DAB Warns Of Guangdong Village Homes Scam

The DAB party has warned people to be careful about buying property across the border, after receiving dozens of complaints from SAR residents who purchased village homes that were illegally constructed and now face demolition.

Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat said more than 80 people had turned to the party for help over losing an average of more than 300,000 yuan each after signing contracts with the committee running a village near Huizhou, Guangdong province.

Quat explained that under mainland law, villagers are only allowed to buy and sell land in their villages between themselves, but not to any outsiders.

"So this kind of contract they are signing is not totally legal and the government cannot protect their rights because this is not a legal contract," she said at a press conference on Thursday.

One victim said she went to Huizhou to file a complaint with the authorities over the money she had lost, but was detained by police in the city and beaten up.

The DAB said the Hong Kong buyers of the homes had learned about the project from friends living at a reputable housing estate near the village in question, and the victims had signed the purchase contracts through mainland estate agents.

The houses are said to have been built too high and are to be torn down.

A number of victims joined Quat at the press conference, holding up posters saying Hong Kong people are not aware of the risks involved in buying such homes on the mainland.

Quat said the DAB had contacted Huizhou officials for help with the complaints, via Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong.