A board has been set up by the Malta Developers Association to investigate public complaints against developers.

The MDA said in a statement that since all complaints received concerned developers who were not its members, it could not take action against them, but it promised to do its utmost to help all who wrote to it.

It said that when it was set up, all founding members agreed to draw up and promote a code of ethics since it was felt that the time had come to change people's perception about property developers.

"We feel it is unfair to generalise and shed a negative light on all the developers because of a few careless individuals," an MDA spokesman said.

MDA suggested that some due diligence was done before any agreement was signed.

"First, it is important to know who you are dealing with and what terms you are entering into," the MDA advised.

It said everyone should check who the MDA-approved developers were contracts should be read carefully and explained by a notary.

The association said it was doing its utmost to ensure that members acted in a serious, professional way, and it is not going to tolerate those who, through their conduct, give a bad impression on all developers in general.

www.mda.com.mt