The Ministry of Housing is advising potential home buyers in Fiji to be extremely cautious when considering properties in informal settlements. The Ministry highlighted that although these areas may provide more affordable housing options, they often lack crucial infrastructure and legal protections, exposing residents to significant eviction and development risks.
According to the Ministry, informal settlements are typically situated on land that is neither legally owned nor leased, rendering any property transaction very precarious. Buyers in these settlements may find themselves at risk of eviction without any prior notice, which can lead to major financial losses and homelessness.
Furthermore, these areas usually do not have reliable access to essential services like electricity, water, and sanitation, which can adversely affect the residents’ quality of life and health.
There have been multiple reports of buyers who, unaware of the risks, paid large sums for properties in these informal settlements, only to be later stripped of their ownership and forced to leave.
One such example involves an individual known as Person A, who purchased a home in an informal settlement for $10,000 in cash. Despite making the payment in full, Person A did not obtain any official record of ownership, and later found out that the original landowner denied any knowledge of the transaction, insisting that Person A vacate the premises.
The Ministry strongly urges prospective buyers to focus on properties situated in established and legally recognized neighborhoods, which provide better security, stability, and access to necessary services.