VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has released a decree detailing fines for land administration offences, which range from VND500,000 ($23) to VND1 billion ($47,600) depending on the violation.

The Government has released a decree detailing fines for land administration offences, which range from VND500,000 ($23) to VND1 billion ($47,600) depending on the violation.— File Photo

Organisations responsible for transferring licenses and land use rights to homebuyers will be fined between VND10 million ($475) and VND1 billion ($47,600) for failing to meet deadlines. If licenses for 100 households are not transferred within one year, the responsible organisation will be issued fines ranging from VND500 million ($23,800) to VND1 billion ($47,600). Organisations face fines twice those imposed on individuals.

A resident of Nam Tu Liem District's Dai Mo Ward said that the decree was good because the threat of strict punishment would get the work completed faster. She said that she had lived in the ward since 1970, but had never received land and house use rights certificates. More than 10 other households in the area were in the same situation.

The residents had petitioned the district people's committee many times, but received the answer that they should keep waiting.

"My house is old and I want to repair it, but I was not allowed to because I did not have enough papers," she said.

Dat Lanh Real Estate deputy director Nguyen Van Duc told Nguoi lao dong (Labourer) newspaper that the fine of VND1 billion ($47,600) was too high for enterprises to afford in the current economic situation.

"Every enterprise wants to transfer land use rights certificates to residents quickly, but sometimes the work goes slowly due to small problems," Duc said.

He cited one instance where an enterprise built a 17-storey building with 16 completed storeys, but one storey had flaws, making the transfer process slow.

Complicated procedures were the main reason for the slowness, he said, recommending that district people's committees be wholly responsible for the job. Currently, the document is sent first to the local department of natural resources and environment before being returned to the people's committee for processing.

Former Standing Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Si Liem said that the punishment of VND1 billion ($47,600) was not fair for investors, who also struggled with complicated administrative procedures.

"The decree will not help residents get land use rights certificates sooner," he said.

Liem suggested defining clearly what "slow" land use right certificate transfer was and whether houses must be transferred together with land use right certificates.

Source: VNS