As of Aug 4, 258 Beijing buildings with unauthorized parts have been prevented from being transferred and mortgaged this year, Beijing News reported on Tuesday.

A city official said the buildings were mostly private villas or bungalows that were rebuilt or expanded without authorization.

Once buildings are found to have unauthorized parts, city officials will inform the local housing authorities not to transfer and mortgage, and the buildings will be unfrozen only after the unauthorized parts are removed, the official said.

According to government statistics released in March, 10,381 buildings with unauthorized parts were found in 173 of the 221 low-density communities in Beijing.

An official who works in the department that deals with illegal use of land and illegal constructions said, "Those illegal buildings in the dwelling districts are hard to deal with."

Owners of those buildings often don't cooperate in the lengthy procedures of affirmation, notification, etc before the unauthorized parts can be removed, the official said.

Hou Liqiang

(China Daily USA 08/14/2013 page4)