigate, particularly the two apartment projects in the districts of Nam Tu Liem and Thanh Xuan.

On December 1, the Hanoi People's Committee announced the investigation results. Nine out of 85 households in the housing project of the Hanoi Housing and Urban Area Development JSC in Nam Tu Liem District and 12 out of 150 households in the housing project of Hapulico JSC in Thanh Xuan district confirmed that the project staff had told them to pay VND8 million and VND5 million ($250), respectively, to get the land and house ownership certificates quickly.

Based on the investigation of the Hanoi Inspectors, the Hanoi People's Committee has told inspectors to transfer the case to the police for further investigation.

Thanh Lan