This post was automatically translated into English
The state should encourage the formation of communities and ensure that the purchased housing is of high quality.
The state should encourage the formation of communities and ensure that the purchased housing is of high quality.
Banning new construction in Vilnius’ Old Town will not protect it from further collapse, say representatives of the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association (LNTPA). “Paradoxically, in Lithuania we have a complex system that guarantees that spoiled products will not end up on the table, but we do not have a system that ensures the acquisition of quality housing and its further maintenance,” says LNTPA President Robertas Dargis.
According to him, the issue of operation and maintenance of old buildings would be solved by mandatory apartment owners’ associations. Most apartment owners living in old-built houses do not unite, so when building maintenance problems arise, they do not have legal opportunities to solve them, and they are dependent on the whims of their neighbors. For example, if a wall of a house collapses, residents who have not united in associations cannot even apply for its reconstruction, because formally they are only the owners of the apartments, but not the building. Without uniting in associations, residents of apartment buildings cannot even insure the building, they do not have the opportunity to apply for its reconstruction. “Associations are perhaps the only tool that apartment owners can use to act as building owners, so the state should financially and legally encourage residents to unite in associations,” argues R. Dargis. According to him, by giving the land under the building to associations free of charge, they would be empowered to take care of not only the building, but also its territory.
There are a number of other problems in the sector, such as regulations that do not meet the requirements of the time – the parking volumes provided for in the sensitive old town are difficult to implement without endangering the environment.
The existing 10-year construction work guarantee is also not fully effective. Today, there are many so-called “single-project” companies that close down as soon as the project is implemented, and no one takes over their obligations.
According to the president of the LNTPA, the quality of construction work and compliance with requirements must be checked throughout the process. The State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate does not have sufficient capacity to ensure such control, therefore, supervision during the construction period is now left to the contractor or builder. “The Construction Inspectorate should check and supervise the essential requirements regardless of the complexity of the construction.” He emphasizes that the issue of quality control is particularly sensitive also because the National Consumer Rights Protection Council does not defend the rights of real estate owners.