Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH – Housing Minister Majed Al-Hoqail is expected to attend a Shoura session on Wednesday to reply to queries from the Council's Haj, Housing and Services Committee as well as some 300 observations made by citizens regarding housing services in the country.

Dr. Faisal Al-Fadil, a member of the 150-strong Shoura Council told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the committee would emphasize the need to appoint a technical committee to review the condition of newly-built housing units before the ministry hands them over to citizens.

The Shoura also wanted the ministry to set out a time-frame to hand over housing units to limited income groups. The ministry should not allow commercial banks to exploit citizens seeking housing loans by charging high profit rates and imposing difficult conditions, he added.

Al-Fadil said the Shoura members would ask the minister about the suitability of new housing products, announced recently with requirements of Saudi families. “The issue of high profit rates charged by banks for housing loans will top the agenda,” he pointed out.

The members will question the poor performance of the ministry despite the huge facilities and powers the ministry has including land, finance and new laws. “Many citizens have discarded housing products of the ministry as they do not keep up with their expectations.”

The ministry will be asked to explain the obstacles it faces in marketing their products and the solutions to overcome such obstacles. It should also present better products to meet the requirements of citizens in the country, Al-Fadil said.

Dr. Khaled Al-Oqail, another member, welcomed the minister to the consultative body and emphasized the need to explain the ministry’s plans and strategies to provide housing to limited income groups. “The ministry should set out a schedule to hand over their housing units.”

He referred to the problems being faced by citizens while receiving housing units; they have to obtain clearance from banks and see a number of defects in construction, plumbing and electrical works. “As a result many citizens are hesitant to purchase such homes.”

He said the ministry should set up a technical committee to check housing units before handing them over to owners. The committee should issue quality and guarantee certificates to ensure that the housing units are constructed in the best manner using good materials.

Al-Oqail said the ministry’s decision to push citizens to purchase housing loans from banks was a mistake. “In my view the Real Estate Development Fund should have continued to provide housing loans to citizens. This will give them freedom to either purchase his home or get finance, instead of approaching banks that charge huge profit rates,” he explained.