New Condo Rules Offer Better Buyer Protection

Condominium buyers in Pattaya and throughout Thailand are set to have better legal protection from an amendment to the condominium act under which penalties are imposed on developers who do not deliver as advertised.

The amendment becomes effective on 4 July and will punish those developers who engage in misleading advertising in order to boost their sales. “If they don’t deliver what they advertise, the land department is empowered to charge them with giving false information,” explained a department spokesman.

Complaints from buyers who found that the units they purchased did not include what was promised led to the new amendment. Most had purchased condominium units before they had been completed.

From 4 July developers will be required to submit their advertising plans at the same time they submit their construction proposals. On completion of the construction, the land department will inspect the units to determine if everything has been completed as advertised.

Most complaints about condos purchased in Pattaya generally deal with smaller items, such as the construction not finished on schedule, disputes about the common areas and charges for general condominium services. Under the new provisions, condo owners will be required to show all of the promotional material they received when making a complaint.