Ministry of Housing warn Fijians on the risk of losing homes in informal settlements

The Ministry of Housing has sent out a warning to all Fijians to be extremely careful when buying homes in informal settlements due to the serious risk of eviction and financial loss.

While issuing a statement, the ministry says while these areas may offer cheaper housing options yet they often lack legal protection, and essential services and can lead to sudden evictions with no notice, and buyers lose the money they have invested.

They say informal settlements are typically built on land that is not legally owned or leased, meaning any property transaction in these areas is unstable.

The ministry says many of these settlements also lack access to basic services like electricity, water, and sanitation, making life difficult for residents.

They say a recent case involved a person who paid $10,000 in cash for a home in an informal settlement and despite paying the full amount, the person received no formal ownership documents and later, the original landowner resurfaced and claimed no knowledge of the sale and demanded that person leave the property.

The Ministry says many others have shared similar stories, and the risks are growing.

The ministry urges Fijians to choose homes in legally recognized areas where they are protected by law, have greater stability, and have access to essential services like water and electricity.