JOHOR BARU: Flats for rent under the People’s Housing Project (PPR) should not be left vacant for more than three months after the last tenant has left the unit, says Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic).
The Housing and Local Government Minister has directed all state governments to rent out the vacant units to other renters within the time frame.
She noted that the state governments will already have a database comprising a list of those who have applied to rent the PPR flats.
“The move is to ensure those on the waiting list will have a roof over their heads, ’’ she said at a press conference at a hotel here after attending the virtual handing over of house keys to owners of Taman Seri Molek Perdana Plentong by Syarikat Perumahan Negara and PPR Taman Perling Johor Baru.
The renters, said Zuraida, have the option of buying the unit under the rent-to-own scheme and they will have a two-year period to convert their monthly rental as a down payment for the flat.
She added that the calculation of the two-year period will start on day one of the signing of the tenancy agreement and the tenants have to move in to the place.
“Renters will have to vacate the place after the two-year period if they fail to secure a bank loan and if their monthly rental is insufficient to be converted into a down payment, ’’ she said.
However, she pointed out that the two-year period could be extended to another year based on a case-by-case basis.
Zuraida also said the floor area of the new PPR flats to be built starting from this year will be increased to 900sq ft per unit from the existing 650sq ft to 750sq ft.
“We want to provide comfort to those living in the PPR flats and the bigger floor plan applies to all PPR projects in the country, ’’ she said.
Her ministry will be reviewing the monthly rental of the bigger PPR flats, she said.
Zuraida said the new 11 PPR housing projects with 4,120 units, which have been approved by the government, will be renamed Rumah Malaysia this year.
