Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

Homeowners who received keys to their posh flats are furious after discovering the developer of their property built a blue plastic pond instead of the water feature which apparently appeared in promotional material.

Owners in Zone D of the newly built Beizhen Central Park Residential District are demanding developer Changsha Shiji Yujing Real Estate rectify what they perceive as false advertising.

However, the firm from Changsha, capital of Central China’s Hunan Province, claim they never promised a park or a pond, despite similar imagery being widely used in their marketing material.

Images from the residential community show the central courtyard beneath four tower blocks paved with a sheet of blue plastic, which residents say is meant to be a lake.

There also appears to be a small bridge built onto the plastic covering, which is decorated with illustrations of fish.

Instead of grass or trees, the surrounding ground is paved with concrete bricks and strips of wilting grass.

Homebuyers who paid on average 1,100 GBP per square metre for their new flats have been told by the developer the plastic pond was installed for “aesthetic purposes”, reports said.

According to the property firm, the paving adheres to government fire safety standards.

In response to questions regarding its promotional material, which promised “natural surroundings”, the developer argues it never promised an artificial lake.

Mr Zhong, one of the owners lending his voice to complaints against the firm, argues that the current sheet of plastic is not only an eyesore, it is also slippery and poses a health and safety risk for children.

He added: “This is a joke. The developer is treating us like 3-year-olds.

“We want all of these bricks removed and grass vegetation returned.”

According to reports, other issues raised with the developer include unsatisfactory build quality in the homes, leading to leaks, as well as the lack of wheelchair access and poor paint finishes in the car park.

The developer said it would be holding meetings with the aggrieved buyers but did not commit to making any changes.

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