Several times a year La Prensa comes out with the reports of complaints against various businesses filed by consumers and developers always lead the pack. Judging from email I get this is certain to increase as building are being delivered over the next year or so.
Machine translated from La Prensa:
Roberto Gonzalez Jimenez
[email protected] [email protected]
The property business is still generating the most complaints in Panama.
In the first two months of the year, the Department of Settlement Authority Consumer Protection and Competition (acodec) received 87 complaints against companies in this sector, which represents 58% of the 149 complaints handled.
Distance second from the property business is the sale of used cars (27 complaints) and dealerships (15).
Most complaints against promoters were for breach of contract (31), return of deposits (20), breach of warranty (18) and hidden (5).
The president of the Panamanian Institute of Law, Consumers and Users (Ipadecu), Giovani Fletcher, explained that contractual breaches go through the drafting and implementation of unfair terms, misleading advertising concerning the qualities of the projects, charges not agreed, amendments the size of property, failure to delivery dates and the setting of occupancy permits.
Representatives of groups of developers have recognized that these practices can damage the image of Panama as the housing market, but consumers do not see that the authorities are giving the issue the attention it deserves.
"The central government administration is not necessarily getting into this subject, because they see it as one of the loads to be met by acodec" said Fletcher.
Last year alone, the public entity resolved 188 of the 433 complaints that were filed against property developers.
The acodec, which has always recommended to report any abuses, said that sometimes "can not give a more effective because it leaves the consumer's own case" or because certain claims are the responsibility of other officials.
Recommendations
Data on complaints against promoters were known a few days before the start of a new real estate exhibition in Panama.
At these events, many citizens are attracted to good deals and sometimes do not keep the reserves needed to avoid unpleasant surprises. Ipadecu President advises consumers that before any commitment to close the contract subject to review by an expert and consult on acodec if the developer has received complaints.
It also suggests that not sign contracts in which the developer is given the power to solve unilaterally, it can be fertilizers or permitted to vary the size of the apartment and charge the customer in addition.
Consumers should also require the exact date of delivery of the property and ensuring that the quality of materials and finishes will deliver the advertising and the contract.Acodec itself often involves a booth at fairs where they can meet the concerns of buyers.
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