Residents’ dispute with Golden Westlake developer rumbles on

To Hong Son, a resident and representative for families in the residential complex on Thuy Khue street, Ba Dinh district , Hanoitold VIR that at the end of July, Golden Westlake management company Leonidas on behalf of the developer Ha Viet Tung Shing reported that it would raise car parking fee from VND1 million ($47) to VND2-2.5 million ($96-$120) a month from August.

Son said the proposed fee was too high compared with the level which was set in the contracts signed between two sides at $30 per a car per month. Golden Westlake residents have protested the increased fees.

The Department of Construction, on behalf of Hanoi People’s Committee, claimed the fees should stay unchanged.

However, Leonidas kept open its option to raise the fee and looked  for the authorities’ approval in May and June, this year.

Explained further on, residents of Golden Westlake claimed that selling vehicle parking lot in the property for the whole lifespan of the project broke the law.

Leonidas declined to comment on the report. Golden Westlake was put use in February, 2010, with many resulting conflicts related to the right to use public area, especially the right to use the basement.

Specifically, according to initially contracts, residents were permitted to park their vehicles at the basement of the building with a fee of $30 a car per month.

However, when the building was finished, developers forced residents to pay VND3 million ($150) per month.

Le Dinh Luong said Ha Viet Tung Shing had sent mixed messages and said if residents did not admit this parking fee then residents could have apartment’s payment returned but in the price of three years ago, which is much lower than the current price.

In another conflict related to the right to use public area, Nguyen Truong Luyen, a resident living in unit W902 also revealed that Ha Viet Tung Shing concealed two entrances of this building for leasing for other purposes.

Luyen claimed this made residents have only one entrance for the whole building, instead of three as designed.

Meanwhile, the developer said it was free to lease the entrances.