The developer of a residential area in Ho Chi Minh City has not only been fined over US$44,000 for illegal alterations to the original building design, but also been forced to dismantle the illegal components.

The municipal People’s Committee decided to impose the administrative penalty upon TDS Company, developer of the Thao Dien Sapphire Residential Area, located in Thao Dien Ward, District 2.

The firm was given a VND1 billion ($44,124) fine, the highest ever issued to a construction company in Ho Chi Minh City.

The company was charged for altering the design of the project in violation of the building permit granted by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction on June 18, 2015. 

The developer increased the area of the ground floor in several buildings, with the total area in violation measuring 1,396 square meters.

Local authorities had previously made a report and issued a warning for the offense, but these were eventually ignored by the developer.

Therefore, the municipal administration decided to not only impose the penalty, but stop the entire project until the firm pays the fine and complies.

TDS will also have to tear down the offending constructions that have been built beyond the approved design.

TDS was given 10 days to follow the order by the relevant authorities.

The Thao Dien Sapphire project covers an area of over 27,000 square meters, including 30 three-story villas.

According to a broker from TDS’s partner company, buyers can chose a villa with a garden, a swimming pool, or situated along the riverbank.

Prices range from VND45 billion ($1.98 million) to VND100 billion ($4.41 million) depending on size and category.

The construction is nearly finished and some of the residences have already been sold to customers.

Buyers are expected to receive their houses in August, according to a TDS employee.

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