For almost 20 years, the My Dinh mixed-use apartment building (also known as the SICO building) has been without a property management board or proper land use rights certification (commonly known as the “red book” in Vietnam).
Located in a prime area at No. 2, Alley 2, Nguyen Hoang Street, My Dinh II Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, the SICO building was developed by Infrastructure Construction Joint Stock Company (formerly known as Song Da Concrete and Construction Joint Stock Company) and consists of 81 residential units. The units were handed over to homeowners in 2005, but nearly two decades later, the building still lacks a property management board, and residents have not received their land use rights certificates (“red books”) despite fulfilling their obligations. This has caused significant frustration among the residents.
SICO Building in My Dinh II Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, has been without a property management board and proper land use rights certification for almost 20 years.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Khai, a resident of the SICO building, shared with the press that the residents are extremely frustrated by the neglect of the developer. The 81 units in the building have been left without proper management or attention from any government agency or the developer. The residents have sent numerous petitions to the relevant authorities, seeking clarification on why, after almost 20 years of occupying their homes, they are still not legally recognized as homeowners and have not received their land use rights certificates.
Mr. Khai also pointed out the building’s serious state of disrepair, especially regarding fire safety. The fire protection system, installed in 2005, is now almost entirely dilapidated, and the building lacks a fire alarm system, relying solely on a fire suppression system that has not been properly maintained or serviced. This poses a significant fire safety risk to the residents.
“For 19 years, the building has been deteriorating, with broken elevators, and the developer has effectively abandoned us. Without a property management board, there is no one to take responsibility for repairs and maintenance. We have sent petitions to the developer, the Ward People’s Committee, and other relevant agencies, but our concerns remain unresolved, leaving us deeply frustrated,” said Mr. Khai.
Recently, the residents received information from Song Da 9 Company that the state will reclaim the land in March 2025, causing confusion and concern among the building’s occupants about the fate of their homes.
“When we purchased our homes, we were not provided with any project legal documents, and now we learn that the project land lease is about to expire. The developer has been absent for many years, and we urge the competent authorities to intervene and conduct an inspection to clarify the situation so that we can live here with peace of mind,” Mr. Khai added.
Developer Neglect and Government Apathy?
Sharing similar concerns, Mr. Hung, a resident on the 5th floor of the SICO building, pointed out the significant fire safety risks that the building has posed since his family moved in. In addition, the developer has been collecting service fees, water charges, and parking fees without providing any official receipts or invoices, forcing residents to pay these fees through a single security guard representative of the developer.
The SICO building is in a state of disrepair, with a rudimentary fire protection system that has not been regularly maintained, posing fire safety risks.
“The monthly receipts do not bear the developer’s seal or stamp, and there is only the signature of the security guard. This makes us very anxious and uncertain about the legality of these payments. We don’t even know if the money is being properly remitted to the developer and if the necessary taxes are being paid to the state,” said Mr. Hung, expressing his frustration.
About two months ago, the leadership of the My Dinh II Ward People’s Committee invited resident representatives to a meeting regarding the establishment of a property management board, but the meeting did not yield any results. The reason cited was that the Ward did not have any archived documents related to the building, and therefore, there was insufficient basis for the Ward to form a resident management board.
“We, the residents, request that the local government take the initiative to organize a condominium conference to establish a property management board or a similar entity to oversee the maintenance and upkeep of the building. This will ensure the safety and security of the residents and maintain order in the area, allowing us to live peacefully,” Mr. Hung stated.
In a previous conversation with the press, Mr. Vu Van Hung, Vice Chairman of the My Dinh 2 Ward People’s Committee, acknowledged that they had received petitions from the residents regarding the establishment of a property management board for the SICO building.
However, the Ward faces challenges in organizing the initial condominium conference for the building because the developer has not expressed their stance on whether to hold such a conference. Additionally, as the first building constructed in the former My Dinh commune, the Ward does not possess any legal documents related to the building’s permission to operate. “We have repeatedly requested the developer to provide the necessary documents, but they have not complied. We have also invited them for discussions, but they have not shown up,” said the Vice Chairman of the My Dinh 2 Ward People’s Committee.
To resolve this issue, the Ward People’s Committee is seeking guidance from the district authorities to have a basis for organizing the initial condominium conference and establishing a property management board for the SICO building.
However, as of July 5, 2024 (nearly two months after the initial discussions), the Ward People’s Committee confirmed to the press that they had not yet received any guidance from the Nam Tu Liem District People’s Committee.
