Gedhoruveriyaa flats not fully handed over; units now up for rent

Of the 4,000 flat recipients under the former government's Gedhoruveriyaa scheme, even a hundred people have not yet received their flats.

The Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) told state media Public Service Media (PSM) that 62 recipients have been handed over keys so far. The first flats are being handed over from Tower 14, out of a total of 32 towers built under the scheme.

Flat recipients have been expressing numerous complaints and concerns over the delays in key handover, ergo, due to housing struggles.

Meanwhile, advertisements have begun popping up on social media and rental platforms offering the few apartments that have been handed over for lease, already, and at high prices too.

Some ads list three-bedroom units for MVR 25,000, while FDC’s official rent is MVR 10,500 for the same units.

Many people had raised concerns that those most in need are not receiving flats. Meanwhile social housing units are being rented out at commercial rates, and its a practice that has become very common in Male' City.

There are currently many such flats for rent in Phase One and Phase Two of Hulhumale'.

Renting out social housing flats is prohibited under current regulations. Violations may result in termination of the housing agreement and confiscation of the flat. However, once flats are allocated, authorities rarely monitor whether recipients are actually residing in them, making it difficult to track how many units are being rented out.

In a recent development, Fahi Union, an advocacy group for flat owners, alleged that around 350 flats allocated under the Housing Ministry are being sold by individuals claiming to be ministry employees. The Housing Ministry has denied these allegations.