New rule requires land transfer only to relatives who don't own land or flat
Individuals who receive land or flats under the programme are required to surrender previously held land or housing within five years.
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A regulation has been published outlining conditions for the transfer of land and flats allocated under the government’s housing programme.
The Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development published the regulation in the Government Gazette under the title “Procedure for the Release of Land and Flats Agreed to be Surrendered by Applicants for Housing in the Greater Malé Region.”
Under the regulation, individuals who receive land or flats through the programme and wish to transfer previously allocated land may only do so to family members who do not already own land or housing units.
Eligible family members are defined as a biological child, mother, father, spouse, full or half sibling. In the absence of these, a person designated by the government may receive the transfer.
The regulation also states that land held jointly or obtained through inheritance may only be transferred to the same categories of family members.
The recipient must not own land exceeding 400 square feet, nor hold any plot, flat or apartment allocated under a government housing programme.
In relation to flats, the regulation requires that any unit to be surrendered must be returned to a person designated by the government. The unit must be handed over in a condition comparable to its state at the time of allocation, with any damage repaired except for wear arising from normal use.
The regulation further states that recipients of surrendered flats must also meet the same eligibility criteria regarding property ownership.
Individuals who receive land or flats under the programme are required to surrender previously held land or housing within five years.
