Vanke heavily criticised for poor quality of homes on China’s 315 annual consumer rights TV show

China Vanke apologises after the show, saying it is ‘deeply sorry for bringing troubles and concerns to our consumers due to the quality issue’

The show, which usually airs on international consumers day on March 15, was postponed because of the coronavirus epidemic to July 16

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China Vanke is the mainland’s third biggest developer by sales. Photo: Handout

Published: 7:00pm, 17 Jul 2020Updated: 11:28pm, 17 Jul 2020

China Vanke, the third largest home builder in the mainland by sales, issued an apology after it came in for heavy criticism for the poor quality of its homes on an annual consumer rights television show.

Serious water leakage from the ceiling was first noticed in 146 out of 201 units in Vanke’s Hillview Park residential project in Guangzhou in November 2018, according to the state-run China Central Television’s (CCTV) popular consumer rights show, which aired on Thursday night.

The CCTV programme said that just three months later homeowners reported other problems, including a burst sewage pipe. Despite repeated requests to Vanke to fix the issues, the company reluctantly agreed to sort the problems in March 2019, the report added.

The “315” show, similar to CBS network’s 60 Minutes in the United States, is a mix of undercover reports and song-and-dance routine. It is widely popular among Chinese viewers for exposing improper behaviour at big companies and protecting consumer rights.

Immediately after the show, Vanke apologised on its official WeChat account.

“We sincerely accept public criticism and supervision and we are deeply sorry for bringing troubles and concerns to our consumers due to the quality issue. We will continue to pay high attention to the quality of our products and services,” the developer said.