Govt urged to formulate a regulatory framework for land developers

Housing cooperatives have called on government to formulate a regulatory framework for land developers as home-seekers are being swindled of their hard earned money.

Many people have lost millions of dollars to unregistered land developers that are selling non-existent stands.

The bogus co-operatives and land developers advertise in newspapers and offer low deposits and attractive payment terms to lure unsuspecting low-income earners.

This has prompted the apex body of housing cooperatives in Harare North to call on government to put in place a regulatory framework to scrutinise the operations of land developers.

Harare North Union Housing Cooperatives Chairman, Naboth Munyengeri says there is need for a regulatory framework that will guide the operations of these land developers.

"We are saying government should put in place a regulatory framework for land developers, because desperate home-seekers are being fleeced. The land developers, promise servicing of land which never happens," he said.

It has emerged that many people pay for the servicing of land and road construction in the proposed residential areas, but after many years the areas remain largely undeveloped.

Meanwhile, the Department of Physical Planning has issued a statement warning home-seekers of the proliferation of bogus land developers and housing cooperatives.

The department says it has a list of approved schemes in the area and other places in greater Harare where residential stands are being serviced and the information is readily available and would-be land seekers can inquire to avoid being swindled.

Disputes over state land have been occurring in Caledonia and Hatcliffe where land developers have been at loggerheads with housing cooperatives.