Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has stated the newly built housing units in Naifaru, Lhaviyani Atoll, were renovated with approval from the owners and the local council.
The planning ministry contracted Rasheed Carpentry and Construction Private Limited (RCC) to construct 100 housing units in Naifaru under a design-and-build policy in 2020. RCC completed the project and handed over the flats to the government in February 2022. The housing units are split into four buildings, and each unit has three rooms with bathrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen, and a small storage room. Naifaru Island Council is now in charge of managing the flats.
The ministry stated that complaints were made regarding defects at the flats that have been neglected. It detailed that the agreement requires that the contractor handle any renovation work at the flats for a one-year period after the completion of the project, which is the defects liability period. The ministry stated it had contacted the contractor after receiving the report of defects in the housing units from the island council in May, adding that the contractor had sent a team in June to fix the issues. It added that the team had conducted its work after obtaining approval and involving the owners and that the council had approved the renovations upon completion.
Furthermore, the ministry stated that Naifaru Island Council has not submitted a request to conduct a larger renovation project and that the ministry will immediately respond to any complaints regarding the renovations conducted at the housing units.