A group of luxury villa owners are hoping the Pudong New Area government can help solve a year-old dispute with Shanghai Tomson Real Estate Developing Company over what they call "false sales ads."

Residents of Tomson Golf Villas accuse the developer of changing construction plans for their compound without their permission.

Officials from Pudong met with the residents on Tuesday night and are scheduled to meet with the property developer tomorrow.

Residents complain the developer hasn't built a community center, which is to house a restaurant, gym and entertainment facilities, as promised and has reduced the size of lawns and gardens from what was shown on the original plans.

In June 2003, villa owners established their own residents' committee, in order to seek legal protection, according to a lawyer surnamed Zhu who helped them found the organization.

Villa owners submitted a letter to the developer on September 15 this year demanding construction begin on the community center, the size of lawns and gardens be expanded and the company restore access to a jogging path around the compound's golf course.

On September 12 about 300 residents sounded their car horns simultaneously to show the determination to preserve their rights.

The villa owners also set up posters and banners along paths around gardens in the complex reading: "Protest against Tomson developer for using false sales ads to mislead customers," and "Protest against Tomson developer for presumptuously changing the original community plans."

After meeting with officials from Pudong on Tuesday night, they agreed to take down the banners.

Managers of the property company wouldn't talk about the situation yesterday, but said they might have a comment next week.

Source: Shanghai Daily News