The Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims can no longer hear disputes involving purchases predating its establishment last December, the Kuala Lumpur High Court decided today.

In the landmark decision, the court effectively rendered the 10 month-old tribunal redundant when it ruled that the body was not empowered to hear violations of housing sale and purchase agreements prior to its creation.

A group of housing developers separately challenged the tribunal's decisions, through a judicial review, to compensate house buyers for late delivery and failure to provide common facilities.