Residents of Male' Grand, a housing complex managed by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), have expressed growing frustration over the poor upkeep of the building, despite families consistently paying monthly maintenance fees.
Male' Grand comprises 90 apartments, with each household paying a monthly maintenance fee of MVR 1,170 to HDC. However, residents say the building has not undergone any renovation or maintenance for several years.
"No repairs are being carried out at all. Despite paying such a high fee, the building is not being properly maintained. Residents are not receiving the services they deserve," said Mohamed Areef, a resident of the complex.
The building's exterior is visibly deteriorating, with peeling paint and aging walls that have not been refurbished in years.
Regarding safety concerns, residents highlighted that the fire hydrants and hoses intended for emergencies were broken until very recently. While these have finally been repaired after being neglected for a long period, the delay has caused anxiety among the tenants.
Furthermore, although a backup generator is installed for power outages, residents report that it is never activated when the electricity goes out. This leaves elderly residents and persons with disabilities living on higher floors stranded, unable to use the elevators. This lack of basic utility support has become a major burden for those living on the upper levels.
Key Issues at Male' Grand
- Lack of adequate services despite collecting MVR 1,170 monthly from 90 apartments.
- Peeling paint and years of neglected structural maintenance.
- Backup generators remain unused during power outages.
- Failure to regularly maintain safety systems.
Residents noted that they have repeatedly submitted formal complaints to HDC regarding these issues.
However, they emphasized that the corporation has yet to provide a satisfactory or lasting solution.
"Maintenance work is ongoing. This is a project that requires cladding. We have invited tenders for the work multiple times, but the previous contractors abandoned the project. We have since re-advertised, and the process is currently in the committee stage," explained Zuhair, an official from HDC.
